Ahmedabad, India, has been recommended as the host city for the 2030 Commonwealth Games. Commonwealth Sport announced on Wednesday that the Indian city has been chosen ahead of a rival bid from Abuja in Nigeria, to host the event, which will be the Commonwealth Games’ centenary.
It is the second time in 20 years that the event will have been held in the world’s most populous nation.
The city of Ahmedabad in the west of the country has been chosen ahead of Abuja in Nigeria by an evaluation commission from governing body Commonwealth Sport.
The decision to hold the games there in five years time is now expected to be ratified at the organisation’s General Assembly in Glasgow on November 26.
READ ALSO: Hosting Commonwealth Games Is A Dream That Must Be Realised – Tinubu
Ahmedabad can boast the Narendra Modi Stadium – the largest in the world, with a capacity of 132,000 – which hosted the Cricket World Cup final in 2023.
The city has a population in excess of five million people, and has even been suggested as a potential bidder to host a future Olympic Games.
“We see the 2030 Games as a powerful opportunity to inspire our youth, strengthen international partnerships and contribute to a shared future across the Commonwealth,” said Dr. P T Usha, president of Commonwealth Games Association India.
The Games first visited India in 2010 when Delhi hosted.
Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong signed a new deal until 2029, the Spanish champions announced Wednesday.
The 28-year-old Dutch international joined Barcelona from Ajax in 2019 and is in his seventh season with the Catalan giants, winning two La Liga titles and the Copa del Rey twice.
“Barca are confident that the midfielder can be a pivotal part of the current sporting project due to his quality and experience,” said the club in a statement.
De Jong has struggled for form at times but became a key part of the midfield under Hansi Flick last season alongside Pedri Gonzalez.
“I always dreamed of playing for Barca, and now that I am living the dream I have always had since I was a child, I want to continue pursuing this dream for many more years, and I am eager to win titles,” De Jong told a news conference.
Arriving under previous Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu, De Jong is one of the club’s highest earners, with Spanish media reporting he has accepted a pay cut in his new deal starting from the 2026/27 season.
De Jong said previous media reports over his salary were exaggerated and had affected how he was viewed by fans.
“I will not tell you what I will earn, they’ve always talked about it a lot but I think that numbers regarding what I earned before have been exaggerated a lot,” he explained.
“I think that has affected a bit how people see me, because if they read in newspapers that Frenkie earns this, that he’s the player who earns the most money in Europe… it has an impact.”
Barcelona tried to sell De Jong in 2022 as part of cost-cutting measures but the midfielder dug in to stay at the club for whom he has made over 250 appearances.
“I don’t feel under-valued by my team-mates, coaches or within the club, that’s more (a media) thing,” added De Jong.
“That’s the beauty of football, everyone can have their opinion.”
Naomi Osaka battled through injury and her emotions to reach the quarter-finals of the Japan Open on Wednesday, choking back tears after hitting the winning shot against defending champion Suzan Lamens.
Top seed Osaka, playing a singles tournament in her native Japan for the first time in three years, won 7-6 (8/6), 3-6, 6-2 to set up a last-eight match against Romania’s Jaqueline Cristian.
“Emotionally I was going through a lot in this match,” said Osaka.
“And then in the third set I tried my best to have no regrets.”
The former world number one was leading 5-0 in the final set in the city of Osaka when she needed a medical timeout to receive treatment on her left leg.
She returned with heavy strapping on her thigh and lost the next two games before closing out the match in 2 hours, 20 minutes.
Four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka hit a backhand winner and then bent over and put her hand to her face before walking to the net appearing to fight back tears.
Osaka said she had taken painkillers but admitted that her injury “doesn’t feel good”.
“I couldn’t really move that well,” she said.
“It’s not good, but I think I’m a fast healer so it should be OK for my next match.”
Japan’s Naomi Osaka prepares to play a point against Japan’s Wakana Sonobe during their women’s singles match at the Japan Open tennis tournament in Osaka on October 13, 2025. (Photo by PAUL MILLER / AFP)
The 27-year-old is playing in her first tournament since reaching the US Open semi-finals, where she lost to Amanda Anisimova of the United States.
Osaka had not progressed to the second week of a major since winning the Australian Open for a second time in 2021.
Malaysia’s football federation has appealed FIFA’s decision to suspend seven national team players in an eligibility scandal, a news report said Wednesday.
The world governing body last month banned the foreign-born players for a year and fined the FA of Malaysia (FAM) $440,000.
FIFA accused the FAM of submitting doctored or false documents that said the seven players had Malaysian ancestry, making them eligible to represent the country. FAM denied knowingly wrongdoing.
READ ALSO: FIFA Suspends Seven Malaysian Players Over Forged Documents
FIFA said an investigation showed that none of the players — who helped Malaysia to a 4-0 drubbing of Vietnam in June in an Asian Cup qualifier — actually had a parent or grandparent born in the Southeast Asian nation.
“This appeal process is like a second round for us, so we are making better, more thorough and detailed preparations. It was not done hastily or under pressure,” FAM acting president Yusoff Mahadi said, according to Bernama news agency.
