Latest news with #Worldcup
Cosmopolitan
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Cosmopolitan
'Touching & hilarious': BBC confirms cast for Dear England as filming starts on West Wing-esque football drama
Right now football fever has once again taken over the nation, as the Lionesses kicked off the Euros over the weekend. And now we've got yet another reason to go crazy for the beautiful game as a new drama series Dear England all about the England men's team is set to hit the BBC next year, and we've got all the latest on the new casting announcements. Based on the 2023 Olivier award winning play of the same name by James Graham, the BBC series will follow a fictionalised portrayal of Gareth Southgate and the England team as they navigate three major championships - 2018 World Cup, the 2020 Euros and the 2022 World cup. Intrigued to know more? Here's everything you know about the upcoming footie drama. Dear England is based on a play of the same name written by James Graham. The play debuted in 2023, and focusses on Gareth Southgate's role as leader of the England team, and brings in conversations around masculinity, football's role within English culture and the pressure of being part of an elite sports team. The play is a fictionalised account of those crucial games based on extensive research and interviews. The play was then updated earlier this year with writer James Graham adding in scenes to include the most recent championship of the Euros in 2024. The stage production went onto win an Olivier award and has been praised by critics, with the Guardian calling the latest version of the production, "a theatrical sibling of The West Wing". The BBC series is believed to follow a similar plot to the stage show and will be four episodes long, each 60 minutes, all written by Graham. The official synopsis of the series is as follows: "With the worst team track record for penalties in the world when he takes over as manager, Gareth knows he needs to open his mind and face up to the years of hurt to take England back to the promised land. The country that gave the world football has delivered a painful pattern of loss. Why can't the England team win at their own game?" Playing the role of series lead Gareth Southgate is Joseph Fiennes, who previously played the character during the initial run of the stage production. And earlier today (7 July) it was announced Jodie Whittaker would be joining the TV series as Pippa Grange, the England men's team psychologist. Also joining the cast is Jason Watkins as former FA chairman Greg Dyke and John Hodgkinson, who will reprise his stage role as former FA chairman Greg Clarke. Daniel Ryan will play Steve Holland, the former assistant manager for the England men's team and Sam Spruell will also star as fictional coach, Mike Webster. And here's who's playing the England team: Filming is currently underway for the new BBC series in the south of England. The series is then set to air at some point next year on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. Given the next FIFA World Cup is due to take place next June, we wouldn't be surprised if the series launches around then.
Mint
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Mint
Gautam Gambhir on transformation in Indian cricket team as head coach after succeeding Dravid: 'Saare desh ne dekh liya'
During an episode of The Great Indian Kapil Show on Netflix, Rahul Dravid's successor Gautam Gambhir as head coach said the whole country has seen the change he made in the Indian cricket team. He is joined by cricketers Rishabh Pant, Abhishek Sharma. Kapil Sharma warmly welcomes "Coach Sir" Gambhir and ensuring he's comfortable with the boys enjoying themselves. Gambhir, usually known for his serious demeanor, reveals a lighter, more playful side on the show. Kapil asks, 'Aapne Indian cricket team mein kya badlav kiye hai (What changes have you made in the Indian cricket team).' 'Ye toh saare desh ne dekhliya hai badlav. Isse bade kya badlav karu (The whole country has seen this change. What bigger change could I possibly make),' Gambhir replied. Navjot Singh Sidhu defended him, saying, 'World cup jita diya, Champion Trophy jita di. Pichli IPL mein Gautam Gambhir the toh KKR jiti thi aur Gautam Gambhir wah se khiske KKR rock-bottom toh aap ye samajh lo sangat mein bahut asar hota hai. (We won the World Cup, we won the Champions Trophy. In the last IPL, when Gautam Gambhir was with KKR, they won — and ever since he left, KKR hit rock bottom. So you can understand how much impact the right company can have).' Netflix shared, 'Hassi hogi boundary-paar with these cricket superstars. Ab har Funnyvaar, badhega humara parivaar. Watch the new episode with cricketing legends Gautam Gambhir, Yuzi Chahal, Rishabh Pant, and Abhishek Sharma on The Great Indian Kapil Show, this Funnyvaar, at 8 pm, only on Netflix.' Meanwhile, Indian seamer Akash Deep stated that Gambhir instilled confidence in him, which had a positive impact on his performance during the first innings of the second Test against England at Edgbaston, Birmingham. Akash said, "He [Gautam Gambhir] was sharing his experience. As a coach, he has given me confidence since I joined here. That confidence is what was reflected in the match. When you know that your coach is backing you so much, you get the confidence that was reflected in the match."
