The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has banned Indian football club Mohun Bagan Super Giant from continental competitions till the 2027-28 season. It has also imposed fines to the tune of $100,729 (₹91 lakh approximately) for withdrawing from 2025-26 AFC Champions League Two. A Mohun Bagan official called the decision "biased".

PBKS co-owner Ness Wadia criticised Australia's Josh Inglis over his last-minute communication on IPL 2026 availability. Wadia said PBKS was informed 45 minutes before retention deadline that Inglis was getting married and would be available only for a few days. Calling it "unprofessional", he added Inglis should've informed them earlier. LSG bought Inglis for ₹8.6 crore in auction.

Footballer Sandesh Jhingan penned a note after Lionel Messi’s India tour concluded, saying it genuinely made him happy to see India's love for football. However, he pointed out while crores were spent on Messi's tour, Indian football struggles due to lack of investment. "What this tells me is...we...love [football]...but perhaps not enough to support our own players," he added.

Former India all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin has predicted his top four teams after IPL 2026 auction. Ashwin named MI as his first pick, followed by defending champions RCB, PBKS and RR. Ashwin did not pick his former franchise CSK in the top four. He made the picks during an interaction on MI's Instagram handle.

Ishan Kishan led Jharkhand to their maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title in 2025, smashing 101 off 49 in the final against Haryana. He became the first Jharkhand batsman to score a SMAT final century and finished as the tournament's top scorer with 517 runs, guiding his team to 10 wins out of 11.

Ex-India captain Sourav Ganguly has filed a defamation complaint against Uttam Saha, president of the Argentina Fan Club of Kolkata, seeking ₹50 crore in damages. The complaint follows allegations linking Ganguly to chaos at Salt Lake Stadium during Lionel Messi's Kolkata visit on December 13. Saha claimed Ganguly played a role as middleman in Satadru Dutta's management of the event.

A video of ex-India captain MS Dhoni clearing airport security check wearing watch and fitness band went viral, with X users questioning VIP culture. "Either enforce rules for all or drop the pretense," a user wrote. Another wrote, "He should remove...shoes and smart gadgets...including belt." "A common man is a security threat while a VIP is not," read another comment.

Pakistani international kabaddi player Ubaidullah Rajput represented an Indian team at a private tournament in Bahrain on December 16 and was seen waving Tricolour during the event. The Pakistan Kabaddi Federation has called a meeting on December 27 to consider disciplinary action. The tournament featured privately formed teams named after countries, comprising players of their own origin.

Ishan Kishan-led Jharkhand defeated Ankit Kumar-led Haryana by 69 runs in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2025 final to win the tournament for the first time in history. Jharkhand posted a total of 262/3, the highest total by a team in a SMAT final. They then dismissed Haryana for 193 in 18.3 overs. Kishan slammed a century in the final.

Former England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow struck a match-winning half century in a lone effort for MI Emirates, just 24 hours after he went unsold at the IPL auction. Bairstow hit 67 off 40 balls before he was out, helping MI to a seven-run victory over Dubai Capitals in the franchise competition.