Indian sports report, April 30: Shreyas Iyer appointed brand ambassador for the official Formula 1 program in India

Esports

Shreyas Iyer appointed brand ambassador for the F1 program in India

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

The program will take place 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 aims to establish a nationally competitive platform for emerging talent across the country.

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

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

«In sports, it’s always 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 path that takes young Indians from where they are now to where they could go, I didn’t need much convincing. This is the kind of initiative I would have wanted to have access to growing up, and I’m proud to be part of what’s to come,» said Iyer, brand ambassador for the Mumbai-led F1 program in India. Falcons Racing Limited.

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

Registrations will begin on April 30, 2026 via the MFRL app, available on the 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, to be held in Goa from May 3 to 14.

The partnership 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 provide coach development workshops and masterclasses for participating coaches and support staff in 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.

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-sharing initiatives.

– Team Sportstar

GOLF

LIV Golf appoints independent board and focuses on new investors after losing Saudi support

LIV Golf moved quickly on Thursday to move in a new direction, following confirmation that Saudi support for the circuit is about to end, with the announcement of a new board and a search for long-term financial partners.

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

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

LIV turned golf on its head in late 2021 when, armed with the backing of PIF, it enticed some of the sport’s biggest names to leave the long-standing 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 have to convince its major players, who have lucrative contracts, of its long-term viability without Saudi support.

– Reuters

CUE SPORTS

SAI provides financial support to cueists for the IBSF World Billiards Championship

The Sports Authority of India (SAI) has approved financial support for India’s participation in the just-concluded IBSF Men’s Billiards World Championship in Ireland, in support of 2026 edition world champion Sourav Kothari, multiple world champion Pankaj Advani and coach Ashok Shandilya.

The championship, which concluded on Wednesday, saw the trio take part in the competition with funding from the government under the Assistance to National Sports Federations (ANSFs) programme.

SAI approved a total expenditure of around Rs 6.46 lakh to the Billiards and Snooker Federation of India (BSFI) for the team’s participation, covering key components such as travel, boarding, accommodation and other match-related expenses.

Kothari retained his IBSF World Billiards Championship in Carlow, Ireland with a dominant 1133-477 victory over compatriot Advani.

The Kolkata cueist produced huge breaks, including 485 and 241, and dedicated the win to his late father.

– PTI

OTHER SPORTS

West Bengal clinched the gold medal for the junior women’s team at the National Artistic Gymnastics Championships at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Thursday.

– Team Sportstar

Published on April 30, 2026