The race for the knockout rounds at the EMF EURO 2026 mini-football championship is heating up after three action-packed days of competition in Bratislava, with several teams already securing their places in the Round of 16 while others face decisive final group-stage encounters.

Hosted at TIPOS Arena, the tournament has attracted thousands of fans and delivered a series of thrilling matches as 24 national teams battle for European glory. The championship runs until June 4, when a new continental champion will be crowned.

Host nation Slovakia made an encouraging start to its campaign by defeating Greece in the opening match, but a narrow loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina prevented the hosts from securing early qualification. Slovakia remains in contention, however, and will look to seal a place in the knockout stage when it faces Montenegro in a crucial Group A fixture.

Defending world champions Azerbaijan continued to strengthen their credentials as one of the tournament favourites with a commanding 3-0 victory over Italy. Serbia also preserved its unbeaten record with a 2-1 win against Belgium, while

France boosted its hopes with a 3-1 triumph over Austria. French forward Dylan Rozier delivered a standout performance, scoring twice and earning Man of the Match honours.

Group E produced one of the most entertaining contests of the tournament so far, as Poland defeated Slovenia 7-4 in a high-scoring encounter. Ukraine edged Türkiye 3-2 in another closely contested match, while England and Spain played out a hard-fought 1-1 draw. Bulgaria also impressed with a 3-1 victory over Portugal, underlining the competitiveness of the championship.

With the group stage nearing its conclusion, eight teams have already booked their places in the Round of 16. However, numerous qualification spots remain up for grabs, setting the stage for a dramatic final round of group matches.

Saturday’s schedule features several decisive encounters. Slovakia will take on Montenegro in a must-win clash for the hosts, while Bosnia and Herzegovina face Greece in the other Group A match. Azerbaijan and France will battle for top spot in Group F, and Serbia meets Ukraine in a showdown between two unbeaten teams. Belgium, Türkiye, Portugal and Israel also enter the day needing positive results to keep their qualification hopes alive.

As the tournament moves closer to the knockout phase, every result carries added significance. With sixteen teams set to advance to the Round of 16, the final day of group-stage action promises high drama as Europe’s leading minifootball nations continue their pursuit of the EMF EURO 2026 title.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru successfully defended their Indian Premier League crown on Sunday, defeating Gujarat Titans by five wickets in the IPL 2026 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

Chasing a target of 156, RCB reached 161/5 with two overs to spare, becoming only the third franchise in IPL history, after Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians, to win back-to-back titles.

After winning the toss, RCB captain Rajat Patidar elected to bowl first, and his decision paid immediate dividends as the Bengaluru seam attack dismantled Gujarat’s star-studded batting line-up.

Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar set the tone by removing Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan early, exposing the Titans’ middle order. RCB’s bowlers repeatedly exploited short-pitched deliveries, with six of Gujarat’s eight dismissed batters falling to balls of a similar length.

Gujarat struggled to build meaningful partnerships throughout the innings. Nishant Sindhu attempted to accelerate the scoring but perished while trying to clear the boundary, while wickets continued to tumble at regular intervals.

Amid the collapse, Washington Sundar stood firm with an unbeaten 50 from 37 deliveries. His composed knock anchored the innings and helped Gujarat post a competitive total despite the constant setbacks.

Late contributions from Arshad Khan, who struck 15 off six balls, and brief cameos from Rahul Tewatia and Jason Holder added valuable runs, but RCB’s disciplined attack ensured Gujarat finished on 155/8.

Bengaluru’s chase began in explosive fashion. Virat Kohli and Venkatesh Iyer raced to the team’s half-century in just 3.3 overs, the fastest fifty recorded in an IPL final, immediately placing Gujarat under pressure.

Iyer justified his promotion up the order with a brisk 32 from 16 balls before Mohammed Siraj claimed his wicket. Kagiso Rabada then dismissed Devdutt Padikkal for one, a breakthrough that secured the Purple Cap for the season.

Gujarat briefly fought back when Rashid Khan removed both Rajat Patidar and Krunal Pandya in quick succession, while Tim David’s dismissal offered the Titans a glimmer of hope.

However, Kohli remained in complete control of the chase. The former RCB captain produced a masterful unbeaten 75 from 42 balls, bringing up his half-century in just 25 deliveries before expertly guiding his side toward the target.

Jitesh Sharma provided steady support as Bengaluru crossed the finish line with 12 balls remaining, sparking celebrations among the RCB faithful.

Kohli’s match-winning innings earned him the Player of the Match award and capped another memorable season for the veteran batter. The victory delivered RCB their second IPL title and further strengthened their status among the league’s elite franchises.

For Gujarat Titans, the defeat marked another heartbreaking final loss after an otherwise impressive campaign, echoing their narrow title-clash disappointment against Chennai Super Kings in 2023.

French police arrested hundreds of people overnight after celebrations of Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League triumph descended into violence in parts of Paris and other cities across France.

Thousands of supporters took to the streets following PSG’s dramatic victory over Arsenal in the Champions League final in Budapest on Saturday evening. The win secured the Paris club’s second consecutive European crown, making PSG only the second team in the modern Champions League era to successfully defend the title.

According to France’s Interior Ministry, 416 people were arrested nationwide, including 283 in Paris alone, as authorities responded to multiple incidents of disorder linked to the celebrations.

Large crowds gathered along the Champs-Élysées and around the Arc de Triomphe, where fans waved flags, set off flares and fireworks, and celebrated into the night. While most supporters marked the occasion peacefully, police reported that smaller groups engaged in vandalism, looting and arson.

Authorities said several vehicles were set on fire, shops were damaged, and fires were started in different parts of the capital. One police officer was reported injured during the disturbances.

Police also dispersed a group that attempted to storm a police station in Paris’s 8th arrondissement. By late evening, dozens of people had already been taken into custody as security forces moved to restore order.

The city’s main ring road was temporarily blocked by celebrating supporters before police cleared the area. Officers also intervened near PSG’s Parc des Princes stadium, where around 1,000 fans had gathered and erected makeshift barricades using bicycles and other objects.

French authorities had deployed large numbers of security personnel in anticipation of mass celebrations, mindful of the scenes that followed PSG’s first Champions League triumph in 2025. Last year, more than 500 people were arrested nationwide and over 200 people were injured in Paris during celebrations.

Despite the unrest, PSG supporters across France celebrated a historic achievement for the club, which has now established itself among Europe’s elite by winning back-to-back Champions League titles.