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Deadspin | CONCACAF Champions Cup: Toluca, Tigres earn semifinal berths  Mar 12, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; A general view of the official game ball during the first half in the match between Tigres UANL and FC Cincinnati at TQL Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images   Paulinho, building on his hat trick in the first leg of a CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinal series, added two goals in the second leg on Wednesday, leading Toluca FC to a 3-0 victory over the Los Angeles Galaxy in Carson, Calif.  Toluca prevailed 7-2 on aggregate, earning a spot in the semifinals against Los Angeles FC.  Up 4-2 following the opening leg last week in Mexico, Toluca expanded the edge in the 10th minute on Wednesday when Jesus Gallardo blasted a 20-yard, left-footed shot past Galaxy goalie JT Marcinkowski.  In the 58th minute, Helinho slipped in a pass to an unmarked Paulinho, who entered the 18-yard box, and Paulinho rolled a left-footed shot inside the far post.  Paulinho’s second goal of the night was a deft chip over Marcinkowski as he entered the penalty area on his own on a counterattack.  The last quarterfinal series will conclude later Wednesday night when the Seattle Sounders play host to Tigres UANL, who were up 2-0 following the first leg.  Sounders 3 (3), Tigres 1 (3), Tigres advance on away goals   Tigres UANL got just Joaquim’s 31st-minute goal in a loss at Seattle, but that was enough for the Mexican side to advance after the teams played to a 3-3 aggregate draw.  The tiebreaker is goals in the away leg, on which Tigres had a 1-0 advantage.  Tigres won the series opener 2-0 last week in San Nicolas de los Garza, Mexico. They move on to oppose Nashville SC in the semifinals.  Albert Rusnak scored twice for the Sounders, in the 11th minute from 11 yards out, and a then 20-yard right-footed blast in the 82nd minute to level the series score.  In between, Joaquim headed home a corner kick from Juan Brunetta in the 31st minute.  Danny Musovski turned in a Jordan Morris pass in the 48th minute, drawing Seattle within one on aggregate.  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #CONCACAF #Champions #Cup #Toluca #Tigres #earn #semifinal #berths

Deadspin | CONCACAF Champions Cup: Toluca, Tigres earn semifinal berths
Deadspin | CONCACAF Champions Cup: Toluca, Tigres earn semifinal berths  Mar 12, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; A general view of the official game ball during the first half in the match between Tigres UANL and FC Cincinnati at TQL Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images   Paulinho, building on his hat trick in the first leg of a CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinal series, added two goals in the second leg on Wednesday, leading Toluca FC to a 3-0 victory over the Los Angeles Galaxy in Carson, Calif.  Toluca prevailed 7-2 on aggregate, earning a spot in the semifinals against Los Angeles FC.  Up 4-2 following the opening leg last week in Mexico, Toluca expanded the edge in the 10th minute on Wednesday when Jesus Gallardo blasted a 20-yard, left-footed shot past Galaxy goalie JT Marcinkowski.  In the 58th minute, Helinho slipped in a pass to an unmarked Paulinho, who entered the 18-yard box, and Paulinho rolled a left-footed shot inside the far post.  Paulinho’s second goal of the night was a deft chip over Marcinkowski as he entered the penalty area on his own on a counterattack.  The last quarterfinal series will conclude later Wednesday night when the Seattle Sounders play host to Tigres UANL, who were up 2-0 following the first leg.  Sounders 3 (3), Tigres 1 (3), Tigres advance on away goals   Tigres UANL got just Joaquim’s 31st-minute goal in a loss at Seattle, but that was enough for the Mexican side to advance after the teams played to a 3-3 aggregate draw.  The tiebreaker is goals in the away leg, on which Tigres had a 1-0 advantage.  Tigres won the series opener 2-0 last week in San Nicolas de los Garza, Mexico. They move on to oppose Nashville SC in the semifinals.  Albert Rusnak scored twice for the Sounders, in the 11th minute from 11 yards out, and a then 20-yard right-footed blast in the 82nd minute to level the series score.  In between, Joaquim headed home a corner kick from Juan Brunetta in the 31st minute.  Danny Musovski turned in a Jordan Morris pass in the 48th minute, drawing Seattle within one on aggregate.  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #CONCACAF #Champions #Cup #Toluca #Tigres #earn #semifinal #berthsMar 12, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; A general view of the official game ball during the first half in the match between Tigres UANL and FC Cincinnati at TQL Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

