RABAT: Under the scorching summer sun in Rabat, coach Ichtar Zahraoui bellows directions to “The Pirates,” young Moroccan men and women learning to play American football together on the gridiron.
Focused and sweaty, 30 players gather every Sunday to practice the sport, an unusual scene in a country obsessed with soccer, the variety of football far more commonly played across the globe.
“It’s not easy to make young Moroccans love American football,” 39-year-old Zahraoui says.
“It’s an aggressive sport that requires a lot of energy, work and equipment,” says Zahraoui, who founded “The Pirates” men’s and women’s teams in 2017.
Lacking numbers and resources, they have to train together on the same modest plot of land in the heart of Rabat’s Old Town — and if that’s not available, the beach.
At practice the “Pirates Boys” and “Pirates Girls” zigzag between cones and plow into tackling dummies, training pads and sometimes each other.
Without hesitation, the players — mostly students aged under 30, recruited by word of mouth — form mixed teams and alternate between offense and defense.
“We’re trying to make the sport known and to explain to people that football isn’t rugby,” Zahraoui says.
The breathless self-taught coach has dreams of setting up the kingdom’s “first real American football team.”
To do so, she needs the support of an “American coach and a large NFL club,” she says, referring to the National Football League in the United States with which she has had “interesting contacts.”
American football made its debut in Morocco in 2012 with the creation of amateur teams in cities like Casablanca, Rabat and Tangiers. Two years later, the men’s national team won an inaugural African championship.
In 2015, Morocco’s first women’s football team — the “Black Mambas” — was formed in Rabat.
The sight of women playing the rough sport in the conservative Muslim society has sparked interest from Moroccan media and across social networks.
But Zahraoui says she has not once encountered a “problem of a sexist nature” since launching the project.
Female Moroccan athletes are nothing new, she says — they “have distinguished themselves in sports since the 1980s.”
“What we need are teams, a federation, coaches, referees, trainers and a championship,” she insists.
For now, the Pirates prefer to play flag football, a watered-down, low-contact version of the sport that requires little equipment.
The lighter touch has helped draw in participants from other sports such as basketball and judo who otherwise may not have joined.
“I came to watch a friend train, but the coach convinced me to come and try,” says Ghita Ouassil.
The chance encounter last year has turned the 21-year-old English literature student into a football regular.
“Before I was shy, but this sport helps develop your personality and self-control and to be less tense.”
In Morocco, American football isn’t a men-only affair
In Morocco, American football isn’t a men-only affair
- Focused and sweaty, 30 players gather every Sunday to practice the sport
- An unusual scene in a country obsessed with soccer, the variety of football far more commonly played across the globe
‘As easy as the semifinal’ — Alhyasat predicts another win over Al-Qahtani
- Saudi fighter Al-Qahtani gets second chance against his Jordanian opponent after Islam Reda’s withdrawal from the PFL Mena Championship final
RIYADH: The author of arguably the biggest upset in the inaugural season of PFL MENA, Jordanian welterweight Abdelrahman “Cobra” Alhyasat, has predicted history will repeat itself during the first championship final on Nov. 29.
A relative unknown, Alhyasat shocked the world when he beat Saudi Arabian mixed martial arts star and title favorite Abdullah Al-Qahtani in the semifinals, winning by unanimous decision.
While the undefeated Alhyasat was initially scheduled to face Islam Reda in the final, an injury meant the latter had to withdraw — opening the door for a rematch with Al-Qahtani.
However, Alhyasat does not seem too excited about facing the “The Reaper” for a second time.
“I would have preferred to face a different fighter in the final, but Islam Reda’s injury led to Al-Qahtani being in the final,” he said.
However, “Cobra” is confident that he can make it 2-0 against the Kingdom’s biggest MMA star.
“I will repeat my victory over Al-Qahtani,” he said boldly, even stating the hometown disadvantage would not be much of an issue. “I’m comfortable with this matchup; it will be as easy as the semifinal. Fighting on his home turf won’t be a source of stress for me.”
While Alhyasat believes he can shut down Al-Qahtani again, he also knows the Saudi Arabian star will not have the same game plan as he did in their semifinal showdown — so he has made his own strategy adjustments to compensate.
