The rival bidders, Qatari businessman Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani and British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe were invited to visit United this week although Sheikh Jassim did not travel to Manchester on Thursday, he sent a delegation. Sheikh Jassim and Ratcliffe are the only interested parties to publicly announce their...

Morocco has joined the bid by Spain and Portugal to host the centenary World Cup in 2030, according to its ruler, King Mohammed VI. The king said in a message delivered as he was named the winner of the African Football Confederation 2022 Award of Excellence in Kigali, where FIFA...

Based on the technical and expert review and the agreement made, Mr. Amir Ghalenoei, the valuable coach of our country is selected as the head coach of the national football team, Iran's Football Federation said in a statement. No details of his contract were given. The appointment was announced after...

London, United Kingdom--Saudi Arabia has joined the race to buy Manchester United ahead of Friday's bid deadline, according to a report in Britain's Daily Telegraph, raising the stakes in what could be the most lucrative deal in sports history. The American Glazer family, who completed their takeover of the 20-times English...

Abu Nawas grew up spending much of his time watching football matches, analysing the teams and playing football video games.

Speaking at the AFC Congress in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia's Sports Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal said he didn't see a problem with Russia shifting allegiances to Asia.

Baghdad, Iraq--Iraq saw the Gulf Cup as a chance to rehabilitate its image after a years-long football hosting ban, but a deadly stampede and organizing gaffes have dampened the cheer despite its home victory. Thursday's stampede outside a football stadium ahead of the cup final in the southern city of Basra...

One person was killed and dozens injured when a stampede broke out outside a football stadium in Iraq hours before the Gulf Cup final, medical and security sources said. Long banned from hosting international football matches, war-torn Iraq had been counting on its hosting of the Gulf Cup to burnish...

Cairo, Egypt--The Confederation of African Football (CAF) said Sunday it will investigate comments made at the African Nations Championship in Algeria to "free" the disputed Western Sahara, that have sparked Moroccan fury. Neighboring Morocco and Algeria are locked in a bitter rivalry partly over Western Sahara, where the Algiers-backed Polisario movement...

The rivalry between the North African neighbors deepened further when Morocco denounced "provocative" acts and "transgressions" at the opening of a regional football tournament in Algeria. The two countries are engaged in a bitter dispute over the disputed territory of Western Sahara, where the Algerian-backed Polisario movement seeks an independence...

Tehran, Iran -- Iran has protested to Iraq over the use of the name "Arabian Gulf" for a regional football competition held in the neighboring country, state media reported Wednesday. The Islamic republic insists the body of water should be called the "Persian Gulf" and has repeatedly raised the issue with...

BASRA, IRAQ - Iraq has apologized to its neighbor Kuwait after a scuffle in the VIP section prevented the Kuwaiti emir's representative from attending opening ceremonies at the Gulf Cup football tournament. Matches are taking place in the city of Basra, near Kuwait, as war-scarred Iraq hosts the regional event for...

Cristiano Ronaldo may make his Saudi Arabian debut on January 22 after the Portuguese star was successfully registered by new team Al Nassr. The star who was unveiled to fans this week joined the squad list after Al Nassr terminated Vincent Aboubakar to stay within the maximum eight foreign nationals...

Basra, Iraq--Iraq on Friday welcomed football teams from across the region for the Gulf Cup, ending nearly three decades of repeated bans on international matches in the war-torn and corruption-plagued country. The tournament in the southern city of Basra brings together eight teams, with Friday's opening match seeing the host...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia---Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo still needs to serve a two-match English Football Association ban before making his Al Nassr debut, an official at the Saudi club told AFP on Friday. Ronaldo was slapped with the ban in November for hitting a mobile phone out of a teenage fan's hand...

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA - Saudi Arabia's first female international referee was appointed by FIFA on Thursday, less than a year after the conservative kingdom's national women's team made their debut. Anoud Al-Asmari's international badge is the latest in a series of steps in football by the Saudis, who have got 37-year-old...

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva led the tributes as Brazil said its final farewell to football legend Pele, widely regarded as the greatest player of all time. Fans, politicians and football dignitaries flocked to pay their respects to Pele in Santos, home to the club where he spent most...

Al Nassr's surprise capture of football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is the latest in a string of high-profile sports acquisitions by the kingdom.

An unprecedented rush at the Al Nassr kit store started as soon as reports of the deal were leaked to the local press on Friday night -- hours before the official announcement.

The Portuguese football star Cristiano Ronaldo has signed for Al Nassr of Saudi Arabia in a deal believed to be worth more than $200 million. The 37-year-old former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus player said that he can't wait to discover a new football league in a different country.

Brazilian football icon Pele, a three-time World Cup winner who transformed the "beautiful game" and is widely regarded as the greatest player of all time, died on Thursday at the age of 82. The hospital in Sao Paulo treating Pele said his death after a long battle with cancer was...

The Gulf Cup brings together the hosts as well as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Yemen, Bahrain, Oman and the United Arab Emirates. It will be held in Iraq's southern city of Basra from January 6-19.

Rabat, Morocco--Morocco is hoping its unprecedented World Cup exploits can help it win friends and influence people, especially among an Arab public opposed to its 2020 rapprochement with Israel. Support for the Atlas Lions surged as they battled their way to the semi-final of the football World Cup in Qatar --...

Millions of Argentines who crammed the streets of Buenos Aires to celebrate an unforgettable moment with Lionel Messi and his World Cup winning teammates instead found themselves at a giant party bereft of its hallmark bus parade.

The Paris Saint-Germain forward scored only the second hat-trick in World Cup final history but his bid to become the youngest two-time winner since Pele in 1962 ended in heartbreak in Qatar. Mbappe, who turns 24 on Tuesday, is just the second man to score in back-to-back World Cup finals, and...

