Search form

You are here

  • Home
  • Saudi Arabia’s official World Cup 2034 bid book published


Saudi Arabia’s official World Cup 2034 bid book published

Imagine The Future
0 seconds of 2 minutes, 8 secondsVolume 90%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
02:08
02:08
 
Short Url

https://arab.news/pw2h6

Updated 12 December 2024
Aisha Fareed
Follow

Saudi Arabia’s official World Cup 2034 bid book published

  • Titled ‘Growing Together,’ the official bid’s slogan has received support from the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
  • ‘Together, we are working toward materializing Saudi Arabia’s dream of hosting the FIFA World Cup into a tangible reality,’ says Sports Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal
Updated 12 December 2024
Aisha Fareed

RIYADH: FIFA revealed on Wednesday the details of the book of Saudi Arabia’s bid to host the largest-ever edition of a FIFA World Cup to be held in a single country.
The unveiling came after the Kingdom’s FIFA World Cup 2034 official bid book submission during an official FIFA ceremony that was held in Paris on Monday.
Titled “Growing Together,” the official bid’s slogan has received full support from the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. It outlines Saudi Arabia’s extensive plans and infrastructure projects while reflecting the Kingdom’s historic transformation.


Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, the minister of sport and president of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee, said: “Together we are working toward materializing Saudi Arabia’s dream of hosting the FIFA World Cup into a tangible reality — as outlined within our official bid book.”
He expressed appreciation to the Saudi leadership for its unlimited support of the Kingdom’s sports sector, and the crown prince for his continuous guidance and significant empowerment over Saudi Arabia’s official FIFA World Cup 2034 bid.
The official bid book provides the Kingdom’s plan to stage one of the world’s largest and most important sporting events, the FIFA World Cup.

Prince Abdulaziz, speaking on the official bid book’s publication, said: “These plans will combine our rich football heritage with our deep passion for the game and will ensure Saudi Arabia’s success as the first nation to host a 48-team tournament in one country.”
Yasser Al-Misehal, the president of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, said: “It is a moment that marks the natural step in the journey of developing Saudi Arabia’s football and sports sectors.”
He described the bid submission as a pivotal moment for Saudi Arabian football and expressed confidence that the bid would capture the global football community’s attention and inspire future generations.


He told Arab News: “Fans will have the opportunity to explore Saudi Arabia’s diverse locales, from the coastal cities of Jeddah and Alkhobar to the vibrant heart of the desert in Riyadh. They will experience our culture and hospitality firsthand.”
The Kingdom’s football scene has evolved significantly, and Al-Misehal said: “We now have a women’s national team, and that contributes to the country’s commitment to inclusivity and diversity in sports.”
He added that the federation would soon hold a press conference detailing the national team’s preparations and developments.
He went on to describe the submission of the formal bid book and the unveiling of the Kingdom’s plans as a significant historic moment for Saudi Arabia.


Al-Misehal expressed the hope that the Kingdom’s plans would excite football fans worldwide and inspire them for generations to come.
Prince Abdulaziz led the SAFF delegation which submitted the formal bid book at the ceremony in Paris.
Riyadh, Jeddah, Alkhobar, Abha, and NEOM will be the five cities proposed to host the tournament. The cities will feature 15 stadiums, including 11 currently being planned.


Riyadh would be home to eight stadiums for the World Cup matches, including the King Salman Stadium, scheduled for completion in 2029, which will accommodate over 92,000 spectators and would host the opening and final matches of the tournament. It will become the new home ground for the Saudi national team.
In addition, the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Stadium in Riyadh is scheduled to be a remarkable architectural marvel with triple-tiered stands and a stunning view of one of the Tuwaiq cliffs.
Riyadh also includes King Fahd Sports City Stadium, which is set to be refurbished to the highest global standards. The arena is expected to accommodate 70,000 spectators.


The Jeddah Central Development Stadium will feature an architectural design inspired by the area’s local heritage and traditional wooden architecture from the historic Al-Balad, while the coastal King Abdullah Sports City Stadium will feature a natural design inspired by the Red Sea’s coral reefs.
The Aramco Stadium in Alkhobar will be situated on the Arabian Gulf coast and will feature a dynamic design inspired by the sea while, in Abha, King Khalid University Stadium is set to undergo an expansion to increase its capacity to over 45,000 during the tournament.