Paulinho, building on his hat trick in the first leg of a CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinal series, added two goals in the second leg on Wednesday, leading Toluca FC to a 3-0 victory over the Los Angeles Galaxy in Carson, Calif.

Toluca prevailed 7-2 on aggregate, earning a spot in the semifinals against Los Angeles FC.

Up 4-2 following the opening leg last week in Mexico, Toluca expanded the edge in the 10th minute on Wednesday when Jesus Gallardo blasted a 20-yard, left-footed shot past Galaxy goalie JT Marcinkowski.

In the 58th minute, Helinho slipped in a pass to an unmarked Paulinho, who entered the 18-yard box, and Paulinho rolled a left-footed shot inside the far post.

Paulinho’s second goal of the night was a deft chip over Marcinkowski as he entered the penalty area on his own on a counterattack.

The last quarterfinal series will conclude later Wednesday night when the Seattle Sounders play host to Tigres UANL, who were up 2-0 following the first leg.


Sounders 3 (3), Tigres 1 (3), Tigres advance on away goals

Tigres UANL got just Joaquim’s 31st-minute goal in a loss at Seattle, but that was enough for the Mexican side to advance after the teams played to a 3-3 aggregate draw.

The tiebreaker is goals in the away leg, on which Tigres had a 1-0 advantage.

Tigres won the series opener 2-0 last week in San Nicolas de los Garza, Mexico. They move on to oppose Nashville SC in the semifinals.

Albert Rusnak scored twice for the Sounders, in the 11th minute from 11 yards out, and a then 20-yard right-footed blast in the 82nd minute to level the series score.

In between, Joaquim headed home a corner kick from Juan Brunetta in the 31st minute.

Danny Musovski turned in a Jordan Morris pass in the 48th minute, drawing Seattle within one on aggregate.


–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #CONCACAF #Champions #Cup #Toluca #Tigres #earn #semifinal #berths

Mar 12, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; A general view of the official game ball during the first half in the match between Tigres UANL and FC Cincinnati at TQL Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

Paulinho, building on his hat trick in the first leg of a CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinal series, added two goals in the second leg on Wednesday, leading Toluca FC to a 3-0 victory over the Los Angeles Galaxy in Carson, Calif.

Toluca prevailed 7-2 on aggregate, earning a spot in the semifinals against Los Angeles FC.

Up 4-2 following the opening leg last week in Mexico, Toluca expanded the edge in the 10th minute on Wednesday when Jesus Gallardo blasted a 20-yard, left-footed shot past Galaxy goalie JT Marcinkowski.

In the 58th minute, Helinho slipped in a pass to an unmarked Paulinho, who entered the 18-yard box, and Paulinho rolled a left-footed shot inside the far post.

Paulinho’s second goal of the night was a deft chip over Marcinkowski as he entered the penalty area on his own on a counterattack.

The last quarterfinal series will conclude later Wednesday night when the Seattle Sounders play host to Tigres UANL, who were up 2-0 following the first leg.

Sounders 3 (3), Tigres 1 (3), Tigres advance on away goals

Tigres UANL got just Joaquim’s 31st-minute goal in a loss at Seattle, but that was enough for the Mexican side to advance after the teams played to a 3-3 aggregate draw.

The tiebreaker is goals in the away leg, on which Tigres had a 1-0 advantage.

Tigres won the series opener 2-0 last week in San Nicolas de los Garza, Mexico. They move on to oppose Nashville SC in the semifinals.

