Basketball became a central part of Pradyot Voleti's life at the age of 11. He represented Mysa College in Ajmer in inter-school tournaments and later played for Delhi at the under-19 level. Even after moving to Mumbai to pursue a bachelor's degree and returning to Delhi for a master's in clinical psychology, he maintained his connection to the game.
Pradyot noted that he could not realize his potential due to the low quality of training in childhood. He emphasized that although basketball is popular in Indian schools and colleges, the country has yet to produce high-caliber players for the NBA or top-20 professional leagues worldwide. Instead of following a traditional career path, Pradyot decided to change the approach to teaching the game in India.
After completing his master's in 2013, where he studied substance abuse and addiction, he started his journey on YouTube. He published videos explaining basketball drills to improve young players' skills, strengthen their fundamentals, and accelerate their development.
Inspired by the NBA Cares program, which works with underprivileged communities in the US, Pradyot realized that his calling was to help children learn the game. In 2014, he spent two months at Elev8 Sports Institute in Florida, USA. There, he received mentorship from world-class coaches such as Gavin Baker and Cody Toppert, who were part of the Phoenix Suns NBA team.
Besides his time at the institute, Pradyot had the opportunity to observe various college basketball programs in the US. He visited Stanford University and the University of Connecticut, both known women's basketball programs that develop WNBA talent. He also spent ten days conducting scouting reports, video analysis, physiotherapy, and other basketball sessions while observing the Northern Arizona Suns, a former affiliate team of the Phoenix Suns in the G-League.
Armed with this knowledge and experience, in 2015, he returned to India and founded the Dribbling Academy Foundation (DAF), which was officially registered the following year. His mission began with just four children, including two daughters of a driver, two bamboo sticks, and a hoop on an improvised dirt court in Gejha village, Noida, Uttar Pradesh.
Today, about 450–500 children regularly play basketball in Gejha. Since they only have one full court, DAF organizes numerous daily sessions from 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM, running several groups. To accommodate more students, DAF recently equipped a small court at the Gejha government school.
The 32-year-old Pradyot, now a professional basketball coach and skills development specialist, reported that since the program's inception in Gejha, they have worked with over 3000 children aged 7 to 14 across eight villages. These children subsequently received full scholarships to good schools and colleges. The essence of DAF's work is bridging gaps in basic sports infrastructure in villages through basketball.
With support from Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) sponsors, DAF created a program in Gejha village at NEM Public School, intended for children from low-income families. In total, they are now working in six government schools in the Noida area and two interior villages in western Uttar Pradesh in the Sambal district.
A match between old rivals England and Argentina will take place on Wednesday as part of the intense World Cup semi-final. According to the five previous encounters between these two teams in the FIFA tournament, the 'Three Lions' could reach the world event final by defeating the champions for the first time in six decades.
England has won three out of five matches against Argentina: in the group stage in 1962, in the quarter-finals in 1966, and in the group stage in 2002. In turn, Argentina defeated England in the quarter-finals in 1986 and in the round of 16 in 1998.
Since the teams have exchanged victories in consecutive matches in the world tournament, and considering that England won the last meeting 24 years ago, the chances of another victory over 'La Selección' may be in their favor.
Furthermore, the 'Three Lions' aim to make up for lost time and avenge the 2-1 defeat to Argentina 40 years ago in Mexico, which is one of this year's host cities. Back then, Diego Maradona stunned the hearts of the English with the 'Hand of God' goal in the quarter-finals.
As England has shown inconsistency throughout the tournament, relying on late goals from players like Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham to advance, they need to deliver their best performance at Atlanta Stadium on Wednesday evening.
Argentina enters this semi-final as the clear favorite. Captain Lionel Messi is in excellent form for his team, having scored eight goals and provided one assist. He is the tournament's top scorer, with 21 goals and 9 assists.
Similar to Maradona in Mexico, Messi intends to make this tournament his defining masterpiece. For the Argentine captain, there is no grander stage than leading his country to the final on July 19th at New Jersey Stadium, where he could potentially play in a dream matchup against Spain, the country that helped shape him into a superstar.
The Brazilian teams LOUD, Fluxo W7M, and MIBR.LOS are representing Brazil at the Free Fire Esports World Cup 2026, which began this Wednesday, the 15th, in the city of Paris. The tournament brings together 24 teams from various global regions and offers a total prize pool of US$ 1.025 million, equivalent to approximately R$ 5.6 million.