Hans India
09-06-2025
- Sport
- Hans India
Vizag to host 5 Women's Cricket World Cup matches
Vijayawada: The Andhra Cricket Association (ACA) president and Vijayawada MP Kesineni Sivanath said the BCCI has allotted five Women's World cup matches for Vizag city and the matches may be held in September/October 2025. He said he was happy that BCCI had allotted five matches to AP. He announced that the ACA was planning to own one Cricket stadium in every district. Sivanath chaired the ACA general body meeting held in a hotel on Sunday. The ACA members discussed the construction of stadiums, hosting national and international Cricket matches in AP, proposed International Cricket stadium in the capital Amaravati, funds allocation and cricketing activities in the State. Later addressing the media, ACA president Sivanath alias Chinni said he was very happy that Vizag is hosting five international women's World Cup matches. He said the ACA has its own lands in Kurnool and Nellore districts and efforts are on to construct the stadiums in these two districts. Referring to the proposed International Cricket stadium in Amaravati, Sivanath said the ACA has asked the State government to allocate 65 acres land in Amaravati for construction of International Cricket stadium in the capital Amaravati and proposals were made to construction a stadium with international standards. He said the ACA secretary Sana Satish and IT Minister Nara Lokesh already spoke to ICC chairman Jay Shah. He said the BCCI has given consent for construction of Cricket stadium in Amaravati. ACA secretary Sana Satish said the ACA general body meeting discussed the construction of cricket stadiums in every district. He said Women's World cup tournament will be held in September and October 2025 and five matches were alloted to Vizag. He thanked the BCCI for allotting five matches to AP. He said the annual budget for district associations in AP doubled and Rs 40 lakh will be allocated instead of existing Rs 20 lakh. He said cricket will get big boost in the district with more allocation and stated more Cricket matches will be conducted and players will get more experience.
Indian Express
06-06-2025
- Health
- Indian Express
FIFA World Cup 2026: How Thomas Tuchel's England are relying on a 60 pound pill and heat chambers in their World Cup campaign
A 60 pound pill to track heat resistance in a player's body along with training in heat chambers is what the Thomas Tuchel coached England football team is undergoing in their FIFA World Cup 2026 qualification training programme. While England have won its opening two matches of the Group K in their FIFA World Cup 2026 qualification route, the team has spent a week in Girona, Spain this month to simulate extremely hot and humid conditions they could face in the 2026 World cup to be played in USA, Canada and Mexico. 'Using them (the tracking pill) in a training environment is lower risk than that. The players would be doing minimal contact either side of the heat acclimation sessions. It is very simple tech that has been around for quite a while. They are very accurate. They allow us to store more data than we actually need so you can sample body temperature between five and 30 seconds, and the download time is really quick. We can get a measure of core body temperature during activity,' Dr Lee Taylor, of the sports science school at Loughborough University, told The Guardian. While England team had practised heat acclimatisation prior to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where they reached the quarter-finals, it's the first time that the players are undergoing the fitness Tests including the tracking of heat resistance data. According to the BBC, there have been warnings that temperatures at 14 to 16 stadiums being used for the FIFA World Cup 2026 could exceed 'Potentially dangerous levels' during the tournament to be played from June 11 to July 19 next year. According to the Guardian, the pills send information on a radio frequency to be read in real time by sports scientists. The pills beam the data to a 'gateway'-a wristband in case of athletes-which uploads the data to -the cloud- from where data is accessible to analyse including a player's core and surface temperature, heart-rate and other crucial metrics. England players Eberechi Eze and Cole Palmer have talked about the training in heat chambers while their body reaction was measured via the pills. 'It was tough. It was 35C, 36C inside the tents and we had to get to a certain watts [level] on the bike and maintain it. For 45 minutes.' Palmer told The Guardian. According to the newspaper, the pulls have been used by athletes in athletics, rugby and motor racing. Taylor also talked about telling the players that 'they are not to retrieve them'. 