The lights hadn't faded yet. In the stands, there were thousands of faces, a wave of flags, flashes of cameras, screams, and the colors of celebration -- everything was there. But in the midst of all that brilliance, one man suddenly seemed utterly alone.

Paris St Germain head coach Luis Enrique has lavished praise on Arsenal ahead of this month's Champions League final, dubbing them the best team in the world without the ball.

Canada is expected to spend just over C$1 billion ($727 million) to host the World Cup this summer, according to a report from the federal budget watchdog published on Wednesday.

Unai Emery not only cemented his status as undisputed king of the Europa League with Wednesday's astonishing fifth win as a manager - but also sealed Aston Villa's resurgence as a major force in football.

The Democratic Republic of Congo national football team have cancelled a planned pre-World Cup training camp at home after the country was hit by an Ebola outbreak, a team official told AFP Wednesday.

Aston Villa captain John McGinn invited Prince William to join his side's Europa League victory party after the royal watched their 3-0 win in Wednesday's final against Freiburg.

Youri Tielemans and Emiliano Buendia scored stunning goals as Aston Villa outclassed Freiburg 3-0 in the Europa League final on Wednesday to end a 30-year wait for silverware and earn their coach Unai Emery a record-extending fifth win in the competition.

Throughout the two-Test series against Pakistan, the Tigers remained clinical in their cricketing craftsmanship and application of strategy.

Coming into the game with four wins in their last five games, Kolkata lost prolific opener Finn Allen in the first over, bowled by Deepak Chahar.

Cricket Operations in-charge Shahriar Nafees confirmed the development to The Daily Star. Salahuddin is expected to begin his new role as HP head coach in June.

Nomination papers will be distributed until Thursday 4pm.

The top league will comprise 36 countries - determined by the restructured 2028/29 UEFA Nations League - and be divided into three groups of 12 teams.

The true beauty of the World Cup lies in its unpredictability, where the astonishing rise of an underdog leaves an indelible mark on the hearts of football romantics.

International Master (IM) Fahad Rahman secured his second Grandmaster (GM) norm on Wednesday after emerging champion in the FUBY Academy Norm Chess Tournament Series 3 Grandmaster event in Istanbul, Turkey.

Bangladesh’s 78-run victory over Pakistan on Day 5 of the second Test at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium sealed a 2-0 series clean sweep and delivered five gripping days of momentum swings, fightbacks, heated exchanges and remarkable moments. From Litton Das’s valiant 126 that rescued the Tigers in the first innings to Taijul Islam’s five-wicket haul in the fourth innings that sealed the win, the Test had no shortage of drama. Taskin Ahmed provided crucial breakthroughs, while Shoriful Islam’s lone wicket of the match – the prized scalp of Mohammad Rizwan, whose fighting 94 nearly inspired a world-record chase – proved equally decisive. The Daily Star’s Firoz Ahmed captured the defining moments of a Test that truly had it all. Photos: Firoz Ahmed

Dorielton Gomes produced a brilliant hattrick as Bashundhara Kings came from behind to beat Mohammedan Sporting Club 3-2 in an entertaining Federation Cup final at the Bashundhara Kings Arena on Wednesday.

Towhid Hridoy smashed a blistering unbeaten half-century as Mohammedan Sporting Club stormed to the top of the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League 2025-26 table with a crushing nine-wicket win over Agrani Bank Cricket Club at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Wednesday.

Bukayo Saka said that Arsenal's critics were "not laughing at us anymore" as the club celebrated their first Premier League title in more than two decades.

Pakistan player Salman Ali Agha has been handed an official reprimand for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during the second Test against Bangladesh in Sylhet on Tuesday.

Veteran midfielder Granit Xhaka will take part in his seventh successive major international tournament after he was named in Switzerland's World Cup squad on Wednesday.