Albert Rusnak scored twice for the Sounders, in the 11th minute from 11 yards out, and a then 20-yard right-footed blast in the 82nd minute to level the series score.

In between, Joaquim headed home a corner kick from Juan Brunetta in the 31st minute.

Danny Musovski turned in a Jordan Morris pass in the 48th minute, drawing Seattle within one on aggregate.

–Field Level Media

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#Deadspin #CONCACAF #Champions #Cup #Toluca #Tigres #earn #semifinal #berths

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FIFA World Cup 2026 — France to complete preparation against Northern Ireland on June 8 <div id="content-body-70869376" itemprop="articleBody"><p>France will ​complete its World Cup preparation ​against Northern ⁠Ireland in Lille on June 8, ‌days after opening its ‌warm-up campaign ‌against ⁠Ivory Coast, ⁠the French federation said on Thursday.</p><p>Didier ​Deschamps’ ‌side will host Northern Ireland at the Stade ‌Pierre-Mauroy in ​what will be its final ⁠fixture before heading to the ‌June 11-July 19 World Cup.</p><p><i>Les Bleus</i> will start their Group ‌I campaign against ​Senegal on June 16 in ⁠New York before ⁠taking on Iraq and ‌Norway.</p><p>The runner-up from 2022 was handed a major injury blow earlier this week with star forward Hugo Ekitike being ruled out of the quadrennial event due to an ankle injury.</p><p class="publish-time" id="end-of-article">Published on Apr 16, 2026</p></div> #FIFA #World #Cup #France #complete #preparation #Northern #Ireland #June

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Wrestling: Abhimanyou Mandwal vies to be consistent like roommate Ravi Dahiya <div id="content-body-70869416" itemprop="articleBody"><p>After underscoring his talent as the Asian champion in 70kg, freestyle wrestler Abhimanyou Mandwal is keen to be consistent like his former roommate, Olympic silver medallist Ravi Dahiya, and shine in bigger competitions including the Olympics.</p><p>Mandwal, who had claimed a bronze in the Asian Championships and became the Asian under-23 champion two years back, suffered a major ankle injury before bouncing back.</p><p>“My left ankle was broken. I couldn’t compete in the 2024 and 2025 World Championships. It was really bad, my bone was cracked. I did rehab in JSW, mentally prepared myself. It was challenging, it took me a year to recover,” Mandwal told <i>Sportstar</i>.</p><p>Mandwal, hailing from a wrestlers’ family of Shamsukh village in Hisar district of Haryana, fought back with determination. “I won gold medals in the National Championships last year and the Zagreb Open Ranking Series in February. In the Pro Wrestling League (PWL), I learnt about my weaknesses and how much power and stamina I needed.</p><p>“The Asian Championships was good. The semifinal bout (against Olympian, multiple Worlds medallist and last year’s Asian champion Mongolian Ernazar Akamataliev) was the toughest. I considered myself better than him. He came from 65kg and I aim at competing in 74kg.”</p><p>The 24-year-old Mandwal, who was enrolled at the famous Chhatrasal Stadium in Delhi by his uncle in 2012 (a year after his father’s death), acknowledged the influence of different coaches, including current coach Lalit Kumar, and his role model Ravi in his growth. “They take good care of young wrestlers. I used to live with Ravi before he shifted to a new house. I learnt a lot from him. I liked his consistency and mindset.”</p><p>Looking to switch to an Olympic weight, 74kg, Mandwal understands that he needs to decide wisely as the World Championships and the Asian Games are scheduled close to each other this year. “The World Championships has 70kg, but the Asian Games has 74kg. I’ll have to keep all factors in mind when I plan. The main goal is the (2028) Olympics and there’s enough time to prepare for that,” said Mandwal.</p><p class="publish-time" id="end-of-article">Published on Apr 16, 2026</p></div> #Wrestling #Abhimanyou #Mandwal #vies #consistent #roommate #Ravi #Dahiya