“I expect Al-Qahtani to change his fighting style for the final. That’s why, during my specialized training camp in Thailand, we coordinated with the technical team to study all possibilities and adapt to the flow of the fight,” Alhyasat explained.
“The plan we’ve prepared for the final is flawless and ensures another victory over Al-Qahtani,” he added.
In fact, Alhyasat is so confident in his capabilities that he already has a celebration planned.
“I will celebrate the belt with my friends in Amman, enjoying Jordanian mansaf, even if my opponent changes his fighting style,” he said.
The complete PFL MENA Championships card:
PFL MENA Featherweight Championship: Abdelrahman Alhyasat (5-0) vs. Abdullah Al-Qahtani (9-2)
PFL MENA Welterweight Championship: Mohammad Alaqraa (7-0) vs. Omar El Dafrawy (12-6)
Amateur Women’s Atomweight Bout: Hattan Alsaif vs. Lilia Osmani
PFL MENA Bantamweight Championship: Ali Taleb (11-1) vs. Rachid El Hazoume (15-3)
PFL MENA Lightweight Championship: Mohsen Mohammadseifi (6-1) vs. Georges Eid (10-4)
Showcase Fights:
Lightweight MENA Showcase: Mansour Barnaoui (21-6) vs. Alfie Davis (17-4-1)
Heavyweight MENA Showcase: Slim Trabelsi (7-0) vs. Abraham Bably (5-0)
Featherweight Global Showcase: Jesus Pinedo (23-6-1) vs. Jeremy Kennedy (19-4)
Featherweight Global Showcase: Asael Adjoudj (8-1) vs. Jose Perez (9-1)
Middleweight Global Showcase: Costello van Steenis (15-3) vs. Joao Dantas (7-1)
FIFAe Finals 2024 to take place in Riyadh
- The tournament returns to the Saudi capital from Dec. 5-12 with a partnership between FIFAe and the Saudi Esports Federation
RIYADH: The FIFAe Finals 2024 come to Riyadh next month, the first time the event will include multiple esports titles.
Hosted at the SEF Arena at BLVD Riyadh City, it will unfold in two stages. Proceedings begin with the FIFAe World Cup featuring Rocket League from Dec. 5-8, followed by two FIFAe World Cups featuring eFootball (on console and mobile) that will run from Dec. 9-12.
Ahead of the tournaments, Turki Al-Fawzan, CEO of the Saudi Esports Federation, said: “As we continue to strengthen Saudi Arabia’s position as a global leader in esports, hosting the FIFAe Finals 2024 is a proud moment for us. This event not only highlights the Kingdom’s commitment to the esports ecosystem but also provides an unparalleled opportunity for players from across the world to showcase their talent and passion on a global stage. We’re excited to witness the next chapter of esports history unfold right here in Riyadh.”
Players have the opportunity to represent their nations and lift the official FIFAe World Cup Trophy on a global stage. Sixteen nations are competing in Rocket League and up to 18 will go head-to-head in eFootball.
In line with Rocket League’s third-party regulations, the prize pool stands at $250,000. The prize pool for both eFootball competitions (console and mobile) is $100,000 each, bringing the total prize distribution for the FIFAe Finals 2024 to $450,000.
“This year’s addition of multiple new titles marks a major expansion for football esports tournaments, offering players from diverse ecosystems the chance to compete on the biggest stage under the FIFAe banner. We’re excited to continue this momentum together with the SEF and look forward to bringing this event to life in December together with our partners and publishers,” said FIFA Secretary-General Mattias Grafstrom.
The FIFAe Finals 2024 follow the inaugural FIFAe Next Gen event in Liverpool, England, which included the first-ever FIFAe World Cup featuring Football Manager, alongside the FIFAe Fame Your Game Cup.
West Ham stun Newcastle to ease pressure on Lopetegui
- The result, only West Ham’s second win on the road this season, lifts them to 15 points, just three behind 10th-placed Newcastle
NEWCASTLE, United Kingdom: West Ham produced a clinical away performance to beat resurgent Newcastle 2-0 on Monday, easing the pressure on beleaguered manager Julen Lopetegui.
