opta

With the 2026 World Cup expanding amid relentless fixture congestion, football risks prioritising revenue over player welfare. PFA chief Maheta Molango warns exhausted stars face unsafe workloads, extreme heat and inadequate recovery, turning elite competition into “survival of the fittest”. As players grow more willing to resist scheduling demands, governing bodies must impose calendar limits before burnout damages athletic quality.

Former world No. 1 Daniil Medvedev suffered a shocking 6-0, 6-0 defeat to Matteo Berrettini at the Monte Carlo Masters. Medvedev's frustration boiled over, leading to a racquet-smashing outburst and a code violation. Berrettini, ranked 90th, delivered a career-best performance in the swift, one-sided match, marking a rare 'double bagel' against a top-10 player.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has roped in opta, the world's leading sports information provider, as its official data provider for the next two years.

Coronary Artery Disease significantly impacts women in India, often remaining underdiagnosed despite high mortality rates. A recent collaboration between Abbott and API introduces opta tools to improve angina diagnosis and management. These tools aim to address the unique challenges women face in accessing timely heart care, emphasizing early detection and lifestyle changes for better outcomes.

The state government decision to shorten summer vacation has caused resentment among teachers many of whom have also urged the government to revise class timings from 6 am to 6.30 am. “It seems those who are taking decisions are not used to practical thinking.

Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United are poised for a thrilling 2025 Europa League final in Bilbao. opta's supercomputer gives Tottenham a slight edge with a 50.3% chance of victory, while Manchester United trails closely behind at 49.7%. Both teams aim to salvage disappointing domestic seasons and secure a Champions League spot, making this a high-stakes encounter.

England may have narrowly beaten Denmark 2-1 in extra time in their European Championship semi-final match at Wembley on Wednesday but statistics show the home side dominated proceedings and set a tournament record for touches in the box. England had 56 touches in Denmark's penalty area - a record since data has been available for the metric since 1980, data firm opta said.

FC Barcelona's Lamine Yamal achieved a career-first hat trick in a dominant 4-1 victory over Villarreal, extending Barcelona's lead at the top of La Liga. At just 18 years and 230 days old, Yamal set a new La Liga record as the youngest player to score his maiden hat trick.

Football betting will get a boost upon the resumption of English Premier League on June 17 with the match between Manchester City and Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium.

The opening 10 games of Euro have been the cleanest in terms of fouls since records began, according to sports data company opta. Only 198 fouls have been committed during the 10 games, the lowest total since full data was made available in 1980.

AC Milan forward Rafael Leao scored the fastest goal in Serie A history on Sunday, netting after just six seconds at Sassuolo.

Auckland City, ranked 4,971st in the world, defied expectations by drawing 1-1 with Boca Juniors in the Club World Cup. Despite heavy defeats earlier in the tournament, Auckland displayed remarkable resilience to deny the Argentinian side a crucial victory and hence deny them qualification to the Round of 16.

Statistics-driven news and analysis site FiveThirtyEight (along with sports analytics outfit opta) has analysed how every athlete played in every men's FIFA World Cup from 1966-2018 by generating statistical fingerprints of 5,884 World Cup performances.

Inter Milan moved seven points clear at the top of Serie A on Sunday as Romelu Lukaku scored after 32 seconds and bagged an assist in a 3-0 win over midtable Genoa.

The oldest player to feature in France's Ligue 1 in 71 years Vitorino Hilton announced his retirement aged 43 on Thursday.

Bayern Munich secured a dominant 6-1 victory over Atalanta BC without star striker Harry Kane. Tottenham Hotspur suffered a heavy 5-2 defeat against Atletico Madrid due to early defensive errors. Liverpool faces an uphill battle after a 1-0 loss to Galatasaray, while Barcelona salvaged a 1-1 draw against Newcastle United with a late penalty.

A supercomputer, defying popular expectations, predicts the Buffalo Bills will win Super Bowl LX, challenging the Kansas City Chiefs' dominance. While the Bills, led by Josh Allen, have a strong chance, doubts linger around the Chiefs due to their previous Super Bowl loss. Despite the prediction, Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid's chemistry keeps Kansas City's Super Bowl hopes alive.

Everton midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure suffered a foot injury in last Sunday's 1-0 defeat by West Ham United and will undergo further medical tests to determine the full extent of the problem, the Premier League club said on Tuesday.

Manchester City forward Erling Haaland has been named the Premier League's Player of the Month for August after scoring nine goals in five games in a brilliant start to his career in England.