Deadspin | FURIA, Team Falcons riding high going into IEM Rio playoffs  YMCA member Austin Manengu works the keyboard as he plays a game of Fortnite during the unveiling of the new gaming lab at the Maplewood Family YMCA in Rochester Thursday, June 20, 2024. YMCA of Greater Rochester in partnership with Metro Sports & Entertainment Group will open two gaming labs for youth and teens this year.   Team Falcons and FURIA earned byes to the semifinals with group-stage victories on Wednesday at the 0,000 Intel Extreme Masters Rio event in Brazil.  MOUZ, Team Spirit, Team Vitality and Natus Vincere also made the quarterfinals on Friday in Rio de Janeiro.  Sixteen Counter-Strike 2 teams are competing in this week’s competition for a top prize of 5,000.  The double-elimination group stage began with two groups of eight teams, with all matches best-of-three. The group winners advanced to the playoff semifinals, with the group runners-up entering the quarterfinals as high seeds and the third-place teams entering the quarterfinals as low seeds.  The single-elimination playoffs start Friday with all matches best-of-three until Sunday’s best-of-five grand final.  Team Falcons edged Team Vitality 2-1 in the Group A upper-bracket final on Wednesday. Falcons won 13-10 on Mirage, then Vitality drew even with a 13-6 decision on Dust II before the Falcons took the match with a 16-14 victory on Nuke. Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov of Russia was the player of the match, pacing the Falcons with a 59-45 kill-death differential.  Team Spirit topped RED Canids 2-1 in one Group A lower-bracket semifinal. After Canids opened with a 13-8 win on Mirage, Spirit rallied with a 13-8 victory on Ancient and a 13-2 rout on Overpass to take the match. Russia’s Danil “donk” Krushkovets was player of the match, leading Spirit with a 55-38 K-D differential.  In the other Group A lower-bracket semifinal, G2 Esports swept 3DMAX 2-0, winning 13-6 on Inferno and 13-1 on Dust II. Spain’s Alvaro “SunPayus” Garcia was the player of the match with a 27-12 K-D differential, and teammate Matus “MATYS” Simko of Slovakia had a 36-17 K-D.  Team Spirit then knocked out G2 Esports 2-0 in the lower-bracket final to qualify for the playoff stage, winning 13-7 on Mirage and 13-11 on Dust II. Andrey “tN1R” Tatarinovich of Belarus paced Spirit with a 39-30 K-D differential.  FURIA had little problem with MOUZ, winning 2-0 in the Group B upper-bracket final. FURIA triumphed 13-5 on Mirage and 13-9 on Dust II. Kazakhstan’s Danil “molodoy” Golubenko, the player of the match, led the way for FURIA with a 33-16 K-D differential.  The all-Turkish Aurora Gaming swept B8 2-0 in the Group B lower-bracket semifinals, winning 13-7 on Mirage and 13-6 on Overpass. Ismailcan “XANDARES” Dortkardes, the player of the match, led Aurora with a 44-19 K-D differential.  Natus Vincere swept HOTU in the other lower-bracket semifinal, winning 13-7 on Dust II and 13-9 on Ancient. Kosovo’s Drin “makazze” Shaqiri was the player of the match with a 40-24 K-D differential for the winning side.   Natus Vincere then eliminated Aurora Gaming 2-1 to qualify for the playoffs. NAVI won 13-4 on Inferno, lost 13-11 on Mirage and won 13-4 on Dust II. Shaqiri again was the player of the match with a 50-38 K-D differential.  MOUZ and Team Spirit meet in one quarterfinal on Friday, with the winner facing Team Falcons in the semifinals on Saturday. Team Vitality and Natus Vincere battle on Friday, with the winner advancing to the semifinals against FURIA.  IEM Rio prize pool:  1. 5,000  2. ,000  3. ,000  4. ,000  5-6. ,500  7-8. ,000 — G2 Esports, Aurora Gaming  9-12. ,000 — RED Canids, 3DMAX, B8, HOTU  13-16. ,000 — Gentle Mates, Team Liquid, Passion UA, Legacy  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #FURIA #Team #Falcons #riding #high #IEM #Rio #playoffsYMCA member Austin Manengu works the keyboard as he plays a game of Fortnite during the unveiling of the new gaming lab at the Maplewood Family YMCA in Rochester Thursday, June 20, 2024. YMCA of Greater Rochester in partnership with Metro Sports & Entertainment Group will open two gaming labs for youth and teens this year.

