Welcome to Dev's Digest, the Sky Sports column where Asian Football Award winner Dev Trehan shares exclusive scoops and offers his take on the most important stories affecting British South Asians in the beautiful game. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player. The second half of the World Cup overlapped with the launch of South Asian Heritage Month in the United Kingdom, providing a perfect backdrop to celebrate two pioneering figures who appeared together on Sky Sports News.
Our long‑standing transfers specialist Dharmesh Sheth, a familiar face on Sky Sports News for over two decades and a trailblazer who has helped open doors for under‑represented groups in sports media, was joined on‑screen by New Zealand international Sarpreet Singh. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player.
Singh, fresh from completing a transfer to Portuguese club Farense, made history at the 2026 World Cup by becoming the first player of Indian descent to start a match in the tournament’s history. "When the squad was announced and I saw my name, it was an incredibly proud moment for me and my family," Singh told Sky Sports News. "I feel extremely privileged to be the first Indian and the first Punjabi to feature at a World Cup.
The support I receive from people around the globe is overwhelming. I see this as a huge honour and I welcome the challenges that come with it." "I am delighted and humbled to carry that responsibility, and I always aim to represent my community and everyone who backs me to the best of my ability," he added. Transfer Centre LIVE on your phone!
Download the Sky Sports App. South Asians in Football news Singh grew up idolising Didier Drogba and would often wake up in the middle of the night in New Zealand to watch the Ivorian legend light up the Premier League for Chelsea.
While he never got the chance to line up opposite Drogba, Singh did face England in New Zealand’s pre‑World Cup friendly in Tampa. "Playing against the likes of Harry Kane and Marcus Rashford – players I’d watched for years in the Premier League – was a dream come true. I was just focused on doing my best for my country," Singh recalled.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player. Had circumstances been different, Singh might have been a teammate of Kane at club level next season. He spent four seasons with Bayern Munich after the German giants signed him following his standout performances for New Zealand at the 2019 FIFA U‑20 World Cup.
"It was an unreal experience," Singh said, recalling his involvement in the 2019 Audi Cup final against Tottenham and his Bundesliga debut later that year. "Being part of one of the biggest clubs in the world, training daily with world‑class players, was amazing. Hansi Flick was the manager then, and I was in the same squad as Alphonso Davies and Joshua Zirkzee – we became good friends." Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player.
A separate story this month involves an investment consortium led by British‑Indian billionaire and former QPR co‑owner Amit Bhatia, which has signalled interest in acquiring a minority stake in Liverpool FC. Liverpool’s owners, Fenway Sports Group (FSG), confirmed the approach on the same day Bhatia announced his departure from the QPR board, ending an 18‑year involvement after transferring his share to majority owner Ruben Gnanalingam.
A spokesperson for FSG said: "An investment consortium led, managed and represented by Amit Bhatia has expressed interest in making a strategic minority investment in Liverpool Football Club." Sky News later reported that Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has also been approached to join the consortium. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player.
No agreement has been reached; discussions are still in their infancy. FSG bought Liverpool in 2010 for £300 million, and Forbes now values the club at roughly £4.6 billion. On Tuesday, Bhatia announced his resignation from QPR, describing the club as "a deeply important part of my life and my family’s life".
He served as vice‑chairman before becoming chairman in 2018, a role he held for five years. Bhatia is married into the Mittal family; his father‑in‑law Lakshmi Mittal heads the steel and mining giant ArcelorMittal and is estimated to be worth £23.2 billion. It has also been a remarkable month for the fourth annual British South Asians in Football Team of the Season, produced in partnership with DesiBallers. This initiative remains the sole annual programme that recognises the on‑field contributions of British South Asians.
Several players featured in this year’s squad have returned to action. Leicester City’s longest‑serving South Asian, Hamza Choudhury, captained the Foxes during pre‑season. Goalkeeper Jas Singh is back between the sticks for Tamworth, while Kam Kandola has started every pre‑season fixture for Hereford since joining over the summer. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player.
Zidane Iqbal, fresh from becoming the first British South Asian to appear at a World Cup, is regaining his place at Utrecht and has featured in their pre‑season matches. Dilan Markanday is back with Chesterfield and took part in their Irish tour, and Yan Dhanda has rejoined Hearts after a loan spell at Dundee. Dhanda featured in every pre‑season game and will hope to feature in Hearts’ Champions League second‑leg qualifier against Sturm Graz.
Pakistan international Zahmena Malik is set to sign for Actonians, Sky Sports News can exclusively reveal. Actonians are one of the few independent women’s clubs still competing in the top four tiers of English women’s football, alongside Liverpool Feds and London City Lionesses. Malik, an east‑London native, played for Lakatamia in Cyprus’s top division last season and has previously turned out for Leyton Orient, London Seaward and Saudi side Al‑Hmmah.
The former Spurs academy graduate was part of Pakistan’s first women’s team to compete in a FIFA tournament, scoring in an 8‑0 win over the Turks and Caicos Islands and netting Pakistan’s historic first goal in an Olympic qualifier against Tajikistan in 2023. Birmingham City pioneer Riya Mannu is set to join West Bromwich Albion, Sky Sports News can exclusively confirm. The 19‑year‑old helped Birmingham secure promotion to the Women’s Super League 1 last season and impressed during a dual‑registration loan at West Brom, scoring on her full debut against Rugby Borough. Mannu made history in 2024 by becoming the first British South Asian to play league football for Birmingham City Women and was later named the club’s Professional Game Academy Player of the Season.
Earlier this month, West Ham’s record Premier League scorer Michail Antonio surprised fans by turning out for a Sikh football tournament final in Leicester. The Khalsa Football Federation (KFF) event, which has run for over 50 years, permits three non‑South‑Asian players per side. Antonio, who recovered from a broken leg after a Ferrari crash in Epping Forest in December 2024, featured for Singh Sabha Slough in the Over‑35s final against Punjab United Sports Wolverhampton. He scored a spectacular goal, provided an assist and even missed a penalty; however, the team forfeited the trophy because Antonio had not been officially registered.
Danny Barham, a guest player for Singh Sabha Slough, praised Antonio: "He joined us through a fellow player whose children go to school together. He travelled from London at 7 am for a 10 am kick‑off.
He was the nicest person I’ve ever met. The opposition originally didn’t want him to play, so Singh Sabha Slough disqualified themselves just to let him feature. He struck an absolute worldie from outside the box, reminiscent of Ronaldinho’s Champions League goal against Chelsea, and set up the second tally.
It showed why he is a professional – there was no attitude, just pure love for the game." The match was refereed by Jarnail Singh, father of pioneering officials Sunny Singh Gill and Bhupinder Singh Gill. Jarnail, the only turbaned Sikh ever to referee in the English Football League, recalled: "I played in KFF tournaments in the early‑80s and have been refereeing there for many years. Michail was a very nice, humble bloke, playing for the fun of it with a huge smile.
The crowd loved seeing him, and more people turned up when they realised he was on the pitch. He stayed after the game to take photos with everyone." For more stories, features and video content, visit our groundbreaking South Asians in Football page on skysports.com and stay tuned to Sky Sports News and the Sky Sports digital platforms.
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