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...

Qatar is hosting the first World Cup in an Arab nation, but the hosts along with fellow Arab states Tunisia and Saudi Arabia failed to get past the first round -- even though Tunisia beat France and the Saudis upset Argentina. "Be happy Morocco!" the crowds chanted as police watched...

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...

There had also been speculation that the Iranian players would not celebrate the goals. But the team erupted into wild celebrations as two late goals were struck against Wales in the final minutes. Former England player and prominent TV pundit Gary Lineker tweeted: "Given the duress Iran's players are probably...

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....

Gunners fans that have marveled at his early season form -- five goals and two assists in 14 Premier League matches -- it took many aback in his homeland. A video even began circulating on social media purporting to show Brazil's talisman Neymar reacting with surprise to Martinelli's inclusion when...

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.

World Cup organisers hope the start of the football will quell the controversies that have overshadowed preparations for the tournament ever since Qatar was named as host nation in a shock FIFA vote in 2010.

Brazil, knocked out by Belgium in the quarter-finals in the 2018 edition in Russia, open their campaign against Serbia next Thursday.

MSC Opera will join MSC World Europa and MSC Poesia which arrived at Doha Port earlier, to offer a luxurious hospitality experience to fans of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.

Qatar faces the challenge to accommodate 1.2 million fans expected to attend the FIFA World Cup.

Saudi officials are putting on 240 weekly flights linking the kingdom to Qatar, up from six normally, and easing overland travel during the tournament, Tourism Minister Ahmed Al Khateeb told AFP last month.

"I think we must not politicize sport," said Macron, whose national team is defending the title they won in Russia in 2018. "These questions must be addressed when hosting the event is decided," he told reporters in Bangkok, where he is attending a summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.

The countdown to the World Cup in Qatar has begun as the first such tournament held on the Arab soil will kick off on Sunday when the host country face Ecuador. The event marks the culmination of Qatar's campaign first to host the tournament and then to build infrastructure worth...

An unknown number of players were on a Qatar Airways jet from New York that was among the first flights to use a new part of Hamad international airport that opened Thursday, an AFP photographer at the airport said. Many in the 26-man squad, including captain Christian Pulisic, are based...

After the multi-billion dollar overhaul, Hamad International Airport will take its capacity from 40 million passengers a year to 58 million, Qatar Airways chief executive Akbar Al Baker told a news conference.

The Arabian Gulf countries have hosted some of the biggest sporting events during the past decade. The World Cup is set to cement the region's position as sporting hub.

A short drive north, sparks from drills and grinders light up a Doha golf club, where workers are constructing a stage that will hold the many concerts planned for the 29-day tournament. As the night progresses, cranes are still moving and workers are finishing buildings in Lusail, close to the...

The secretary general of the Gulf Cooperation Council condemned remarks by Germany's interior minister on the World Cup due to be hosted in Doha. Qatar summoned Germany's ambassador to protest against comments made by Interior Minister Nancy Faeser casting doubt on whether the Gulf state should host the football World...

The UAE capital -- which now boasts 5,325 registered vessels -- is well on its way to become a key hub for the international superyacht industry, says a report

The palm tree-styled street lamps and neon office blocks that line the highway from the expanded international airport to central Doha will be an instant sign to the million-plus incoming fans that the first World Cup in an Arab nation is going to be a glitzy affair. But with Qatar's...

Crypto betting in sports has become a booming market due to the increasing number of sports fans and their desire to wager on athletes and tournaments.

China in June 2019 won the bid to host the event but pulled out in May because of its "zero-Covid" policy, leaving the AFC scrambling to find a new host for its flagship men's 24-team football tournament. The tournament had been due to be held in 10 Chinese cities from...

All travelers to Qatar will need the pass to enter from November 1, whether they intend to watch a game or not. The card acts as a visa, match ticket and transport ticket. Saad Al-Suwaidi, head of the Hayya pass service, said that 1.5m-1.7 million people have so far applied...

Saudi Aramco, one of the world's richest companies, will sponsor the International Cricket Council's upcoming men's and women's T20 World Cups and next year's one-day World Cup in India under a partnership deal. The partnership to run until the end of next year "will connect Aramco with a global cricket...

