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With more than 209 nations in FIFA’s global membership, there are a lot of different ways to qualify for the World Cup. Each confederation varies its qualification process to take into account continental size and membership, pedigree of member nations, and other cultural factors that play out on the football field.

Ultimately, the goal is to have 48 teams at the final tournament, a number that has doubled since the competition’s first staging in 1930. While the expansion has been widely embraced, there are some concerns about the quality of qualification. Top teams still feel the heat, but there is more room for error as the qualifying process progresses.

The first step is a round robin group stage, where nations are placed into groups of four or five and face each other twice over two legs. The winners of each group earn direct qualification to the World Cup. The second-place finishers are sorted into a mini-bracket and the winner earns passage to the intercontinental playoff.

For the 2026 cyle, the 46 members of Asia’s confederation competed in five rounds to earn one of eight direct spots at the final tournament. The continent also earned a spot in the intercontinental playoff, which was won by Saudi Arabia.

The four lowest-ranked runners-up in this round — American Samoa, Cook Islands, Samoa and Tonga — entered a one-legged knockout format that was held in October and November of 2024. The winners of each match advanced to the second-round of the interconfederation playoffs, which were played in March of 2026.

Any sincere sports fan can at times display what might seem like an inordinate amount of emotional attachment and angst over the latest sports celebrity gossip. It’s an entertaining part of the fan experience that drives engagement and boosts ticket sales and television ratings. But how do you navigate the world of sports celebrity gossip in a way that prioritizes more substantive issues and promotes a critical mindset? On this week’s episode of Heavy Sports, Madeline and Charlotte welcome Angie Sullivan of the political pop culture podcast “I’ve Had It.” They discuss why it’s important to recognize how much sports can be politicized and how to balance the entertainment value with responsible engagement.

Rory McIlroy is a huge favorite to don the green jacket come Sunday at Augusta National after posting a six-under 66 in Round 3. The Northern Irishman struggled to end his first round on Thursday, but bounced back with a solid Friday. He remained sharp in Saturday’s third round and threw down a string of birdies and an eagle to take the lead by the turn.

The 2021 champion Hideki Matsuyama is in the group just ahead of defending champion Patrick Reed, with Tommy Fleetwood and Joaquin Niemann not far behind them. All three have shot rounds of seven under so far, but have had some hiccups.

McIlroy’s birdie effort at the par-five 14th was a beauty, but he was unlucky not to make a double on the next hole as he tapped in for a birdie. He then played an excellent approach on the par-four 16th but his chip shot was a bit long, leaving him with a tough bogey putt to get to 13 under.

Justin Rose catches McIlroy in the final group, but he is a little farther aback than he wanted to be at this stage of The Masters. The Englishman is no stranger to being in the final group at a major championship, having finished that way on eight occasions, including two times as a runner-up in this tournament. He rolled in eight birdies and has a share of the lead on 12 under.

Social media is a vital tool for sports organizations and athletes to engage their fans and build their personal brands. However, the proliferation of sports content on social media also poses unique challenges that are impacting fan engagement and the overall landscape of the sport industry.

During major events, social media has a significant influence on the way people view and discuss sports. For example, rumors about trades and injuries spread rapidly. Athletes are able to use their platforms to advocate for social causes, amplifying their personal brands and strengthening the value of their endorsements. Athletes such as LeBron James and Colin Kaepernick have used their platforms to speak out against social injustices, champion equality, and contribute to positive change in society.

For young athletes, social media allows them to find role models and become inspired by athletes who share their story of overcoming obstacles or achieving success. Athletes can also see how many followers they have and feel connected to a larger audience.

On the other hand, social media exposes athletes to constant comparison. This can affect self-belief, as athletes are constantly presented with images and videos of other players who are “better” or faster than them.

In order to combat this, teams and their athletes can create a more authentic connection with fans by focusing on community-building activities. Athletes can engage with their fans by sharing real-time updates and behind-the-scenes content. They can also create conversations about their goals and achievements and encourage fans to support them. For instance, Isaac Rochell, a former NFL player, used TikTok to show his daily life and inspire his audience, many of whom weren’t traditional football fans at first. This deepened his fans’ commitment to him and to the sport of football, driving long-term engagement.

Sports technology trends are reshaping the way fans engage, athletes perform, and teams generate value. They’re driven by evolving fan expectations, a growing push for equity and sustainability, and an acceleration of technological advances.

From virtual reality (VR) to augmented reality (AR), the sports industry is using new technologies to transform both the athlete and spectator experience. For example, VR headsets can transport fans into the stadium, making them feel like they’re a part of the action. Meanwhile, AR can display real-time statistics or betting odds over the live field of play.

Moreover, AI and computer vision are enabling new types of automated video analysis, which are replacing time-consuming and often biased manual reviews. For example, an AI-based system from WSC Sports analyzed 67 000 NBA playoff games to create personalized highlight reels that aligned with individual fan preferences. The technology is also being used in the NFL, where it’s analyzing player movements and spacing to help broadcasters and analysts adjust their strategies mid-game.

Another key trend is the increasing availability of wearable devices and advanced sports data analytics, which is empowering teams and athletes at all levels to develop new skills. For example, phygital platforms like Zwift convert stationary workouts into multiplayer virtual races that combine athletic performance and gamified environments. In addition, Catapult’s Vector Core device makes advanced sports science available to semi-professional football clubs, allowing them to monitor and analyze their players’ performance at the same level as elite teams.

