Sports news, competitions and athletes from Kyiv region and Ukraine
# Supercomputer Opta reshuffle favorites after group stage: France takes first place with 18.7% chances after doing what had eluded it since 1998. The figures are not predictions, but a reflection of what has already happened.
Agit Kabayel became WBC heavyweight champion not as a result of a fight, but after Oleksandr Usyk relinquished all his belts to conduct his "last dance" outside the control of federations. The German of Kurdish descent is the first in his category in nearly 100 years.
A goalless draw between Australia and Paraguay in the Group D final sent the "soccoleros" through to the playoff stage, while Paraguay retained a chance to advance as one of eight best third-place teams — a format that has never existed at the World Cup before.
Aleksandr Usyk has relinquished the WBC, WBA, and IBF heavyweight titles—not due to defeat, but to conduct a farewell fight without organizational obligations. He previously voluntarily relinquished the WBO belt in the same manner.
# Ukraine's Esports Federation Bans Aleksandr Kostylyev for Playing with Russian electroNic The Esports Federation of Ukraine has added Aleksandr Kostylyev to its ban list for competing on the same team as Russian player electroNic. While the ban does not prevent him from pursuing an international career, it puts a public end to a question that the Ukrainian community had been raising since January.
WBC interim champion Agit Kabaev responded with courtesy to Usyk's decision to relinquish all titles, understanding that the WBC belt is now formally his — the only question remaining is who will become his opponent for the undisputed status.
The UPL published the 2026/27 season calendar — and already the first round reveals the tournament logic: the champion hosts a debutant, while Dynamo plays a Kyiv derby. Three clubs are new, one returned after 32 years.
IWF removes all age restrictions for Russian and Belarusian athletes: they will already compete under their own flags at the world championship in China — whereas in Batumi they still competed as neutrals.
# Former Ukrainian U-21 Midfielder Dies in Greece on 39th Birthday A former midfielder of Ukraine's U-21 national team died on June 2 in Greece on his 39th birthday. He leaves behind four children, 191 matches played in the Ukrainian Premier League, and an unresolved question regarding the repatriation of his body.
Carolina Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup for the first time since 2006, with their 37-year-old captain Jordan Staal, a defensively-minded center who was never considered a prolific scorer, recording goals in five consecutive games and becoming the oldest Stanley Cup winner in NHL history to claim the Conn Smythe Trophy.
The Madrid club closed one of the key positions in the transfer market this summer, spending €60 million on a player developed by their main rival.
Omar Artan, Africa's Best Referee of 2025, was deported from the United States on suspicion of links to terrorists. FIFA will pay his full fee, and UEFA appointed him to the Super Cup. The accusations remained without evidence.
At the European Championship 2026 in Montemor-o-Velho, Liudmyla Luzan and Anastasia Ribachok won gold in women's canoe doubles at 500 meters — an Olympic discipline where they have already earned two Olympic silver medals. This is their third joint victory at the European Championship in this event.
# UFC Freedom 250: Spectacle and Controversy at the White House On June 14th, the South Lawn of the White House hosted UFC Freedom 250 — seven fights broadcast live, commemorating both the 250th anniversary of the United States and the 80th birthday of the president simultaneously. Behind the facade of national celebration lies $60 million in UFC spending, a federal lawsuit, and questions about the line between patriotic commemoration and personal cult of personality.
At MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, the five-time world champion played to a 1-1 draw with Morocco, who dominated the first half of the match. Only a solo goal by Vinicius Júnior saved "Seleção" from their first defeat.
WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman responded to criticism of the referee's decision to stop the fight between Usyk and Verhoeven seconds before the end of the round. His argument is that the referee in the ring does not exist to keep time.
# U.S. State Secretary Heads Delegation at World Championship Opening in Los Angeles — Meets with Paraguay's President Peña on the Side. Sports Becomes a Wrapper for Negotiations on Migration, Security, and Investment Climate.
Omar Artan was supposed to become the first Somali referee at the World Cup. The U.S. Border Patrol conducted an 11-hour interrogation, closed the doors and provided no explanation—despite proper documentation and a valid visa.
Players from Iran's national team received visas to the United States on the eve of their departure, but 15 staff members did not. Now the team is based in Mexico and will cross the border for each match day.
The 2026 World Cup kicks off with a rematch of 2010: Mexico vs South Africa. But the biggest question isn't about football itself, but whether the 48-team format will pass its first test on the quality of play.
The UPL transitional matches produced two paradoxes: a goal by a former academy player buried Oleksandria, while Kudrivka passed through the playoffs for the second consecutive time — but this time defending an elite spot that they themselves fought for a year ago.
Álvaro Arbeloa took over Real Madrid in January as one of "their own" — a club academy product, loyal and without external ambitions. But loyalty did not replace tactical system: the season ended without a single trophy for the first time in 16 years.
UEFA Executive Committee annulled quotas for Russian clubs and national teams for the 2026/27 season — the fifth year of sanctions that are becoming increasingly costly for Russian football, but formally have no end date.
Denmark national team captain Christian Eriksen lost consciousness during the match. The game was suspended, the player regained consciousness and was hospitalized.
Unknown individuals deliberately scattered metal shavings during the cycling stage of the Ironman European Championship in Hamburg in the Kirchwerder area. Up to 150 athletes suffered punctured tires, with some sustaining cuts — however, the competition continued.
Pope Francis will support the USA at the 2026 World Cup — but only because Peru failed to qualify. He formulated his allegiance to Real Madrid through a split between two identities: as Pope and simply as Robert Prevost.
The United States issued visas to players of Iran's national team but denied visas to 14 staff members, including federation president Mehdi Taj, who was previously banned from entering the country in December. Secretary of State Rubio directly named the reason: links to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Wisla President Jaroslaw Krulewski announced that the club will not take on the organization of Shakhtar's European cup matches. The stadium remains the same — Reyman, but the logistics and responsibility now rest entirely with the Donetsk club.
Ukraine suffers another defeat in third round: takes 14th place and prepares for match against France.
Messi's left hamstring tendon, injured on May 24 in the match against Philadelphia Union, is no longer keeping him completely sidelined from the national team. However, the distance between "partial training" and "starting on June 16" is still something Argentina's medical staff has yet to overcome.