Despite qualifying for the Champions League for the first time in 20 years, Newcastle still had to tread a fine line to avoid exceeding PSR after spending more than £250 million ($315 million) in the first three transfer windows under the new ownership.

Sports newspaper Al-Riyadiya reported Ronaldo as saying he respected all football clubs and that the gesture expressed "strength and victory" -- not offence -- and was considered acceptable in Europe. The 39-year-old, a five-time winner of the UEFA Champions League, was the first major star to move to the kingdom...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal will headline a new exhibition tournament in Saudi Arabia, organizers said. The Serb and the Spaniard, with 46 major titles between them, will be joined by Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz and Australian Open winner Jannik Sinner at the 6 Kings Slam. World...

Doha, Qatar - Iran are "following our dreams" in trying to win the Asian Cup for the first time in 48 years, winger Alireza Jahanbakhsh said on the eve of Wednesday's last-16 clash with Syria. Three-time champions Iran face Syria in Qatar with a quarter-final against Bahrain or pre-tournament favorites Japan...

ISTANBUL, TURKEY -  Turkish first division club Basaksekir on Thursday sent Israeli midfielder Eden Karzev on loan to Maccabi Tel Aviv following a probe into his repost of a social media message calling for the release of hostages held by Hamas. The Istanbul side launched disciplinary proceedings against Karzev earlier this week...

Loud cries went up for the Palestinian anthem before the game and the team's players put their arms around each other's shoulders. A brief moment's silence was held before kick-off, the quiet punctuated by cries of "free Palestine".

Saudi Pro League sides have shelled out to lure big-name players while Saudi Arabia is set to host the 2034 World Cup, all part of a broader move into global sport. With Roberto Mancini, who guided his native Italy to European Championship glory in 2021, now coach, the Saudis start...

Queiroz, who coached Iran at the World Cup and was assistant to Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, had a four-year contract with Qatar. He won five, lost five and drew two during his aborted tenure. Qatar's football association gave no reason for the decision to get rid of him and...

The Palestinian Football Association had celebrated in June last year when the national team won -- for the third time -- a spot in the Asian cup. But with no end in sight to the Gaza war, the team now feels crushed as they try to prepare for the upcoming...

According to the Saudi sports television channel SSC, "the match has been cancelled. The match will not take place." Scheduled to be played on Friday between Galatasaray and Fenerbahce, the Turkish SuperCup was postponed at the last minute after Saudi organisers refused to allow players to wear jerseys bearing "political...

Two goals in the final 20 minutes in Jeddah by Jhon Arias, from the penalty spot, and then John Kennedy carried the Brazilians into Friday's final against European Champions League winners Manchester City or Japanese side Urawa Reds.

Doha, Qatar--Qatar Airways Group and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) have signed a global partnership set to transform the fan experience at Asian football competitions in the coming years. In a statement today, Qatar Airways said that the partnership will run from 2023 to 2029 in time for the AFC...

Experts say Saudi Arabia's successful bid to host 2034 World Cup might not have been possible if there had not been already a successful world cup in 2022.

The Argentine replaces Nuno Espirito Santo who took Al Ittihad to the Saudi title last season. The Portuguese former Tottenham and Wolves manager was fired earlier in November following a run of bad results and amid reports of a difficult relationship with star striker Karim Benzema, who joined the club...

The Saudi Pro League side, who chose to rest in-form captain Ronaldo, rebounded from Philippe Coutinho’s early opener at the Khalifa International Stadium to keep intact their 100 per cent record in this year’s competition. Nassr now have 12 points from four matches to sit top of Group E. Ronaldo, who...

Nuno was under pressure because of their struggles in the Saudi Pro League, and the club brought down the axe following a 2-0 defeat to Air Force Club of Iraq in the Asian Champions League on Monday. The former Porto coach took Al Ittihad to the Saudi title last season,...

Despite summer temperatures touching 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit) in the major cities, Saudi Arabian Football Federation president Yasser al-Misehal did not rule out playing the tournament in the hottest months. "Of course, we are ready for all possibilities," Misehal said late on Tuesday at the Asian Football Confederation awards...

