Welcome to Dev's Digest, the Sky Sports column where Asian Football Award winner Dev Trehan shares exclusive updates and reflects on the most significant moments for British South Asians in football. The second half of the World Cup overlapped with South Asian Heritage Month in the United Kingdom, providing a perfect backdrop to celebrate two pioneering figures on the Sky Sports News set. Our long‑standing transfers specialist Dharmesh Sheth, a familiar face on Sky Sports News for more than two decades and a trailblazer who has helped open doors for under‑represented groups in sports media, was joined by New Zealand international Sarpreet Singh.
Singh, fresh from a move to Portuguese side Farense, made history at the 2026 World Cup by becoming the first player of Indian descent to start a match in the tournament. "When the squad was announced and I saw my name, it was a huge moment of pride for me and my family," Singh told Sky Sports News.
"I feel incredibly privileged to be the first Indian and the first Punjabi to appear at a World Cup. The support I receive from people around the globe is overwhelming, and I view this as a great honour.
I’m ready to meet the challenges that come with it. I’m proud to carry the hopes of my community and everyone who backs me." Singh grew up idolising Didier Drogba and would often wake up in the middle of the night in New Zealand to catch the Chelsea legend on television. Although he never faced Drogba on the pitch, Singh did line up against 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 week after week in the Premier League – was a dream come true. I just wanted to give my best for my country," he said. There was a moment when a different path might have seen Singh sharing a club locker with Kane.
After impressing at the 2019 FIFA U20 World Cup, Bayern Munich signed the young forward, and he spent four seasons in Germany. "It was surreal," Singh recalled. "I featured in the 2019 Audi Cup final against Tottenham and made my Bundesliga debut later that year. Being at one of the world’s biggest clubs, learning from the best every day, was an incredible experience.
Hansi Flick was the coach, and I was teammates with Alphonso Davies and Joshua Zirkzee – we became good friends." In other news, a British‑Indian investment consortium led by former QPR co‑owner and millionaire Amit Bhatia has signalled interest in purchasing a minority stake in Liverpool FC. Fenway Sports Group, the current owners, confirmed the approach on the same day Bhatia announced his departure from QPR after an 18‑year involvement, during which he transferred his share to majority owner Ruben Gnanalingam. A FSG spokesperson said, "A consortium headed, managed and represented by Amit Bhatia has expressed interest in making a strategic minority investment in Liverpool Football Club." Reports also indicate that Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has been approached to join the group. No agreement has been reached yet; discussions remain in the early stages.
Liverpool was bought by FSG for £300 million in 2010 and is now valued at roughly £4.6 billion, according to Forbes. Bhatia’s exit from QPR was emotional. He said the club had been 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 also the son‑in‑law of Lakshmi Mittal, the steel magnate behind ArcelorMittal, whose net worth is estimated at £23.2 billion. This month also saw the publication of our fourth annual British South Asians in Football Team of the Season, produced in partnership with DesiBallers. It remains the sole yearly initiative that recognises the on‑field contributions of British South Asians. Several players have returned to action this season.
Leicester City’s long‑serving midfielder Hamza Choudhury captained the Foxes during pre‑season, while goalkeeper Jas Singh reclaimed his spot at Tamworth and Kam Kandola started every pre‑season game for Hereford after joining over the summer. Zidane Iqbal, fresh from becoming the first British South Asian to appear at a World Cup, is back in favour at Utrecht and featured in their pre‑season fixtures. Dilan Markanday is playing for Chesterfield on a tour of Ireland, and Yan Dhanda has rejoined Hearts after a loan spell at Dundee, featuring in every pre‑season match and hoping to feature in the Champions League second‑leg qualifier against Sturm Graz.
Pakistan international Zahmena Malik is set to sign for Actonians, an independent women’s club that competes in the top four tiers of English women’s football alongside Liverpool Feds and London City Lionesses. Malik, an east‑London native, spent the previous season with Lakatamia in Cyprus’s top division and has also turned out for Leyton Orient, London Seaward and Saudi side Al‑Hmmah.
She was part of the historic Pakistan women’s team that played its first FIFA tournament in the Ivory Coast, scoring the opening goal in an 8‑0 win over the Turks and Caicos Islands and netting Pakistan’s first ever goal in an Olympic qualifier against Tajikistan in 2023. Birmingham City pioneer Riya Mannu is set to join West Bromwich Albion. The 19‑year‑old helped Birmingham win promotion to the Women’s Super League last season and impressed during a dual‑registration loan at West Brom, scoring on her full debut.
Mannu made history in 2024 as the first British South Asian to play league football for Birmingham City Women, later earning the club’s Professional Game Academy Player of the Season award. In a surprising twist, West Ham’s record Premier League scorer Michail Antonio appeared in a Sikh football tournament final in Leicester, playing for Singh Sabha Slough in the Over‑35s final against Punjab United Sports Wolverhampton. Antonio, who recovered from a serious leg injury after a car crash in December 2024, scored a spectacular goal, provided an assist and even missed a penalty before Singh Sabha Slough forfeited the trophy because Antonio had not been officially registered. Guest player Danny Barham described Antonio as "the nicest person I’ve ever met", noting that the team even disqualified themselves to let him play.
He praised Antonio’s world‑class strike, likening it to Ronaldinho’s famous Champions League goal against Chelsea. The match was officiated by Jarnail Singh, the only turbaned Sikh ever to referee in the English Football League and father of pioneering officials Sunny Singh Gill and Bhupinder Singh Gill. Singh recalled his early days playing in KFF tournaments in the 1980s and said, "Michail was a humble, smiling lad playing for the love of the game. The crowd loved seeing him, and he stayed after the match to take photos with everyone." For more stories, features and videos, visit the groundbreaking South Asians in Football page on skysports.com and keep an eye on Sky Sports News and its digital platforms.