Private cars will be banned from many streets and residents near some stadiums will need permits to get to their homes, organisers and government officials told a press conference as they outlined measures to avoid a World Cup jam. More than one million fans are expected to visit during the...

The younger James, who turned 18 last Thursday, is a guard at Sierra Canyon High School near Los Angeles while his father is the 37-year-old four-time NBA champion playmaker for the Los Angeles Lakers. Bronny James has already become part of Nike's marketing for its newest sneaker, the Nike LeBron...

It is unusual for a woman to rise to the top, and in the conservative Arab monarchies of the Gulf, Reyadh's position is astounding.

Those with bottomless budgets in the resource-rich region have attractive accommodation options too, with one third-party site offering $4,000-a-night hotel rooms and $26,000 for a "head of state" suite -- with a 30-night minimum stay.

From Formula One racing to the football World Cup, the top-notch global sporting events are coming to Middle East, bringing with it billions of dollars in sports tourism.

A flying keffiyah headdress named La'eeb, meaning super skilful player in Arabic, is the official World Cup mascot and is omnipresent on billboards across Qatar and on television.

Wearing a wide-brim hat and a backpack to which Abdullah Alsulmi'd affixed Saudi and Qatari flags, he said: "I consider myself like a Qatari who is very interested in this World Cup and its success."

In 2021, Dubai hosted qualifying slaloms for the Beijing Winter Olympics in the refrigerated dome of a huge shopping mall with the temperature 30 Celsius (86 Fahrenheit) outside. Saudi Arabia has been betting heavily on sport, hosting Formula One, the Dakar Rally, a cycling tour, boxing title fights and the...

The 28-year-old, whose ambition is "to be a good example for all the young people who follow her" has won three WTA titles including two this year in Madrid and Berlin.

"The deserts and mountains of Saudi Arabia will soon be a playground for winter sports," the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) said in a statement on the decision made during its general assembly meeting in Phnom Penh. The Saudi bid was "unanimously approved", the statement said, noting that the megacity...

India represents a key market to expand the sport, organizers said, citing a population of 1.4 billion people and more than 200 million motorcycles.

Major events such as Qatar World Cup 2022, Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, etc. will give Gulf tourism a boost in the last quarter of this year, according to a latest report.

But players and match officials may be forced into a secure "bio-bubble" if Covid-19 cases take off again, with the threat of expulsion from the tournament for those who breach the secure environment, the health ministry said.

All their games since June 2 have been behind closed doors and the Qatar Football Association has even kept sponsors away from training camps in Spain and Austria as they prepare players for a baptism of fire -- a World Cup debut on home territory -- in 60 days.

The sports sector has contributed some $2.45 billion to the Dubai economy in 2021, representing 2.3 percent of the emirate's annual gross domestic product. According to the Dubai Sports Council 105,000 jobs will be created in the sector, which will account for 3.8 percent of total employment in Dubai.

Only five football clubs in the region — Al-Fateh, Al-Hilal and Al-Faisali of Saudi Arabia, as well as Morocco's Al-Wydad and Nahdet Berkane —have reported budgetary excess.

The Asian Cricket Council’s marquee event returns after a four-year interval with the 2022 edition of the Men’s Asia Cup.

There are 3,010,679 tickets available altogether, with FIFA saying a "last-minute" sales period will open in the run-up to the start of the tournament at a date still to be confirmed.

Football's top officials universally approved the decision, FIFA said in a statement while Qatar said it would give unspecified help to fans affected by the change. On the old schedule, Qatar against Ecuador was to be the official inauguration match on November 21 but Senegal against Netherlands would be the...

Qatar announced Monday that the club champions of Saudi Arabia and Egypt will inaugurate the Lusail stadium to be used for the World Cup final on September 9.

About 30 percent of Saudi residents practiced a physical activity for at least 150 minutes per week in 2021, compared to 20 percent in 2019, according to the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT). This increase indicates an improvement in the community's awareness towards practice of sport and physical activity, media...

Building work in Qatar's capital Doha, host of the 2022 World Cup, will be completed "well before the tournament", the event's CEO promised qualifying teams on Monday.