Meanwhile, NEOM Stadium is expected to be one of the most distinctive, and iconic, stadiums in the world. The arena will be situated within The Line and will provide an unprecedented experience for fans. The stadium will also run entirely on renewable energy, generated primarily from wind and solar sources.
Leveraging the Kingdom’s diverse and picturesque geography, the hosting plan also includes 10 other host locations scheduled to be the home of some of the training camps for participating teams.
Saudi Arabia would have more than 230,000 rooms available across the five host cities, in line with FIFA requirements. These rooms would cater to VIPs, FIFA delegations, participating teams, media personnel, and fans.


A total of 132 training venues located across 15 cities are proposed as base camps for the 48 teams, including 72 locations designated for Base Camp Training Sites, with referees scheduled to have access to two Referee Base Camp Training Sites.
The official bid book outlines the 10 proposed FIFA Fan Festival sites in the Kingdom. FIFA will select one site in each host city from a list that includes King Salman Park in Riyadh, which is set to become the world’s largest urban park.


Other sites include the Jeddah Waterfront on the Red Sea; the Al Bihar Square in Abha; the marina within The Line project in NEOM; and King Abdullah Park in Alkhobar.
Should the Kingdom be granted the right to host the FIFA World Cup 2034, it would rank among the most-watched sporting events in history, while providing an unforgettable experience for all.

Topics: FIFA World Cup 2034 Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) football

Related

Saudi Arabia
Saudi Cabinet session praises Kingdom’s 2034 FIFA World Cup bid
Sport
Saudi crown prince congratulates Kingdom on 2034 World Cup bid

Olaroiu’s UAE appointment has been 10 years in the making

Updated 21 April 2025
Matt Monaghan
Follow

Olaroiu’s UAE appointment has been 10 years in the making

  • Romanian coach is now tasked with taking the Whites to their first World Cup since 1990
  • Olaroiu has regularly been linked to take over as coach of the UAE national team after winning 14 club trophies in the country
Updated 21 April 2025
Matt Monaghan

DUBAI: If the UAE Football Association’s bold plan comes to fruition, 2025 will be remembered as the year unfulfilled dreams became reality.

After nearly a decade of recurring speculation, the widely respected Cosmin Olaroiu was finally unveiled this weekend as the Whites’ new head coach on a two-year deal. Last month’s surprise dismissal of ex-Portugal boss Paulo Bento has allowed the garlanded Romanian space to arrive on the back of a decorated career in Asia, featuring 14 trophies won during 10 campaigns in the UAE — plus five further successes with Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal, Qatar’s Al-Sadd and China’s now-defunct Jiangsu Suning.

That this imposing tally could be further added to next month in the finals of the AFC Champions League Two and President’s Cup when gloriously seeing out his Sharjah tenure, as reported by local daily newspapers Al-Khaleej and Al-Bayan, speaks volumes about the 55-year-old managerial behemoth.

There could be no one more qualified, or longer coveted, to resuscitate his adopted country’s ambition of direct entry to World Cup 2026 from third place in the third round’s Group A.

A high-pressure pair of deciding qualifiers feature a must-win home clash on June 5 against Uzbekistan — who are four-points clear in the second-and-final automatic spot — and a face-off  at second-bottom Kyrgyzstan five days later.

Time would always be in short supply for Bento’s replacement once the decision was made to axe him the morning after March’s deeply unconvincing, last-gasp 2-1 win against bottom-placed North Korea. The annual rigours of May’s compact fixture list guarantees it.

Olaroiu has unmatched knowledge of the Whites’ squad and an enviable winning touch. This is the man to secure the UAE only a second outing in football’s grandest event.

Since the shine began to wear off a “Golden Generation” during World Cup 2018’s fitful cycle, Olaroiu’s name would always appear in conjunction with the UAE job.

The former Al-Ain and Al-Ahli/Shabab Al-Ahli Dubai Club supremo was cast as the alluringly unattainable target when eight permanent managerial selections — including two stints for Bert van Marwijk — were made since Mahdi Ali stepped aside in March 2017.

This time, however, felt different.