Argentina defeated France 4-2 in a penalty shoot-out to win the World Cup for the third time on Sunday. Argentina captain Lionel Messi scored twice and France striker Kylian Mbappe hit a hat-trick as a thrilling World Cup final finished 3-3 after extra time. Argentinian substitute Gonzalo Montiel stroked home...

Messi, 35, has collected seven Ballon d'Or awards for the best player in the world, but the last time he reached the World Cup final it ended in the bitter disappointment of defeat to Germany in 2014.

Croatia defeated Morocco 2-1 in the World Cup third place play-off on Saturday, with Mislav Orsic curling home the winner. Josko Gvardiol, one of the stars of the tournament in Qatar, headed Croatia into the lead in the seventh minute at the Khalifa International Stadium but Achraf Dari brought Morocco...

DOHA, QATAR - Morocco will host the next Club World Cup in February, FIFA president Gianni Infantino announced on Friday, while the planned expanded version of the competition is now set to start in 2025. The tournament will take place from February 1 to 11, 2023, Infantino told reporters at a...

Casablanca, Morocco--They may have fallen just short of reaching the World Cup final, but Moroccans on Wednesday hailed their team's historic run as it ended with a 2-0 defeat to reigning champions France. "They played a great game but luck wasn't on our side," said supporter Oussama Abdouh in Casablanca. "Still,...

Doha, Qatar— Thousands of Morocco fans descended on the streets of Doha to celebrate their country becoming the first Arab nation to reach the World Cup quarter-finals on Tuesday. Despite some minor trouble outside the stadium, the victory over Spain became a celebration of "Arab pride" for supporters from across...

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA - Saudi Arabia on Monday became the sole bidder to host the 2027 Asian Cup after India withdrew its bid. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said in a statement that the All India Football Federation had pulled out from the selection. The statement did not provide any...

The proposed bilateral business council, aimed at developing joint projects and exchange expertise, is likely to be formed by the first quarter of 2023.

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia— Saudi Arabia has submitted its bid to host the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026, a key moment in its sporting history. A football nation, with a deep-rooted passion for the game, Saudi Arabia’s move to bid for the upcoming AFC Women’s Asian Cup builds on its expression...

Iran has seen more than two months of demonstrations sparked by the death in custody of 22-year-old Kurdish-Iranian woman Mahsa Amini. She had been arrested for an alleged breach of the country's strict dress code for women. "In an unprofessional act, the Instagram page of the US football federation removed...

A surveillance helicopter flew over the city before calm was restored at around 7:00pm (18:00GMT). A journalist saw protesters burning a car, rubbish bins and a number of electric scooters.

The former USA coach said a series of niggling fouls and the conduct of the Iranian coaching staff during the game was part of a deliberate strategy to make opponents "lose their focus".

DOHA, QATAR - Robert Lewandowski scored the first World Cup goal of his prolific career on Saturday when he netted in Poland's 2-0 win over Saudi Arabia, bursting their bubble following the team's giant-killing act against Argentina. Barcelona forward Lewandowski was almost overcome with emotion after making sure Poland took...

Saudi Arabia would back private bids for Manchester United or Liverpool, its sports minister said, adding the kingdom was keen to host the World Cup. Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal said the Gulf state could be a new home for Cristiano Ronaldo. He said Saudi Arabia would "definitely support" bids...

In recent days, Messi has twice trained apart from the rest of the squad but he moved to dispell any concerns amongst Argentines that he might not be fit for Saudi Arabia. Argentina head into the tournament as Copa America holders and unbeaten in 36 matches dating back to 2019....

The kingdom has long been obsessed with football, but interest in playing -- not just watching -- has surged in recent years amid a government push to promote physical activity.

Washington, US— US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is going to arrive in Doha on Monday to support Team USA in its first 2022 FIFA World Cup match and to attend the US-Qatar joint Strategic Dialogue, a State Department statement said. Blinken will recognize Doha’s important contribution to international sports...

Asian champions Qatar became the first home nation to lose their opening World Cup match as Ecuador cruised to a 2-0 victory on Sunday, with veteran forward Enner Valencia scoring twice.

Abu Dhabi, UAE— The Sheikh Zayed Festival will provide a number of screens for the regular airing of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 football matches. According to the Higher Committee organizing the festival, the screens will be set up throughout different areas from the 20th November to 18th December...

“Qatar has done everything in the best way, I don't understand some critics, because we didn't find these kind of criticism when we have other games. Do you believe that human rights and the workers rights were better defended there. I don't believe. So, try not be hypocritical,” he adds.

Fireworks, cultural performances add to the grand opening ceremony attended by regional leaders, heads of delegations and sports panels and federations, diplomats and fans.

Idlib, Syria— More than 300 children in rebel-held northwest Syria kicked off their own football World Cup on Saturday, with organizers hoping to shine a light on communities battered by 11 years of war. The excited children took part in the opening ceremony at the municipal stadium in Idlib, some wearing...

Regarding the rights of workers, it is unfair that the world does not see the great progress and clear development that Qatar, which has prepared optimally for the global event, has achieved in this field. It is true that it took time, just as it happened in Europe earlier, he...

Two days before the start of the World Cup, Qatar's emir Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani in a call with Russia's President Vladimir Putin has praised its "cooperation" in preparing the World Cup. Russia was barred from international football this year over its invasion of Ukraine.

"We seek to boost long-term partnerships between local and foreign investors to enhance added values and the knowledge transfer, to create more promising opportunities that require technical skills to boost the economic diversification objectives in the country," adds Al Sayed, who is also Chairman of the Qatar Free Zones Authority.