Tomas Soucek headed the visitors in front against the run of play at St. James’ Park and Aaron Wan-Bissaka grabbed a rare goal in the second half to double the Hammers’ lead.
Newcastle were unable to capitalize on the chances they created, failing to build on the momentum created by recent wins against Arsenal and Nottingham Forest.
The result, only West Ham’s second win on the road this season, lifts them to 15 points, just three behind 10th-placed Newcastle.
The home side made the early running and in-form forward Alexander Isak had the ball in the net in the fifth minute after a delicate dink over Lukasz Fabianski, only for it to be ruled out for offside.
West Ham, expected to face a tough test on Newcastle’s home turf, showed little adventure in the opening stages.
But their first real foray up the pitch resulted in a corner and the unmarked Soucek powered home a header from close range in the 10th minute.
Newcastle enjoyed the bulk of the possession as a lively first half unfolded but West Ham were robust in defense and threatened when they went forward.
Anthony Gordon had a glorious chance to level after a poor clearance from Jean-Clair Todibo but fired straight at Fabianski.
Minutes later Isak chested down a superb cross from Bruno Guimaraes but steered narrowly wide on the stretch.
Eddie Howe’s Newcastle were again on the front foot at the start of the second half but it was West Ham who doubled their lead through Wan-Bissaka.
The former Manchester United man scored his first goal for West Ham and just his third career goal after picking up Jarrod Bowen’s pass and firing home.
Howe brought on Jacob Murphy and Callum Wilson in a bid to turn the tide but Newcastle failed to build up a head of steam against their determined opponents, who saw out the game with relative ease.
The result will be a huge relief for Lopetegui, whose future has been a matter of mounting speculation just months after he replaced David Moyes.
Jeddah’s IPL auction: Vaibhav Suryavanshi becomes youngest player ever to be sold
- Big money flows as Saudi Arabia makes history with first-ever international cricket event
- It was an electric, record-breaking mega auction which rewrote history, says IPL
JEDDAH: The big money flowed on Monday as Saudi Arabia made waves with its first-ever international cricket event, hosting the TATA IPL mega auction in Jeddah, a key event in the sport’s global calendar.
The major highlight of day two was Vaibhav Suryavanshi — a left-handed batsman from the east Indian state of Bihar known for hitting long sixes — becoming the youngest player to be sold at the IPL auction — at just 13 years of age.
Suryavanshi was bought by the Rajasthan Royals for $131,000 in the IPL auction at the Abadi Al-Johar Arena in Jeddah.
Rajasthan Royals and Delhi Capitals went head-to-head for his services and eventually the Royals won the fight.
TATA IPL wrote on X: “Talent meets opportunity indeed. (The) 13-year-old Suryavanshi becomes the youngest player ever to be sold at the #TATAIPL auction. Congratulations to the young star, who now joins Rajasthan Royals.”
Rajasthan Royals said on X: “Vaibhav Suryavanshi, all of 13 years old, entering the IPL!”
Hailing from Samastipur, Suryavanshi has already made headlines with his extraordinary achievements on the field.
During the 2023-24 Ranji Trophy season in the Indian domestic league, Suryavanshi made his debut at just 12 years and 284 days against Mumbai.
Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh made his debut at 15 years and 57 days, while legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar started his career at 15 years and 230 days.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s experience found high demand among IPL franchises at the Jeddah event, with Royal Challengers Bengaluru securing his services for $1.275 million.
Other notable deals included Deepak Chahar, who fetched about $1.1 million from Mumbai Indians despite his injury history, and Mukesh Kumar, retained by Delhi Capitals for about $1 million through the RTM card. Lucknow Super Giants also invested heavily, signing Test pacer Akash Deep for about $1 million.
However, some big names, including Kane Williamson, Shardul Thakur, Prithvi Shaw, Ajinkya Rahane, and Glenn Philipps, went unsold during the mega auction.
The auction reflected the high demand for players, especially from India. Indian talents got lucrative deals for even its fringe players.