Unease defined Bento’s 20-month spell. No one could question a CV that contained a Euro 2012 semi-final with Portugal or record four-year stint at South Korea that culminated with World Cup 2022’s first round-of-16 tie since 2010’s edition.

Undoubted highlights followed with two maulings of perennial rivals Qatar, especially November’s Fabio De Lima-fueled 5-0 victory.

Yet plentiful contrasting memories existed. A 2023 Asian Cup exit in the round of 16 on penalties to debutant Tajikistan, October’s grim 1-1 home draw with North Korea that has caused such lasting damage in the third round and winless group-stage exit from 26th Arabian Gulf Cup.

Last month’s toothless 2-0 qualifying defeat in Iran also featured a shock switch to an unfamiliar 5-4-1 formation. Days later at Tehran’s Azadi Stadium, composed Uzbekistan equipped themselves expertly in a characterful 2-2 draw that leaves them in control of their qualifying destiny, no matter the UAE’s results.

At the UAE FA’s Al Khawaneej headquarters, uncertainty surrounded Bento’s ability to steer the team. There were doubts not only related to securing automatic qualification, but also about navigating the intricate back-up route, which could involve two additional AFC rounds and an intercontinental play-off.

The stars aligned and with Olaroiu soon unattached at Sharjah, a once-fantasy appointment swiftly materialized.

A deep understanding of the ubiquitous 4-2-3-1 formation deployed in the Middle East and the characters required to make it tick fell heavily in the Romanian’s favour. There are further unquantifiable, but vital, elements involved.

Chief among them is winning spirit. A rare ability to inspire it was on display, once again, earlier this month when Sharjah produced two second-half stoppage time goals in the second leg of an exacting AFC CL tie against Saudi Arabia’s Al-Taawoun to proceed into next month’s final with Lion City Sailors of Singapore.

The King will also not fear a meeting with runaway ADNOC Pro League leaders Shabab Al-Ahli in the 2024-2025 President’s Cup decider.

Sharjah’s Shahin Abdulrahman, Majid Rashid, Mohammed Abdulbasit and Majed Hassan were curiously ignored by Bento. Future recalls would not be a surprise.

The club’s Brazil-born trio of Caio, Marcus Meloni and Luanzinho should grow into pivotal figures within the national set-up. Olaroiu will bolster their inductions.

Will an olive branch also be offered to 85-goal UAE record scorer Ali Mabkhout, rejuvenated at Al-Nasr? The 34-year-old was an unused substitute at the 2023 Asian Cup.

Al-Wasl talisman Ali Saleh was another to fall foul of Bento’s regime who has the unquestionable talent to be a lead figure once more in white.

So far, so perfect. The only blemish on Olaroiu’s record is a lack of international experience.

A small taste came on loan with Saudi Arabia at the 2015 Asian Cup. His Green Falcons were brought down to earth by a group-stage exit in the wake of losses to China and Uzbekistan.

Rather than be cast purely in a negative light, a natural-born winner’s unquenched desire to prove himself on the global stage could be to the UAE’s significant benefit.

At long last, a most-anticipated coaching appointment has been secured.

In Olaroiu, the Whites gain a proven winner and sharp tactician, trusted to deliver when it matters most. If history is to be made in June, his leadership could provide the spark to reignite a nation’s belief.

Topics: football UAE Cosmin Olaroiu

Related

Sport
UAE appoint Romanian Olaroiu to replace Bento as head coach
Sport
Olaroiu turns shrink to improve mindset of players

Barcelona take a commanding 4-1 lead over Chelsea in Women’s Champions League semifinals series

Updated 21 April 2025
AP
Follow

Barcelona take a commanding 4-1 lead over Chelsea in Women’s Champions League semifinals series

  • Romeu: There’s huge evidence in soccer that you can’t ever rely on a first-leg lead. We are going to have a beautiful battle over there at Stamford Bridge”
  • Chelsea will host the return semifinal leg next Sunday and the winner on aggregate will advance to the final in Lisbon next month
Updated 21 April 2025
AP

BARCELONA, Spain: Barcelona recovered from a missed penalty by Alexia Putellas to take a commanding 4-1 lead over Chelsea in the Women’s Champions League semifinals on Sunday.