Team Falcons and FURIA earned byes to the semifinals with group-stage victories on Wednesday at the $300,000 Intel Extreme Masters Rio event in Brazil.

MOUZ, Team Spirit, Team Vitality and Natus Vincere also made the quarterfinals on Friday in Rio de Janeiro.

Sixteen Counter-Strike 2 teams are competing in this week’s competition for a top prize of $125,000.

The double-elimination group stage began with two groups of eight teams, with all matches best-of-three. The group winners advanced to the playoff semifinals, with the group runners-up entering the quarterfinals as high seeds and the third-place teams entering the quarterfinals as low seeds.

The single-elimination playoffs start Friday with all matches best-of-three until Sunday’s best-of-five grand final.

Team Falcons edged Team Vitality 2-1 in the Group A upper-bracket final on Wednesday. Falcons won 13-10 on Mirage, then Vitality drew even with a 13-6 decision on Dust II before the Falcons took the match with a 16-14 victory on Nuke. Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov of Russia was the player of the match, pacing the Falcons with a 59-45 kill-death differential.

Team Spirit topped RED Canids 2-1 in one Group A lower-bracket semifinal. After Canids opened with a 13-8 win on Mirage, Spirit rallied with a 13-8 victory on Ancient and a 13-2 rout on Overpass to take the match. Russia’s Danil “donk” Krushkovets was player of the match, leading Spirit with a 55-38 K-D differential.

In the other Group A lower-bracket semifinal, G2 Esports swept 3DMAX 2-0, winning 13-6 on Inferno and 13-1 on Dust II. Spain’s Alvaro “SunPayus” Garcia was the player of the match with a 27-12 K-D differential, and teammate Matus “MATYS” Simko of Slovakia had a 36-17 K-D.

Team Spirit then knocked out G2 Esports 2-0 in the lower-bracket final to qualify for the playoff stage, winning 13-7 on Mirage and 13-11 on Dust II. Andrey “tN1R” Tatarinovich of Belarus paced Spirit with a 39-30 K-D differential.

FURIA had little problem with MOUZ, winning 2-0 in the Group B upper-bracket final. FURIA triumphed 13-5 on Mirage and 13-9 on Dust II. Kazakhstan’s Danil “molodoy” Golubenko, the player of the match, led the way for FURIA with a 33-16 K-D differential.

The all-Turkish Aurora Gaming swept B8 2-0 in the Group B lower-bracket semifinals, winning 13-7 on Mirage and 13-6 on Overpass. Ismailcan “XANDARES” Dortkardes, the player of the match, led Aurora with a 44-19 K-D differential.


Natus Vincere swept HOTU in the other lower-bracket semifinal, winning 13-7 on Dust II and 13-9 on Ancient. Kosovo’s Drin “makazze” Shaqiri was the player of the match with a 40-24 K-D differential for the winning side.

Natus Vincere then eliminated Aurora Gaming 2-1 to qualify for the playoffs. NAVI won 13-4 on Inferno, lost 13-11 on Mirage and won 13-4 on Dust II. Shaqiri again was the player of the match with a 50-38 K-D differential.

MOUZ and Team Spirit meet in one quarterfinal on Friday, with the winner facing Team Falcons in the semifinals on Saturday. Team Vitality and Natus Vincere battle on Friday, with the winner advancing to the semifinals against FURIA.

