Welcome to Dev's Digest, the Sky Sports column where award‑winning journalist Dev Trehan shares insider stories and reflects on the most significant moments for British South Asians in football. For the best viewing experience, please use Chrome to access the video player. 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 who appeared live on Sky Sports News.
Our long‑standing transfers specialist Dharmesh Sheth, a fixture on Sky Sports News for more than two decades and a trailblazer for under‑represented voices in sports media, was joined by New Zealand international forward Sarpreet Singh. Singh, who has recently completed 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 an overwhelming moment for me and my family," Singh told the presenters.
"I feel incredibly privileged to be the first Indian and the first Punjabi to play at a World Cup. The support I receive from fans around the globe is massive, and I see it as a huge honour. I welcome the challenges that come with this responsibility and will do everything I can to represent my community and everyone who backs me." The Transfer Centre is now live on mobile – download the Sky Sports app to stay updated. South Asian football news Growing up, Singh idolised Didier Drogba and would often wake up in the middle of the night in New Zealand to catch the Ivorian star’s performances for Chelsea.
Although he never faced Drogba on the pitch, Singh did get the chance to 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 was focused on giving my best for my country," he recalled.
If circumstances had been different, Singh might have been a teammate of Kane at club level next season. After impressing at the 2019 FIFA U‑20 World Cup, Bayern Munich signed him, and he spent four seasons in Germany. "It was an unreal experience," Singh said of his time at Bayern.
"I featured in the 2019 Audi Cup final against Tottenham and made my Bundesliga debut later that year. Being around one of the biggest clubs in the world, learning from top professionals daily, was incredible. Hansi Flick was the manager then, and I was in the same training group as Alphonso Davies and Joshua Zirkzee – we became good friends." In a separate development, a consortium led by British‑Indian billionaire and former QPR co‑owner Amit Bhatia has signalled interest in acquiring a minority stake in Liverpool FC.
Fenway Sports Group, the current owners, confirmed the approach on the same day Bhatia stepped down from the QPR board after an 18‑year association, transferring his share to majority owner Ruben Gnanalingam. A spokesperson for FSG said, "A consortium headed 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 group.
No agreement has been reached yet; discussions are still at an early stage. FSG bought Liverpool in 2010 for £300 million, and Forbes now values the club at roughly £4.6 billion. Bhatia announced his departure from QPR on Tuesday, 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 mother‑in‑law Lakshmi Mittal heads the steel and mining giant ArcelorMittal, with an estimated net worth of £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. The list remains the sole yearly initiative that recognises the on‑field contributions of British South Asian players.
Several members of this year’s squad have returned to action. Leicester City stalwart Hamza Choudhury, the club’s longest‑serving player, captained the Foxes during pre‑season. Goalkeeper Jas Singh is back between the sticks for Tamworth, while Kam Kandola has started every pre‑season match for Hereford since joining over the summer.
Zidane Iqbal, fresh from becoming the first British South Asian to appear at a World Cup, is enjoying a resurgence at Utrecht and featured in their pre‑season fixtures. Dilan Markanday is back with Chesterfield, taking part in their Irish tour, and Yan Dhanda has re‑joined Hearts after a loan spell at Dundee, featuring in every pre‑season game and hoping to feature in the club’s Champions League second‑leg qualifier against Sturm Graz. Pakistan international Zahmena Malik is set to sign for Actonians, an exclusive Sky Sports News scoop. Actonians are among 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, a London‑born midfielder, played for Lakatamia in Cyprus last season and has previously turned out for Leyton Orient, London Seaward and Saudi side Al‑Hmmah. She was also part of the first Pakistan women’s team to compete in a FIFA tournament, 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 with a 1‑0 victory over Tajikistan in 2023. Birmingham City pioneer Riya Mannu is set to join West Bromwich Albion, another exclusive reveal.
The 19‑year‑old helped Birmingham win 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. In 2024 she made history by becoming the first British South Asian to play league football for Birmingham City Women, later being named the club’s Professional Game Academy Player of the Season.
The month’s most surprising story involved West Ham record scorer Michail Antonio, who appeared in a Sikh football tournament final in Leicester. The Khalsa Football Federation (KFF) tournaments, running for over 50 years, allow three non‑South Asian players per side.
Antonio, still recovering from a serious leg injury sustained in a car crash in December 2024, turned out 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, helping his side to a 2‑0 win before the trophy was forfeited because he had not been formally registered. Danny Barham, a guest player alongside Antonio, praised the striker’s humility and skill, likening his long‑range strike to Ronaldinho’s famous goal against Chelsea.
The match was officiated by Jarnail Singh, the only turbaned Sikh ever to referee in the English Football League and father to pioneering officials Sunny Singh Gill and Bhupinder Singh Gill. Singh recalled, "I’ve been involved in KFF tournaments since the early‑80s, first as a player and then as a referee. Michail was a genuinely nice, humble bloke who played for the love of the game, and the crowd loved seeing him on the pitch." For additional stories, features and video content, visit the groundbreaking South Asians in Football hub on skysports.com and keep an eye on Sky Sports News and our digital platforms.
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