Putellas had her penalty kick saved by Chelsea goalkeeper Hannah Hampton in the 12th minute but the Catalan club rallied with a pair of goals by substitute Claudia Pina and one each from Ewa Pajor and Irene Paredes.

Sandy Baltimore scored for Chelsea.

“No winning scoreline is enough,” Barcelona coach Pere Romeu said. “There’s huge evidence in soccer that you can’t ever rely on a first-leg lead. We are going to have a beautiful battle over there at Stamford Bridge.”

Chelsea will host the return semifinal leg next Sunday and the winner on aggregate will advance to the final in Lisbon next month.

It was the eighth straight win for defending champion Barcelona in the European women’s competition. It has scored 40 goals across those eight consecutive wins since losing 2-0 to Manchester City.

Barcelona and Chelsea are meeting in the last four for the third consecutive season. Barcelona has advanced each time.

“I still believe in my team and my players, 100 percent,” Chelsea coach Sonia Bompastor said. “It’ll be difficult, but the main goal is to score early in the return leg. In football everything is possible, so let’s try to win the game and, if we score early, maybe we can put Barcelona under pressure.”

Pajor opened the scoring in the 35th and Pina added to the lead in the 70th, not long after entering the match.

Baltimore pulled the visitors closer four minutes later, but Paredes gave Barcelona a two-goal lead again in the 82nd.

Pina added a fourth in the 90th at the Johan Cruyff stadium.

“When I’m on the bench, we’ve already spent a whole week analyzing a rival like Chelsea,” Pina said. “You have lots of ideas in your head. When the game goes on, you progress those ideas and look at where your teammates are already creating gaps in the opponents’ defense.”

In the other semifinal series, Lyon weathered a second-half rally by Arsenal to claim a 2-1 away win on Saturday, putting the record eight-time champions on course for another Women’s Champions League title match.

Topics: UEFA Women’s Champions League Women’s Champions League Barcelona Chelsea

Related

Sport
Chelsea to face Barcelona in Women’s Champions League semis after Man City fightback
Sport
Arsenal stage 3-goal comeback against Real Madrid, set up Women’s Champions League semifinal against Lyon

Leverkusen’s hopes of a 2nd consecutive Bundesliga title fade with draw at St. Pauli

Updated 21 April 2025
AP
Follow

Leverkusen’s hopes of a 2nd consecutive Bundesliga title fade with draw at St. Pauli

  • Patrik Schick put Leverkusen ahead in the first half but Carlo Boukhalfa equalized in the 78th to leave the defending champion eight points behind Bayern Munich with four rounds remaining
Updated 21 April 2025
AP

AUGSBURG, Germany: Bayer Leverkusen’s hopes of a second consecutive Bundesliga title faded with a 1-1 draw at St. Pauli on Sunday.
Patrik Schick put Leverkusen ahead in the first half but Carlo Boukhalfa equalized in the 78th to leave the defending champion eight points behind Bayern Munich with four rounds remaining.
Bayern, which beat Heidenheim 4-0 on Saturday, could clinch the title on Saturday if it beats Mainz and Leverkusen loses to Augsberg.
Last season, Leverkusen completed an unprecedented unbeaten Bundesliga season for its first Germany league title — and also went unbeaten to lift the German Cup.
Dortmund wins after Champions League elimination
Borussia Dortmund beat Borussia Moenchengladbach 3-2 in Dortmund’s first game since its Champions League elimination.
Dortmund scored three goals in the space of nine minutes to turn the game around just before halftime.
Fresh off scoring a hat trick against Barcelona on Tuesday, Serhou Guirassy leveled the score in the 41st off Pascal Gross’ cross following Ko Itakura’s opener for Moenchengladbach.
Felix Nmecha made it 2-1 off a cross from Yan Couto soon after. Daniel Svensson added a third in the fifth minute of first-half added time with a looping header on the rebound when a Guirassy shot was saved.
Kevin Stoger pulled one back for Moenchengladbach with a second-half penalty.
On-loan Chelsea midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka played a prominent role in the buildup to all three of Dortmund’s goals after missing the Barcelona loss with injury.
Augsburg rescues a point
A last-second clearance from Cédric Zesiger rescued a point for Augsburg in a 0-0 draw with Eintracht Frankfurt that set back both teams’ efforts to qualify for European competition next season.
Frankfurt’s Ansgar Knauff seemed certain to score after dribbling past defender Zesiger and goalkeeper Finn Dahmen but Zesiger sprinted back and slid to block Knauff’s shot in front of an unguarded net.
Augsburg nearly took the win in the final minutes but Frankfurt goalkeeper Kevin Trapp reacted quickly to push Phillip Tietz’s shot around the post.
Frankfurt stays third but has won just four of 12 Bundesliga games since forward Omar Marmoush left for Manchester City in January as teams behind have gained ground. Augsburg is 10th and in a midtable battle for the lower European places.

