Chennai will be the centre of attention of the chess universe from November 6 to 26 when it hosts the world championship series between reigning champion Viswanathan Anand and 22-year-old Norwegian ch

Chennai will be the centre of attention of the chess universe from November 6 to 26 when it hosts the world championship series between reigning champion Viswanathan Anand and 22-year-old Norwegian ch

Fifa seems to be on course to resolve the issue of whether the ball crossed the goal-line or not. Even though problems don’t arise on a weekly basis, the world football governing body felt obligated to act after the on-field officials failed to spot a certain England goal against Germany at the 2010 World Cup.

With less than 15 months to go for the 2014 World Cup, there is a sense of foreboding about hosts Brazil’s chances at the quadrennial event. The record five-time winners don’t appear to have the tools to be crowned champions on home soil.

The intriguing Champions League contest between Manchester United and Real Madrid on Tuesday has belied the unwritten rule in football that hyped up matches invariably fall flat. The meeting of the world’s two biggest clubs was dramatic at the Theatre of Dreams, even though it wasn’t a classic in quality.

Swansea City win the League Cup by the biggest margin in the tournament’s history; Ryan Giggs seals Manchester United’s win against QPR and Gareth Bale inspires Spurs to a 3-2 victory over West Ham. The last seven days have been heady for Wales. An ageing king is still not ready to abdicate his throne while the crown prince is hot on his heels.

Arsenal are out of the FA Cup after a humiliating defeat at the hands of Championship side Blackburn Rovers and they are on the verge of exit in the Champions League following a 1-3 reverse against Bayern Munich in the first leg of the pre-quarter-finals.

David Beckham continues to confound football pundits. Many a farewell has been written to force him out of the game. When his time at Real Madrid ended, many believed that there wouldn’t be takers for his services. But LA Galaxy offered him a five-year stay with a hefty pay packet across the Atlantic.

Mario Balotelli’s English sojourn is over. He is back home. The striker has left Manchester City for AC Milan, the club he supported in his boyhood. Super Mario — the prefix may not get everybody’s approval — leaves EPL poorer in entertainment, if not in goals. After all, the Italian scored only 30 goals in all competitions during his tempestuous stay at Manchester. It remains to be seen whether home comforts rekindle the fire in his belly.

The African Nations Cup is picking up steam in South Africa after a sequence of dull draws in the first round. Tunisia have set the tone for an exciting tournament with a thrilling win against Algeria in Group D thanks to a majestic last-gasp goal from Youssef M’Sakni. The Bafana Bafana warmed the hearts of home fans with a 2-0 victory over Angola on Wednesday.