The prize is right

There is so much to wish for, in 2026: fresh drama on the pitch, more records for our women cricketers, and - dare we dream it - a revival, and a future, for football in India

- Rudraneil Sengupta

This is a football World Cup year, which is to say that nothing else matters. What other tournament, besides the Olympics, brings the world together like this one?

Yet it feels like this edition is trying its best to keep the world divided, with unprecedented ticket prices that cost more than the average monthly salaries of most participating countries, US travel bans that will mean fans from at least four nations that have qualified won't be there to see their teams play, and choking US visa regulations that may see many others left out too.

It isn’t exactly the kind of festival that fans look forward to. (There is some hope, since co-hosts Mexico and Canada are opening their doors wide in the spirit of things.) With all this in mind, here are some sporting wishes for the new year.