IEM Rio prize pool:

1. $125,000

2. $50,000

3. $30,000

4. $20,000

5-6. $12,500

7-8. $7,000 — G2 Esports, Aurora Gaming

9-12. $5,000 — RED Canids, 3DMAX, B8, HOTU

13-16. $4,000 — Gentle Mates, Team Liquid, Passion UA, Legacy


–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #FURIA #Team #Falcons #riding #high #IEM #Rio #playoffs">Deadspin | FURIA, Team Falcons riding high going into IEM Rio playoffs  YMCA member Austin Manengu works the keyboard as he plays a game of Fortnite during the unveiling of the new gaming lab at the Maplewood Family YMCA in Rochester Thursday, June 20, 2024. YMCA of Greater Rochester in partnership with Metro Sports & Entertainment Group will open two gaming labs for youth and teens this year.   Team Falcons and FURIA earned byes to the semifinals with group-stage victories on Wednesday at the 0,000 Intel Extreme Masters Rio event in Brazil.  MOUZ, Team Spirit, Team Vitality and Natus Vincere also made the quarterfinals on Friday in Rio de Janeiro.  Sixteen Counter-Strike 2 teams are competing in this week’s competition for a top prize of 5,000.  The double-elimination group stage began with two groups of eight teams, with all matches best-of-three. The group winners advanced to the playoff semifinals, with the group runners-up entering the quarterfinals as high seeds and the third-place teams entering the quarterfinals as low seeds.  The single-elimination playoffs start Friday with all matches best-of-three until Sunday’s best-of-five grand final.  Team Falcons edged Team Vitality 2-1 in the Group A upper-bracket final on Wednesday. Falcons won 13-10 on Mirage, then Vitality drew even with a 13-6 decision on Dust II before the Falcons took the match with a 16-14 victory on Nuke. Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov of Russia was the player of the match, pacing the Falcons with a 59-45 kill-death differential.  Team Spirit topped RED Canids 2-1 in one Group A lower-bracket semifinal. After Canids opened with a 13-8 win on Mirage, Spirit rallied with a 13-8 victory on Ancient and a 13-2 rout on Overpass to take the match. Russia’s Danil “donk” Krushkovets was player of the match, leading Spirit with a 55-38 K-D differential.  In the other Group A lower-bracket semifinal, G2 Esports swept 3DMAX 2-0, winning 13-6 on Inferno and 13-1 on Dust II. Spain’s Alvaro “SunPayus” Garcia was the player of the match with a 27-12 K-D differential, and teammate Matus “MATYS” Simko of Slovakia had a 36-17 K-D.  Team Spirit then knocked out G2 Esports 2-0 in the lower-bracket final to qualify for the playoff stage, winning 13-7 on Mirage and 13-11 on Dust II. Andrey “tN1R” Tatarinovich of Belarus paced Spirit with a 39-30 K-D differential.  FURIA had little problem with MOUZ, winning 2-0 in the Group B upper-bracket final. FURIA triumphed 13-5 on Mirage and 13-9 on Dust II. Kazakhstan’s Danil “molodoy” Golubenko, the player of the match, led the way for FURIA with a 33-16 K-D differential.  The all-Turkish Aurora Gaming swept B8 2-0 in the Group B lower-bracket semifinals, winning 13-7 on Mirage and 13-6 on Overpass. Ismailcan “XANDARES” Dortkardes, the player of the match, led Aurora with a 44-19 K-D differential.  Natus Vincere swept HOTU in the other lower-bracket semifinal, winning 13-7 on Dust II and 13-9 on Ancient. Kosovo’s Drin “makazze” Shaqiri was the player of the match with a 40-24 K-D differential for the winning side.   Natus Vincere then eliminated Aurora Gaming 2-1 to qualify for the playoffs. NAVI won 13-4 on Inferno, lost 13-11 on Mirage and won 13-4 on Dust II. Shaqiri again was the player of the match with a 50-38 K-D differential.  MOUZ and Team Spirit meet in one quarterfinal on Friday, with the winner facing Team Falcons in the semifinals on Saturday. Team Vitality and Natus Vincere battle on Friday, with the winner advancing to the semifinals against FURIA.  IEM Rio prize pool:  1. 5,000  2. ,000  3. ,000  4. ,000  5-6. ,500  7-8. ,000 — G2 Esports, Aurora Gaming  9-12. ,000 — RED Canids, 3DMAX, B8, HOTU  13-16. ,000 — Gentle Mates, Team Liquid, Passion UA, Legacy  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #FURIA #Team #Falcons #riding #high #IEM #Rio #playoffs

