The International Ice Hockey Federation has awarded the 2030 Men's World Championship to Finland and Latvia, with games to be held in Helsinki and Riga. The tournament will take place one year after the 2029 championship, which Slovakia will co-host with games in Bratislava and Košice. Additionally, Switzerland has been selected to host the 2028 Women's World Championship.
Russian tennis player Andrey Rublev, seeded 11th, defeated Portuguese opponent Nuno Borges in straight sets 7-5, 7-6 (7-2) to advance to the round of 16. The match saw Rublev secure victory in two competitive sets, with the second set requiring a tiebreak to determine the winner.
Levice claimed their fifth straight Tipos SBL championship title, cementing their dominance in Slovak basketball's top division. Point guard Rickey McGill was named the league's Most Valuable Player (MVP) for his outstanding performance throughout the season. Michal Madzin from the Patriots successfully defended his Coach of the Year award, recognizing his continued excellence in leading his team. The championship extends Levice's unprecedented run of success in the Tipos SBL, Slovakia's premier professional basketball league.
Twenty-five-year-old goalkeeper Belányi has signed a one-year contract to continue playing for HK Poprad, the Slovak hockey club announced. During the 2024/2025 season, Belányi appeared in 38 games for the team, recording 21 victories. The contract extension keeps the goaltender with the Poprad-based club for another season.
Swiss ice hockey player Meier has been suspended and will miss his team's upcoming semifinal match after receiving a penalty for a knee foul. The disciplinary committee of the 2026 World Championship made the suspension decision on Friday, ruling that the foul warranted removing the player from the crucial semifinal game.
A Slovak extreme triathlete who holds a world record has compared the Himalayas to Slovakia's Tatra Mountains, describing them as "bigger Tatras." The athlete, who began her sporting career skiing on a hill in Stropkov in eastern Slovakia, has achieved recognition as the world's fastest in her discipline. Her journey from the modest slopes of the small Slovak town to competing in the world's highest mountain range highlights an unusual path to international athletic success.
Turkish tennis player Sönmez was forced to retire from her match after suffering an injury when she tripped over a low advertising panel on court number 6. The incident occurred when Sönmez was running to play a high ball and caught her feet on the panel, causing her to fall face-first into a tarp on the wall. The injury prevented her from continuing the match.
Hockey club Prešov has appointed Colville as their new head trainer, bringing in the former assistant coach from Košice. Colville previously worked as a video analyst for two National Hockey League teams in North America, the Columbus Blue Jackets and Los Angeles Kings, before joining the Slovak hockey scene. The appointment represents a significant coaching change for the Prešov club as they look to strengthen their technical leadership with someone who has experience in both the NHL and Slovak hockey systems.
Slovak footballer Balász Borbély has activated a release clause in his contract and transferred from Hungarian club Győr to Ferencváros Budapest. The move comes as Ferencváros seeks to replace Irish player Robbie Keane, who is among the leading candidates for the head coach position at Slovan Bratislava, Slovakia's top football club.
The San Antonio Spurs defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 118-91 to force a decisive seventh game in their playoff series. The deciding game will take place on the defending champions' home court in the early hours of Sunday morning. The winner of this series will face the New York Knicks in the finals, after the Knicks eliminated the Cleveland Cavaliers in just four games in the Eastern Conference.
Norway has achieved its greatest hockey success in history by reaching the semifinals of a major international tournament, surpassing their previous best performance of sixth place at the 2011 World Championships. The breakthrough has been driven by a "golden generation" of young Norwegian players, including some who are younger than Slovak NHL star Juraj Slafkovský. The year 2026 could become as significant for Norwegian hockey as 2002 was for Slovak hockey, 1998 for Czech hockey, or 2023 for Latvian hockey - marking watershed moments when these nations achieved breakthrough international success. Norway's previous best result in World Championship play-offs was reaching the quarterfinals, which they last achieved over a decade ago.
Azerbaijan secured a 1-0 victory over Austria in their opening match, marking a significant result for the team. In another match, Ukraine delivered a commanding 4-0 victory against Belgium in what appears to be a Group C encounter, with Ukrainian representatives thoroughly outplaying their Belgian opponents.
Ireland secured a 1-0 victory over Qatar in an international friendly match, with Nathan Collins scoring the decisive goal in the fifth minute. In another preparation match, Egypt defeated Russia, though specific details of that result were not provided.
Norway defeated Latvia in the quarterfinals of the Ice Hockey World Championship, advancing to the semifinals for the first time in the country's hockey history. The Norwegians had not reached the quarterfinal stage in fifteen years and had never previously advanced beyond that round. Switzerland also secured their place in the semifinals with a victory in their quarterfinal match.
Slovakia suffered a 3-2 defeat against Bosnia and Herzegovina in their Nations League Group A match. The loss came after Slovakia had made a winning start to the competition with a 3-1 victory over Greece in their opening fixture. The result represents a setback for the Slovak national team in their campaign in the top tier of UEFA's Nations League tournament.
Claude Lemieux, a former National Hockey League player, has died at the age of 60. The cause, time, and location of his death have not been disclosed. Lemieux was known for his successful NHL career, winning multiple Stanley Cup championships during his time playing for teams including the Montreal Canadiens, New Jersey Devils, and Colorado Avalanche.
World number one Jannik Sinner suffered a stunning defeat at the French Open after experiencing cramping and dizziness during his match, despite holding a commanding lead earlier in the contest. The Italian tennis star was forced to acknowledge the physical toll of the extreme heat conditions that have characterized this year's Roland Garros tournament in Paris. Following his unexpected loss, Sinner reflected on the human limitations of professional athletes, stating that "nobody is a robot" and "nobody is built to never fail." The French Open has been marked by unusually high temperatures this year, creating challenging playing conditions for competitors and contributing to several dramatic match outcomes as players struggle to cope with the demanding physical requirements.
Last year's finalist suffered a shocking second-round defeat after falling ill in hot weather conditions. Leading 5-1 in the third set and just one game away from victory, the player suddenly felt unwell in the sweltering conditions and was unable to complete what appeared to be a certain win. The dramatic collapse allowed his opponent Cerundolo to mount an unlikely comeback and secure the upset victory.
Bratislava is currently hosting the European Championships in small football, a tournament that has received significant promotional backing despite the sport lacking official recognition. The event has been supported with substantial funding of nearly one million euros from Huliak, even as prominent figures like football legend Francesco Totti, Olympic skiing champion Petra Vlhová, and musician Rolins have been unable to elevate the sport's profile sufficiently to gain formal recognition. The championships have been accompanied by an extensive advertising campaign throughout the Slovak capital.
Milan Kužela, a legendary figure in Slovak hockey, has died at the age of 80. HC Slovan Bratislava, one of Slovakia's most prominent hockey clubs, announced his passing with mourning. Kužela's career spanned from the Tehelné pole arena in Bratislava to international recognition, earning him a place in hockey's hall of fame. His death marks the end of an era for Slovak hockey, as the sport loses one of its most celebrated figures who helped shape the game's development in the country.