Brazil has three representatives in this event. LOUD stands out as one of the main names, having secured its participation through the Garena competitive circuit, aiming to reclaim its tradition in international Free Fire titles. Another Brazilian team is Fluxo W7M, formed by a partnership between two organizations, arriving motivated by the results achieved during the season.
Completing the Brazilian delegation in Paris is MIBR.LOS, who also secured their qualification. The three teams will face renowned adversaries from the world scene, including Team Falcons, Team Vitality, RRQ Kazu, EVOS Divine, Buriram United Esports, Twisted Minds, and Team Secret.
This edition of the Free Fire Esports World Cup marks an expansion, featuring 24 teams, surpassing the number of participants in previous editions. The competition will be structured in three distinct stages. Initially, there will be the Group Stage on July 15th and 16th, divided into two groups of 12 teams each. The top four from each group advance directly to the final, while teams ranked 5th to 10th will participate in the survival phase. The bottom two from each group will be eliminated.
Next, the Survival Stage will take place on July 17th, where 12 teams will compete, and only the top four will qualify for the grand final. The Grand Final will be held on July 18th, with 12 teams competing for the title under the Champion Rush format, standard in major international tournaments of the discipline.
In addition to the trophy, the winner will receive US$ 300 thousand and guarantee a direct spot in the Free Fire World Series Global Finals 2026. The distribution of the main prizes foresees US$ 300 thousand for first place, US$ 180 thousand for second, US$ 120 thousand for third, and US$ 80 thousand for fourth place. Additionally, an individual prize of US$ 25 thousand will be awarded to the MVP of the Grand Final.
Free Fire remains one of the most popular esports in Brazil, and the presence of three national teams reinforces the country's importance in the competitive scene. LOUD, Fluxo W7M, and MIBR.LOS seek international prominence by competing in the Esports World Cup, with the goal of securing early participation in the Free Fire World Series Global Finals 2026.
The Atlanta Police Department (APD) will provide an elevated level of security for the World Cup semi-final match taking place in the city between England and Argentina. These two nations are known for their intense football rivalry.
Although the World Cup has avoided the outbreaks of violence characteristic of some tournaments in the 1980s and 1990s, authorities are taking all necessary precautions for the final of seven matches at Atlanta Stadium.
APD stated in a release that it has 'increased its city-wide presence to ensure public safety and security.' It was noted that additional resources and personnel have already been deployed and will be strategically distributed to guarantee a safe and enjoyable experience for all attendees.
These preemptive measures are the result of continuous assessment of the requirements for ensuring match security in Atlanta. The APD statement emphasized that adjustments are a standard part of managing an event of this scale, aimed at ensuring a safe and pleasant experience at the FIFA World Cup.
Argentina's Minister of Security, Alejandra Montelivi, reported on Tuesday that the issue of enhanced security was discussed during a meeting in the United States on Monday. Montelivi specified that for the first time at the tournament, rival fans will enter Atlanta Stadium through separate entrances on Wednesday. She told local radio in Argentina: 'There will be 1600 officers... We want the celebration to be peaceful.'
Due to FIFA's ticketing policy, separating fans inside the stadium, which typically occurs in internal football matches in England and Argentina, will be virtually impossible on Wednesday.
APD indicated that it cooperates closely with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and its 'public safety partners' when planning such events, but never 'discusses specific operational risk assessments or planning details.'
Football between Argentina and England intensified after five previous World Cup encounters, some of which were accompanied by controversial incidents. The conflict escalated following the 1982 military clash between the two countries over the Falkland Islands and South Georgia in the South Atlantic, which claimed 907 lives.
Montelivi also announced that Argentine fans will be prohibited from bringing flags or banners to Atlanta Stadium claiming sovereignty over the islands, which Argentinians call Islas Malvinas. She stressed: 'The entry of elements with any provocative message, whether political or racial, is forbidden. They will not be able to bring flags or posters with such content.'
The reputation of English fans has significantly improved compared to times when hooligan elements ran rampant at the 1982 and 1998 World Cups. A Football Supporters Association, which supports and serves English fans, stated before the semi-final: 'The way English fans behaved across North America has made our country proud.' The association added: 'We have continued to show that outdated stereotypes do not define us... let's take care of each other, represent England with pride, and remind everyone why we have the best fans in the world.'