'The players would be doing minimal contact either side of the heat acclimation sessions. It is very simple tech that has been around for quite a while. They are very accurate. They allow us to store more data than we actually need so you can sample body temperature between five and 30 seconds, and the download time is really quick. We can get a measure of core body temperature during activity. We do make it very clear to them that they are not to retrieve them', said Dr Taylor. Last week, Tuchel had spoken about the expected conditions at the 2026 World Cup venues. 'It is important to see matches now in America, and in Miami at three in the afternoon. I will see that. How it looks, and we need to understand how to cool the players down, to drink. What our options are. Let's see because it is after the season, so it will be very similar. The actual experience is for the players, but I have done pre-season there in Orlando and I will be very surprised if we do not suffer. Suffering is one of the headlines for this World Cup,' Tuchel told BBC. England now play Andorra at RCDE Stadium in Spain in their third Group K match in 2026 World Cup qualification. The team has won its last two matches sitting at the top of the group. Dr Taylor also talked about the training regime of the England team in the training camps. 'They (Tuchel and staff) will do technical and tactical work in a temperate environment. So they are not stressing the players too much and then they will give them passive or semi-active heat exposures. I imagine they are getting the players to a specific core temperature, they stop exercising and then when their core temperature drops they exercise a little bit more,' concluded Dr Taylor.
Extra.ie
05-06-2025
- General
- Extra.ie
Clock ticking for Ireland to sort out their problem position
Ireland have named a decent squad for their summer outings against Georgia and Portugal, a progressive party laced with youth and just the right amount of experience. With 15 frontliners away on Lions duty, there is a rare opportunity for fringe players to hold their hands up in a way that could be highly significant come the next World Cup in two years' time. Paul O'Connell will bring a young Ireland squad on tour to play Georgia and Portugal this summer. Pic: INPHO/Dan Sheridan Especially when you consider that eight of those Irish Lions (Aki, Lowe, Gibson-Park, Furlong, Beirne, Ringrose, Conan, Ringrose and Van der Flier) are in their 30s and not guaranteed to be in the mix come Australia 2027. Plenty to play for then and a selection that has pretty much all audition bases covered. However, the one area causing concern when looking through this squad is the ongoing issue of who is next up at openside if anything should happen to Josh van der Flier? The likes of James Lowe, Jamison Gibson-Park, Bundee Aki and Tadhg Furlong are all in their 30s and there may be spots available at the next World cup. Pic: INPHO Ireland have seemed uncertain as to who covers for Van der Flier for around four years now and have been fortunate that the 32-year-old has been so durable and available over that period. The most like for like player in the Irish system is Leinster's Scott Penney, but he is not named in the squad. Nor is fellow Leinster openside Will Connors — who was in favour at the start of Andy Farrell's Ireland reign but has fallen away since for injury and other reasons. Nor is there a place for John Hodnett — Munster first choice in the No7 jersey for some time and a player battle hardened by exposure to high pressure Champions Cup and URC rugby but one who has become something of a cause célèbre omission by Ireland over the years. Josh van der Flier has been first choice No7 for Ireland for some time. Pic: Sportsfile Instead, it is Hodnett's understudy at Munster, Alex Kendellen, who is named in this Ireland squad as the only specialist openside flanker. Kendellen is a fine player and has performed well for his province, primarily off the bench, for some seasons but there has been no concerted clamour for Kendellen's elevation to the international stage the way there has been with Hodnett and, even if he goes well on this tour, it is clear the No7 depth issue remains a live one. Nick Timoney is the other openside option in the squad and the Ulster flanker is a player who looks to have all the tools needed for international rugby. John Hodnett of Munster has not made the touring party. Pic: Sportsfile The problem is that Timoney is not a natural No7, although he has plenty of experience in that position, and he is more of a six-and-a-half David Wallace style openside — very different in style to Van der Flier. He will also be 32 come the next World Cup. The problem of talented players not getting enough exposure is an ongoing headache for Irish rugby and it has cost Scott Penney in this instance. Opportunity knocks for Munster's Alex Kendellen. Pic: INPHO/Billy Stickland It has opened a door for Kendellen this summer but the fact he cannot force his way into the Munster starting team raises questions about his ability to step through that door. One hopes he can because it is clear Ireland have a real issue at openside and the clock is ticking.