From pommel horse guy getting a bronze medal and a spot on “Dancing With The Stars” to a 58-year-old shooting star getting his statue reveal and everything in between, this year has been full of wacky and head-scratching sports moments. We’ve gathered some of the best ones that took social media by storm here.

Whether you’re an Olympic athlete or just trying to get to work, these wacky moments in sports will leave you laughing all the way to the bank.

Football fans have a long history of using their passion for their clubs as a powerful tool in the fight for change. Whether by marching in protest against their club owner or launching donation campaigns to support aid agencies that work with marginalized communities, fan activism is more than just a passing fad. But how exactly do fan activist groups recruit and maintain their members? What enables them to mobilize such a large and diverse group of people? And what does this say about the future of democracy and civil society?

Taking the Harry Potter Alliance (HPA) as a case study, we analyze the organization’s ability to engage with different causes by drawing on a range of preexisting community structures. We find that HPA’s success depends on three emergent elements of experience: shared media experiences, a sense of community, and the wish to help.

As for the media, we find that reporting on fan activism’s role in humanizing teenagers who are targets of police surveillance can help to legitimize these protesters and their cause. However, stories that rely on allegations of criminal behavior do not have the same effect and may even detract from the credibility of these protests.

Finally, we also explore how fans hone their skills in reading and interpreting the canons that they inhabit. Through this process, they become better equipped to resist eroticization of their heroes and to critique their representations as problematically cissexist, racist, or homophobic.

Combat sports are a complex tapestry of athleticism and tradition that span across the globe. They have long been a lens through which cultural issues have been examined and contested, inspiring change in society. Understanding the impact of these sports is critical to developing strategies for wellbeing promotion.

Combat sport competitions are regulated by rules to ensure athlete safety, preventing injuries and promoting fairness. Protective equipment is used, such as padded gloves, mouthguards, and protective helmets. Contests take place in a ring or on a mat (e.g. judo, boxing).

In addition to physical abilities, athletes in combat sports develop an understanding of the importance of mutual respect. They demonstrate respect by greeting their opponents before and after matches, accepting decisions made by referees, and recognizing the skills of competitors. These values, in turn, contribute to the maintenance of a healthy environment for combat sport practice and help form conscious and responsible citizens.

The most popular modern combat sport, MMA, combines techniques from many different disciplines, including Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay thai, boxing, catch wrestling, judo, and karate. These diverse disciplines help fighters develop a versatile and adaptable fighting style that can be effective in many different situations.

Training in these disciplines helps people build a strong, confident body, as well as a steely, focused mind. The ability to control their emotions and stay calm under pressure is a huge benefit, and they learn how to anticipate an opponent’s moves. They also improve their focus on tasks and are able to maintain concentration, which can be beneficial in their careers. Practicing these activities is also a great way to release stress, build social connections and let off steam.

The Champions League is the most prestigious club competition in European football. The champions (and, for some nations, runners-up) of the largest domestic leagues qualify to play in the tournament’s group stage, where they are matched up with teams from other national leagues using a randomized draw. Teams earn three points for a win, one point for a tie, and zero points for a loss.

From the start of the 2024-25 season, UEFA has adopted a new format for Champions League. The top eight clubs in the group stage advance to the knockout phase, while the bottom twelve are eliminated from the competition. The ninth through twenty-fourth ranked clubs compete in a playoff round to fill the final eight slots in the knockout phase.

Since the first incarnation of the competition in 1949-50, clubs from seven different countries have won the title. Spain leads all nations with twenty-five titles, followed by England, Germany, and Italy with thirteen each. Clubs from Belgium, the Netherlands, and France have won five championships each, while Sweden, Russia, and Greece have won four.

In the current betting markets, PSG is favored to win the Champions League this year. Their odds are high because they were the best team in the world last year, and their squad is aging well. Their main question mark is Ousmane Dembele’s health, but if he returns for the knockout phase, they are poised to dominate this competition. They are an elite attacking team, and their defense is surprisingly good.

International sports are competitions between teams representing different countries, most famously the Olympic Games and FIFA World Cup. This type of sport can be held in a home country (like the England cricket team playing at Wembley Stadium, London), on neutral territory, such as a rugby match between New Zealand and South Africa, or even outside of the country, like the Argentine Open tennis tournament.

These competitions can be a great way to promote tourism in the host country, or they can provide a platform for political debate and change. However, there is a dark side to international sports. As a recent report by the University of Trondheim, Norway, showed, athletes who compete in international competitions often have to deal with issues such as sexual abuse and corruption by local officials.

In some cases, athletes are forced to choose between the love of their country and their talent. This can be especially challenging for young athletes, who are surrounded by fans who expect them to perform at the highest level and whose support is essential to their success.

International sports are governed by a variety of international federations, or IFs. These are the organisations that regulate the world’s various sports disciplines, oversee their promotion and development, and guarantee the regular organisation of competitions. They may also formulate proposals addressed to the International Olympic Committee and collaborate in the preparation of the Olympic Congresses. They may even give their opinions concerning the candidatures for organising the Olympic Games, although they must respect the Olympic Charter.