The Saudi bid comes one year after neighboring Qatar hosted the first World Cup in the Middle East, where the kingdom's national team scored a surprse group stage victory over eventual winners Argentina. It is set to take over from a tri-continental line-up for the 2030 event to be shared...

European clubs owned by Arabs continue to dominate the rankings, with Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed-owned Manchester City standing at the top with a market value of US$1.34 billion.

Last week, Indonesian FA president Erick Thohir had said the country was in talks with Australia for a possible joint 2034 World Cup bid, despite the Asian confederation having declared its support for Saudi Arabia's candidacy. But Thohir --  who also serves as a government minister and was formerly the owner...

A FIFA+ documentary released last month tracks how the national team has seized on new freedoms, contrasting the hostility its members once received for pursuing a "masculine" sport with today's new era of deep-pocketed government support. A press release for the film also highlights fans of the team outside Saudi...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - The Saudi Commission launched Wednesday "Saudi Football Trouq", a unique initiative that is dedicated to the documentation of Saudi football club chants. This endeavor, driven by the commission's commitment to preserving the Kingdom's diverse musical and artistic heritage, is carried out in collaboration with the Saudi...

After a number of deadlines passed without the hosts being revealed, a senior African Football Confederation (CAF) official told AFP "the two hosts will definitely be named on September 27". Committee members will vote after studying independent appraisals of each 2025 and 2027 candidate, but politics and a promise of...

Eyes have been on Saudi clubs' transfer outlays which have rivaled those of the top European sides, but Turkish teams have been signing big names under the radar.

Beijing, China - Angry China fans turned on their team and applauded the visiting Syrians off the pitch after what Chinese state media called "another embarrassing defeat". China's Serbian coach Aleksandar Jankovic blamed bad luck for the 1-0 friendly loss in Chengdu on Tuesday, which came days after they were held...

Spending by Saudi Arabian football clubs in the transfer window just closed was second only to that by teams in the English Premier League, said separate reports by FIFA and Deloitte. The sport's world governing body said Saudi Pro League teams had spent $875.4 million on new players from June...

Miami, United States--Two convictions in the FIFA corruption case have been overturned by a US federal judge citing a recent Supreme Court ruling. Hernan Lopez, a former executive with 21st Century Fox and Argentine sports marketing firm Full Play were found guilty in March of paying bribes and kickbacks to South...

LONDON, UK - Liverpool have rejected a blockbuster £150 million ($190 million) offer for Mohamed Salah from Saudi Arabian side Al-Ittihad, according to reports on Friday Egypt star Salah has been linked with a move to the Gulf State for several weeks and it is believed a verbal offer was made...

Gabri Veiga, one of Spain's most promising young players, signed for Saudi Arabian side Al-Ahli from Celta Vigo in a move greeted with disquiet in Spain. Clubs in the Gulf state have signed several of football's top veteran stars this summer on huge deals, including Ballon d'Or holder Karim Benzema...

LIVERPOOL, UK - Liverpool manager dismissed suggestions on Friday that Mohamed Salah could become the latest star name to depart European football for Saudi Arabia. According to reports, Al-Ittihad are trying to lure the Egyptian to the Gulf state with a huge salary offer that would rival the deals that enticed...

The Saudi Pro League side came from behind to triumph 4-2 in the play-off at Mrsool Park, with Brazilian Anderson Talisca scoring twice and Croatia international Marcelo Brozovic rounding off the win. The result means Nassr, runners-up domestically last season, move into the group phase, which begins next month.

The Saudi Pro League has a years-long commitment from the kingdom's rulers in its goal to become one of the world's top competitions, chief operating officer Carlo Nohra said. Nohra was speaking at Al-Hilal's unveiling of Brazilian superstar Neymar, who joins Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and a host of other...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia--Neymar was greeted with much fanfare Friday as he arrived in Saudi Arabia where he joins a growing list of big names lured to the oil-rich kingdom. The 31-year-old Brazil forward who will be unveiled as an Al-Hilal player on Saturday after six seasons with French champions Paris Saint-Germain...

From Cristiano Ronaldo to Neymar, the kingdom is offering eye-watering salaries to international football stars to bring them over from clubs across Europe.

