Professional athletes, particularly rugby players, live with chronic pain and injuries long after retirement—but sports organisations have been slow to pick up the medical bills or support costs.
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World Cup Hydration Breaks Expose Fifa's Grip on the Game's Rules—and Limits
Mandatory three-minute water breaks at the 2026 World Cup, introduced for player safety, have sparked a rare alliance of coaches and critics arguing they alter football's rhythm and raise questions about who actually controls the sport.
2026 World Cup moves into knockout rounds after group stages marked by fan culture and competitive surprises
The expanded 48-team World Cup has progressed to the knockout stage with Canada's historic first-round advance, vivid fan moments, and a new format that sees two-thirds of teams continue to the Round of 16.
Uzbekistan's World Cup debut signals Central Asia's pivot to peace
Uzbekistan's first appearance at the 2026 World Cup marks a symbolic break from 1990s Western predictions of chaos, as the Central Asian region defies old geopolitical fears through border deals and cultural ties.
After Nearly 75 Years, CBC's Hockey Night in Canada Era Comes to an End
CBC and Rogers Communications have ended their sub-licensing deal, bringing an end to nearly 75 years of the national public broadcaster airing NHL games on Hockey Night in Canada.
Socceroos need draw or win against Paraguay to reach knockout stages
Australia faces Paraguay on Friday in their final World Cup group match, knowing a point qualifies them for the knockout round for only the third time in the nation's history.
Socceroos outplayed by United States in World Cup group stage
Australia lost 2–0 to the United States in their World Cup group match, with coach Tony Popovic's defensive tactics and team changes coming under scrutiny.
Why one sports injury often opens the door to another
A sports injury can trigger secondary injuries elsewhere on the body as it heals, because pain relief doesn't equal full recovery and the body compensates by shifting workload to uninjured areas.
Four decades on, Argentina still celebrates Maradona's 'Hand of God' — but ethicists question why
Diego Maradona's infamous 1986 'Hand of God' goal, scored illegally with a punch over England's goalkeeper, remains celebrated across Argentina despite being an obvious handball that should have been disallowed.
2026 World Cup in Canada braces for culture clash over tipping
As the 2026 FIFA World Cup draws international visitors to 16 North American cities, Canadian hospitality workers face a clash between local tipping expectations and the norms of guests from countries where gratuities are neither expected nor customary.
FIFA bans Haiti's Haitian Revolution-themed jersey, stirring echoes of effort to discredit independence legacy
FIFA ruled Haiti's World Cup jersey violated rules on political imagery because it commemorated the Battle of Vertières, a pivotal 1803 victory in the world's first successful slave revolution.
2026 World Cup strains host cities, inflates ticket prices, overshadows migrant reality
As Canada, Mexico and the United States prepare to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup, host cities are rushing through billion-dollar infrastructure investments and bylaw changes, ticket prices have soared far beyond inflation, and media coverage obscures the precarious lives of African migrants reshaping global football.
2026 World Cup expands to 48 teams, opening door for island minnows Curaçao and Cabo Verde
Soccer's World Cup grows to 48 teams for the first time in 2026, allowing small island nations Curaçao and Cabo Verde to compete on the global stage for the first time ever.
AI and heat stress define the 2026 World Cup as a test of tech and player welfare
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will deploy AI across officiating, tactics and security, but heat stress and logistics pose mounting risks to players and attendance across the US, Canada and Mexico.
Enhanced Games debut in Las Vegas with $25 million purse for athletes using legal performance drugs
The inaugural Enhanced Games, a Las Vegas spectacle featuring athletes openly using legal performance-enhancing drugs, offered record prize money but fell short on breaking actual world records.
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