Maria Sharapova will make her return to competitive tennis following her 15-month ban at the WTA clay-court tournament in Stuttgart in April, it was announced on Tuesday.

FIFA will expand the World Cup to 48 teams, adding 16 extra nations to the 2026 tournament which is likely to be held in North America.

President Gianni Infantino's favored plan — for 16 three-team groups with the top two advancing to a round of 32 — was unanimously approved Tuesday by the FIFA Council.

Cristiano Ronaldo was named FIFA's best men's footballer of 2016 on Monday, the latest prize after a glittering year for the Portugal and Real Madrid star.

Andy Murray remained atop the latest ATP rankings released on Monday, with Doha winner Novak Djokovic in second.

A Swedish court on Monday convicted a former national athletics coach of slandering football star Zlatan Ibrahimovic by suggesting he took steroids when he played for Italian club Juventus in 2004-2006.

Arsenal's German international Mesut Ozil says he is waiting to learn the fate of manager Arsene Wenger before agreeing to sign a new contract with the London club.

Diego Maradona on Monday backed controversial plans to expand the World Cup to 48 teams, a day before world football's powerful governing council faces a key decision on the issue. 

Andy Murray dismissed the idea that his defeat by arch-rival Novak Djokovic in the Qatar Open will have any impact on his attempts to win the Australian Open for the first time.

Chelsea have recalled Dutch left-back Nathan Ake from his loan spell at Bournemouth, the Premier League leaders announced on Sunday.

Following his success in Ballon d'Or, the Portugal and Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo is set to add another garland -- the Best FIFA Men’s Player -- on Monday in Zurich.