Shreyas Iyer has established himself as one of Indian cricket’s most consistent match-winners and a leader across formats. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

ESPORTS

Shreyas Iyer named brand ambassador for F1 Program in India

Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited announced the appointment of cricketer Shreyas Iyer as the official brand ambassador for the F1 Program in India.

The programme will be held under an agreement that grants Mumbai Falcons the rights to host an official Formula 1-sanctioned sim racing competition. The F1 Sim Racing India Open 2026 is aimed at establishing a national competitive platform for emerging talent across the country.

The appointment reflects Mumbai Falcons’ approach to building sporting culture and infrastructure across disciplines.

Iyer has established himself as one of Indian cricket’s most consistent match-winners and a leader across formats.

“Sport has always been about finding your edge and staying disciplined enough to act on it. When I heard what Mumbai Falcons is building in terms of a real pathway that takes young Indians from where they are today to where they could go, I didn’t need much convincing. This is the kind of initiative I would have wanted access to growing up, and I’m proud to be part of what’s coming,” said Iyer, brand ambassador for the F1 Program in India led by Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited.

The championship will be contested on F1 25, the official game of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship, featuring the same circuits, competitive formats and team liveries as the global series.

Registrations will begin on April 30, 2026, through the MFRL App, available on Play Store and Apple App Store.

- Team Sportstar

FOOTBALL

Dream Sports Foundation partners with Premier League for Dream Sports Championship

Dream Sports Foundation, the sports development arm of Dream Sports, has announced a strategic partnership with the Premier League for the upcoming Dream Sports Championship, which will be held in Goa from May 3 to 14.

The collaboration builds on DSF’s role as the official youth development partner of the All India Football Federation and will be integrated into key national platforms, including the Under-16 AIFF Junior League and the Dream Sports Championship.

The Premier League will conduct coach-development workshops and masterclasses for participating coaches and support staff at the Dream Sports Championship and the AIFF Under-16 Junior League.

The sessions will focus on training methodology, match management, physical conditioning, psychology and leadership, while bringing global best practices to the Indian football academy ecosystem.

By working closely with coaches, academies and clubs across the country, DSF and the Premier League aim to support Indian football through workshops, mentorship and knowledge-exchange initiatives.

- Team Sportstar

GOLF

LIV Golf appoints independent board, targets new investors after loss of Saudi backing

LIV Golf moved quickly to establish a new direction on Thursday after confirmation that Saudi backing for the circuit is set to end, announcing a new board and a search for long-term financial partners.

Sources at Reuters said on Wednesday that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund would cut funding, which has totalled more than $1 billion a year since 2022, at the end of the league’s 2026 season.

Without mentioning PIF, LIV on Thursday announced a “transition from a foundational launch phase to a diversified, multi-partner investment model” and a new independent board led by business consultants Gene Davis and Jon Zinman.

LIV upended golf in late 2021 when, armed with PIF’s backing, it enticed some of the sport’s biggest names to leave the long-established PGA Tour.

Major winners Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm, Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed were all recruited to play team golf around the world for millions of dollars in prize money.

The league will now need to convince its big-name players, who are on lucrative contracts, of its long-term viability without Saudi backing.

- Reuters

Published on Apr 30, 2026