FIFA, the supreme body of world football, is always trying to do something new. It did something similar in 2025. It was the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States. This tournament was special for two reasons. This year, the United States is hosting the World Cup together with Canada and Mexico. Against that backdrop, this year's Club World Cup was organized with great importance.

FIFA was to test how the big football tournament would affect the United States. When the tournament was over, FIFA said that the tournament had been a success. It is said that this was the ambition of FIFA President Gianni Infantino. Initially, there was a lot of criticism about the tournament, but as the tournament progressed, the criticism gradually eased. 

Another feature of this tournament was the increase in the number of participants to 32. In this way, the tournament itself has proven to be big and extensive. The title went to Chelsea. The team defeated Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the final. Many expected that PSG would win easily in the final. It turned out the opposite. But the year 2025 was also special for PSG. 

The biggest success that PSG, which had won one title after another, had absorbed was the European Champions League. In the final, the team incredibly defeated even a rival as big as Inter Milan by 5-0. Among the big domestic leagues in Europe, the English Premier League remained in the name of Liverpool. In this process, Liverpool won the league for the 20th time, equaling Manchester United. 

The next big international football tournament held in 2025 was the Women's Euro. The title went to England. England defeated Spain 3-1 in the final on a tiebreaker. The previous match ended in a thrilling 1-1 draw. Another big tournament is currently underway, the Africa Cup of Nations. It will start in 2025 and end next year.

In cricket, the Women's Cricket World Cup was held in India. And after a weak start, India won the title this time. India defeated South Africa in the final in Mumbai. Although India is as strong as men's cricket, its strength in women's cricket is not the same. But in winning the World Cup for the first time, the Indian women's team has said that we are not behind. 

India also won the ICC Champions Trophy in 2025. India defeated New Zealand in the final of the second biggest ODI cricket tournament after the World Cup. India won by 4 wickets in the final held in Dubai. Another cricket tournament that caught everyone's attention was the ICC Test Championship. South Africa became its winner. That's why it was special. 

South Africa won the final held at Lord's in London by 5 wickets. Before the final, many believed that Australia would win. However, South Africa performed miraculously in winning the title. Before this final, the image of South African cricket was that of missing at the crucial juncture. That's why they were called 'chokers'. 

The final was going on for a while, South Africa would once again come close to the title and lose. But that didn't happen. Test cricket is the highest form of the game, and South Africa has become the champion in it. That's why it has become a matter of interpretation, after South Africa's success. Many considered South Africa's victory a good thing, albeit a little biased. 

Australia has won the Ashes series, the oldest competition in Test cricket, again in 2025. Australia won the first three Tests on home soil to take a decisive 3-0 lead. England shocked everyone by winning the fourth Test again. But at the moment, English cricket is being heavily criticized, especially for the team's aggressive playing strategy. 

As for tennis, this time it was a clash between two players on the men's side, Yannick Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. Sinner was the most successful. He won two of the four Grand Slam titles, the Australian Open and Wimbledon. He reached the finals of the other two, the French Open and the US Open. Both of them were in Alcaraz's name. Aryna Sabalenka was the most successful on the women's side, winning the US Open 

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In 2025, the World Athletics Championship was held in Japan, while the Rugby Women's World Cup was held, as two other major competitions. Looking at the year 2025 from the perspective of international sports, its biggest feature was that women's sports were gaining momentum. Be it the Euro of football or the Cricket World Cup and the Rugby World Cup. These three major women's competitions were the most popular, attracting the attention of many. 

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Cricket ahead, football behind

In 2025, a commentary on Nepali sports received even more attention. This is that where cricket is moving forward in Nepal, football is falling further behind. A decade ago, the situation was exactly the opposite, football ahead, cricket behind. Now this equation has changed. From the perspective of 2025, there were two concrete reasons for this. 

One is that Nepal has been selected for the upcoming Twenty20 Cricket World Cup. Nepal has consistently been selected in this World Cup. The way it was selected was even more important. Nepal remained undefeated in the competition held in Oman, not losing a single match. In the final, Nepal defeated the host Oman. Nepal won every match, it won with gusto, and in a sensational manner. 

The second Nepal Premier League (NPL) was also organized in 2025. This made Nepali cricket a topic of discussion internationally. Initially, there was doubt that this competition would not be held. But when it did, it was held with everyone's praise. The floodlights at the Tribhuvan University Cricket Ground in Kirtipur looked equally impressive. The title went to Lumbini Lions. Lumbini won this too in a wonderful style. 

Nepali football was lagging behind in terms of international success. No matter how much Nepal played in the men's section, it was not good, with a few exceptions. The APF Club remained in second place despite the SAFF Club Championship being held in Nepal. The Nepal Super League (NSL) was held in 2025, but Nepali football remained in a state of misery due to the lack of the Martyr's Memorial 'A' Division League that it really should have.