Star Indian player Rishabh Pant became the most expensive player in the history of the IPL as Lucknow Super Giants spent a mind-boggling $3.19 million on the wicketkeeper-batter on the first day of the mega auction.
Jeddah’s TATA IPL mega auction saw plenty of twists, turns, unexpected signings and records broken, as the availability of Indian and international stars was greater than ever and all 10 franchises were looking to rebuild their squads.
The marquee event posted on X at its conclusion: “That’s it from the #TATAIPLAuction Arena in Jeddah. It was an electric, record-breaking mega auction, which rewrote history. Look forward to your company in #TATAIPL 2025.”
Franchise owners also took to X to express their great excitement.
One of the owners of Punjab Kings and famous Bollywood actor Preity Zinta wrote: “Day 1, nothing less than A1! Punjab Kings are on fire and ready to soar! #IPL2025Auction.”
On day two, she went on to take advice from fans, and wrote: “So how is the auction going folks? Are our fans happy? If not, any more recommendations/suggestions? Bring it on ! #PBKS #IPLAuction2025.”
Owner partner of Kolkata Knight Riders Juhi Chawla Mehta was excited as she posted on X a video of Jeddah with the caption “Destination Jeddah … IPL auction 2025 #ipl2025auction #IPLAuction #Kolkatknightriders #KKR.”
In another post sharing a video of the auction venue, she wrote: “Getting mega auction ready with our CEO Venky Mysore, and mentor DJ Bravo! @VenkyMysore @DJBravo47.”
The squads of the league’s 10 franchises — Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Capitals, Gujarat Titans, Kolkata Knight Riders, Lucknow Super Giants, Mumbai Indians, Punjab Kings, Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and Sunrisers Hyderabad — were finalized on Monday from a pool of 574 players.
The IPL will enter its 18th season in March next year, and the Red Sea city of Jeddah became an important stop en route.
The names of Dubai, London, Riyadh and Jeddah were touted before the Red Sea city was chosen by the Board of Control for Cricket in India for the marquee event.
Ronaldo delivers another Al-Nassr triumph in Asia
- Al-Nassr on brink of knockout stages after win
RIYADH: Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Al-Nassr triumphed 3-1 at Al-Gharafa of Qatar on Monday to move to the brink of the knockout stages of the AFC Champions League Elite with three group games still to play.
All the goals came in the second half as the Saudi Arabians moved onto 13 points and second place in the group, just two points behind leaders Al-Ahli who earlier won 2-1 at Al-Ain of the UAE.
Al-Nassr made most of the running in the first half but just could not find a way through.
Ronaldo had an early shot saved by Sergio Rico and the Spanish goalkeeper made a diving stop to then push away a shot from the Portuguese star as Al-Nassr pressed again after 19 minutes.
Soon after it was the turn of Al-Gharafa to go close and Bento had to get down well to save from Wajdi Kechrida at his near post.
Al-Nassr were awarded a penalty just before the half hour as Matias Nani chopped down Sadio Mane on the left side of the area. It looked a clear decision by the referee and Ronaldo put the ball down on the spot ready to shoot his team into the lead before VAR intervened to overrule and keep the game goalless.
Ronaldo had a great chance in the 34th minute but somehow headed Marcelo Brozovic’s left-sided free-kick wide from close range.
It had been a frustrating period for the star and it got worse just before the break as the five-time Ballon d’Or winner had a goalbound shot blocked.
He was determined to put it right, though, and did so within the first minute of the second half. Angelo got to the byline on the right and his perfect cross was met by Ronaldo’s thundering header that flew into the bottom corner to give Rico no chance.
Two minutes before the hour, Angelo swapped passes with Otavio and then skipped past the goalkeeper to extend Al-Nassr’s lead and then, six minutes later, Ronaldo got his second. He was found inside the box by Angelo, turned his defender and then fired home high into the net.
That was that, or so everyone thought, before Spanish striker Joselu pulled one back with 17 minutes remaining.
There was still time for Al-Gharafa’s Seydou Sano to receive his marching orders following two yellow cards, but Al-Nassr saw out the match to complete another perfect day for Saudi Arabian clubs in Asia.