The Mumbai Cricket Association has formalised its long-mooted player contract system, outlining the structure and framework of what it hopes will be a cornerstone in strengthening its domestic ecosystem.

The decision, approved in principle by the MCA Apex Council on January 15, now has its details in place. The contracts will be awarded based on performance, fitness benchmarks and recommendations of the selection committee, with an eye on players on the cusp of higher honours.

Under the new system, players will be slotted into three grades — Grade A (₹12-20 lakh), Grade B (₹8-12 lakh) and Grade C (₹8 lakh) annually — in addition to match fees, daily allowances and performance-linked incentives. The move is aimed at providing financial stability and a more structured professional environment, while also ensuring a steady pipeline to higher levels of cricket. The list of players will be drawn up closer to the season in consultation with the selection panel and the cricket improvement committee.

MCA president Ajinkya Naik termed it a “new era” for Mumbai cricket, adding that the initiative would “provide greater security, structure, and growth opportunities” and help “strengthen the foundation” of the system.

While the intent marks a progressive step, the MCA is not the first state association to introduce player contracts. Associations like Maharashtra, Punjab and Uttarakhand have experimented with similar models over the past two decades, though none has managed to sustain it over the long term.

That context makes MCA’s implementation significant. For the past two domestic seasons, instead of central contracts, the association had opted to top up BCCI match fees for its senior men’s players with an equal contribution from its own coffers.

The shift to a structured contract system signals a move towards long-term planning rather than ad-hoc support. Having taken the lead for the upcoming season, the MCA will hope the model not only endures but also safeguards and incentivises its senior men’s cricketers while nurturing the next generation.

Published on Apr 16, 2026

#Mumbai #Cricket #Association #announces #player #contract #system #ahead #season">Mumbai Cricket Association announces player contract system ahead of 2026-2027 season  The Mumbai Cricket Association has formalised its long-mooted player contract system, outlining the structure and framework of what it hopes will be a cornerstone in strengthening its domestic ecosystem.The decision, approved in principle by the MCA Apex Council on January 15, now has its details in place. The contracts will be awarded based on performance, fitness benchmarks and recommendations of the selection committee, with an eye on players on the cusp of higher honours.Under the new system, players will be slotted into three grades — Grade A (₹12-20 lakh), Grade B (₹8-12 lakh) and Grade C (₹8 lakh) annually — in addition to match fees, daily allowances and performance-linked incentives. The move is aimed at providing financial stability and a more structured professional environment, while also ensuring a steady pipeline to higher levels of cricket. The list of players will be drawn up closer to the season in consultation with the selection panel and the cricket improvement committee.MCA president Ajinkya Naik termed it a “new era” for Mumbai cricket, adding that the initiative would “provide greater security, structure, and growth opportunities” and help “strengthen the foundation” of the system.While the intent marks a progressive step, the MCA is not the first state association to introduce player contracts. Associations like Maharashtra, Punjab and Uttarakhand have experimented with similar models over the past two decades, though none has managed to sustain it over the long term.That context makes MCA’s implementation significant. For the past two domestic seasons, instead of central contracts, the association had opted to top up BCCI match fees for its senior men’s players with an equal contribution from its own coffers.The shift to a structured contract system signals a move towards long-term planning rather than ad-hoc support. Having taken the lead for the upcoming season, the MCA will hope the model not only endures but also safeguards and incentivises its senior men’s cricketers while nurturing the next generation.Published on Apr 16, 2026  #Mumbai #Cricket #Association #announces #player #contract #system #ahead #season

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