Yusoff’s comments were made on Tuesday during Malaysia’s 5-1 victory over Laos in an Asian Cup qualifier.
FAM maintains it acted in good faith over the scandal, saying there was a “technical error”.
Nigeria will face Gabon in the semi-finals at the continental stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup play-offs.
This follows the Super Eagles’ victory over the Benin Republic on Tuesday and the conclusion of the qualifying group matches.
READ ALSO: UPDATED: Nigeria Thrash Benin 4-0, Secure World Cup Play-Off Spot
A 4–0 victory over their neighbours sealed a place for the Eagles at the play-offs, while Gabon confirmed second place in Group F with a 2–0 win against Burundi.
South Africa topped the group with 18 points, while Nigeria closely followed in second place with 17 points.
Victor Osimhen scored a hat-trick against Benin Republic on Tuesday. X/@NGSuperEagles
Ivory Coast defeated Kenya to top the group.
In other matches, DR Congo sealed their qualification with a 1–0 win over Sudan, finishing as runners-up in Group B behind Senegal.
Cameroon scaled through them after placing second in Group D behind Cape Verde.
“In the CAF Play-offs, Nigeria will take on Gabon’s Palancas Negras in a ‘first semi-final’ on Thursday, November 13, with Cameroon taking on the Democratic Republic of Congo in the ‘second semi-final’ on Friday, November 14.
“The two winners clash on Sunday, November 16 in the ‘final’, with the winner to proceed to the Intercontinental Play-offs scheduled for the Mexican cities of Guadalajara and Monterrey in March next year,” the Nigeria Football Federation said in a statement on Tuesday.
At the International Play-off tournament, six teams will battle for two tickets, for a chance to qualify for the 2026 World Cup finals in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
Harry Kane scored twice as England secured qualification for the 2026 World Cup after a 5-0 thrashing of Latvia on Tuesday.
Anthony Gordon opened the scoring in Riga before Kane took his tally for club and country this season to 21 goals in 13 games.
A Maksims Tonisevs own-goal and Eberechi Eze’s strike rounded off the scoring as the Three Lions guaranteed top spot in Group K of UEFA qualifying with two games to spare.
Thomas Tuchel has completed his first task with ease as his side became the first European nation to qualify.
England have won all six of their qualifiers since the German took charge, scoring 18 goals without conceding.
“It comes rarely that you qualify for a World Cup, so the mood is very, very good,” said Tuchel. “In the dressing room, it’s all smiles, music. It’s a moment to enjoy because it’s a special moment.”
After a slow start to Tuchel’s reign with unconvincing victories over Albania and Andorra, plus a friendly defeat to Senegal in June, England have clicked into gear over the past two international breaks.
“Of course we expect us to win against Latvia, but the way we won first of all gives us a lot of satisfaction,” added Tuchel.
“We did it six out of six wins, six clean sheets. We are there and to have this feeling is a very unique feeling.”
Players including England’s defender #02 Ezri Konsa and Latvia’s defender #02 Daniels Balodis vie for the ball in the box during the 2026 World Cup qualifying group K football match between Latvia and England at the Daugava Stadium in Riga, Latvia on October 14, 2025, (Photo by Gints Ivuskans / AFP)
Tuchel’s decision to leave out fit-again Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden from his squad this month was questioned.
But the former Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain boss has been rewarded for implementing continuity with his selection.
Gordon is one of those to benefit from a run of games on the left of a front three.
The Newcastle winger opened the floodgates when he cut inside to curl into the far corner for just his second England goal on 26 minutes.
‘Building Momentum’
Kane had uncharacteristically missed a glorious early chance when he steered a Gordon cross wide.
The Bayern Munich striker soon found his range with two goals in four minutes at the end of the first half to take his international tally to 76 in 110 caps.
Despite losing his balance, Kane steered a shot into the far corner off his weaker left foot to double England’s lead.
Kane then accepted the gift of a soft penalty award for holding of his shirt by Latvia captain Antonijs Cernomordijs.
“I spoke before about building momentum, no matter who we play,” said Kane.
“We hold on to that. Hold on to winning games, to clean sheets, to pressing high, scoring goals and we’ve done all of that.”
England were able to coast through the second period despite five substitutions disrupting the visitors’s attacking flow.
England forward #15 Morgan Rogers (C) controls the ball in front of Latvia’s goalkeeper #01 Krisjanis Zviedris (L) during the 2026 World Cup qualifying group K football match between Latvia and England at the Daugava Stadium in Riga, Latvia on October 14, 2025, (Photo by Gints Ivuskans / AFP)
The fourth goal was a self-inflicted blow by Latvia as the ball looped into his own net off Tonisevs after goalkeeper Krisjanis Zviedris failed to connect with Djed Spence’s cross.
Eze was one of those introduced after the break and the Arsenal playmaker rounded off the scoring with a fine run and finish on 86 minutes.
England have not failed to qualify for a World Cup since it was last in the USA back in 1994.
The hard work for Tuchel now starts in trying to deliver his adopted nation’s first major trophy since 1966.
Hard decisions lie ahead with Bellingham, Foden, Jack Grealish, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Cole Palmer among those not even in the travelling squad to Riga.