Paris, France - Brazil forward Neymar has signed for Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal from Paris Saint-Germain, the clubs announced on Tuesday, joining Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema as the latest big name lured to the Kingdom. "I am here in Saudi Arabia, I am Hilali," Neymar said in a video posted to...

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia--Brazilian forward and former Liverpool star Roberto Firmino hit a hat-trick on his Saudi Pro League debut on Friday as Al- Ahli defeated Al-Hazem 3-1. The 31-year-old skipper found the net in the sixth, 10th and 72nd minutes for the promoted team who also fielded fellow new signings Riyad...

British director Peter Hutton, who sits on the league's board, told the BBC: "I think the budgets are in place for a number of years -- you know, I don't see this slowing down." He added: "I've worked in sport for 40 years and I've never seen a project as...

When Morocco's women take on two-times former champions Germany in Melbourne they will be the first Arab team to play at a Women's World Cup, months after the men's historic run to the semi-finals in Qatar. The country is still buzzing from what their men did at the Qatar World...

Cristiano Ronaldo, who was long viewed as a possible MLS target, was the first to move to the Saudi league followed by Real Madrid and France striker Karim Benzema and Brazilian Roberto Firmino, among others. But Garber said he isn't worried about the new competition in the market for big-name...

LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND - Cristiano Ronaldo's Saudi club Al-Nassr are banned from registering new players until unpaid debts are settled, FIFA said on Thursday. The team "is currently prevented from registering new players due to outstanding debts", a FIFA spokesperson told AFP, without revealing the amount of the debts. World football's governing...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia--Former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard is the latest star name to make the move to Saudi Arabia after signing a deal to become head coach of Al-Ettifaq. The 43-year-old has been out of the game since being sacked by Aston Villa in October. Gerrard had previously said he...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia--Saudi Arabia will take part in the 15th Arab Games, "Algeria 2023," which is set to commence next Wednesday. Algeria will host the event until July 15th, with the involvement of all Arab nations. Saudi Arabian athletes will compete in 17 different sports, including 14 Olympic disciplines, such...

Sharjah, UAE--Sharjah Football Company has signed Mohamed Firas Belarbi, the Tunisian international defender, from the Ajman Club for an undisclosed sum. Regarded as one of the most effective attacking midfielders in the UAE championships over the past two seasons, Belarbi has an impressive track record. His remarkable contributions during the...

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA- The Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) and the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) announced on Monday that Jeddah will host the next edition of the FIFA Club World Cup 2023. This follows an official visit made by a FIFA delegation to Jeddah last week to inspect...

A dynamic and industrious midfielder Kante, won the World Cup with France in 2018, said said he was "very excited to play for the Tigers". Current Ballon d'Or holder Benzema joined Al-Ittihad earlier this month, after 14 seasons with Real Madrid in which he won five Champions Leagues, four La...

Fireworks and flame-throwers greeted Benzema, wearing their black and yellow kit with the number nine, at Al-Ittihad's 60,000-seater stadium in Jeddah, where a giant 'KB9' was emblazoned on the pitch in bright lights. Benzema, who won five Champions Leagues, four La Liga titles and three Copas del Rey with Madrid,...

Al Hilal football club officials are in Paris to seal a mega-deal with Lionel Messi, who is leaving Qatar-owned Paris-Saint Germain. The officials will meet Messi's agent, Jorge, with the aim of completing the signing. One source said Saudi delegation has one goal: "to return with Messi official approval to...

Akbar al-Baker, head of Qatar's tourism agency and Qatar Airways, said hotel occupancy in the months after a World Cup is "always low". Along with the departed football crowds, thousands of foreign workers left the Gulf state after Lionel Messi lifted the coveted trophy on December 18. Many of those...

Tangiers, Morocco--Morocco stunned Brazil 2-1 in a friendly international on Saturday as the north African side recorded a first ever win over the five-time world champions. Midfielder Sofiane Boufal, a former Southampton star, but now playing with Al Rayyan in Qatar, gave Morocco the lead after 29 minutes, scoring with a...

Manchester United have received a second Qatari bid to buy the English football giants, British media reported. The reports said that Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jaber AI Thani, the chairman of Qatar Islamic Bank, had placed a second round offer. British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe made a revised...