Topics: Bundesliga Bayer Leverkusen St. Pauli

Related

Sport
Bayern fail to make most of Leverkusen slip with Dortmund draw
Sport
Bayern survive St. Pauli scare to stay on course for Bundesliga title

Leicester relegated from the Premier League as Liverpool close in on title

Updated 20 April 2025
AFP
Follow

Leicester relegated from the Premier League as Liverpool close in on title

  • Liverpool could be crowned champions on Wednesday should Arsenal lose at home to Crystal Palace
Updated 20 April 2025
AFP

LEICESTER: Leicester City were relegated from the Premier League as Liverpool moved to within one win of the title on Sunday with a 1-0 victory at the King Power.
Trent Alexander-Arnold came off the bench to score the only goal 14 minutes from time as the Reds moved to the brink of a record-equalling 20th English top-flight title.
Liverpool could be crowned champions on Wednesday should Arsenal lose at home to Crystal Palace.
If the Gunners avoid defeat, Arne Slot’s men have the chance to seal the deal when Tottenham visit Anfield next Sunday.
Leicester have not scored a single goal at home since December as nine consecutive defeats at the King Power have taken Ruud van Nistelrooy’s men down.
Alexander-Arnold appears to be coming toward the end of his time at his boyhood club.
The England international is reportedly close to joining Real Madrid when his contract expires at the end of the season.
Unlike Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk, who have signed new deals in recent weeks to prolong their stay at Anfield, Alexander-Arnold has just weeks to run on his current deal.
“I’ve said all season, I’m not going to speak on my situation,” Alexander-Arnold told Sky Sports.
“But these days like today are always special.
“Scoring goals, playing, winning games, being close to winning titles as well as being in title races. They’re special moments that will be with me forever and I’m glad to be a part of them.”
A Liverpool cruise seemed in store when Mohamed Salah hit both posts with a glorious chance inside the first two minutes.
But after storming clear of the chasing pack in Slot’s early months in charge to build a near unassailable lead, Liverpool have slowed in recent weeks as the finish line approaches.
“Normally we’re a bit better if we create chances that we score goals. Today, it took us a long time, and of course, a great moment for Trent,” said Slot.
Wilfred Ndidi came close to ending Leicester’s barren run with a low strike that came back off the post.
Liverpool struggled to create from open play in what remained of the first half.
Ibrahima Konate came closest to breaking the deadlock when Ndidi hooked clear his goalbound header from a corner.
Leicester did finally have the ball in the net in the second half but Patson Daka had fouled Alisson Becker before Connor Coady headed into an unguarded net.
Slot introduced Alexander-Arnold for the final 20 minutes on his return from a five-week absence due to an ankle injury.
The right-back took just five minutes to score his 23rd and potentially last goal for his boyhood club.
Salah and Diogo Jota somehow contrived to hit the woodwork rather than the net from point-blank range as Leicester struggled to clear a corner.
The loose ball broke to Alexander-Arnold, whose shot went straight through the grasp of Mads Hermansen.
Leicester still had a chance to snatch an unlikely point.
But Facundo Buonanotte’s wasteful finish with just Alisson to beat summed up their season to forget.
Champions of England just nine years ago, the Foxes have found life back in the top-flight far too much of a step up in class after romping to the Championship title last season.
“I think you see among the promoted sides it’s such a mountain to climb to stay in the Premier League,” said Van Nistelrooy, who has won just two of his 20 league games since taking charge in December.
Leicester join Southampton, whose relegation was confirmed with a record seven games to go, in an immediate return to the second tier.
Ipswich, who are 15 points adrift with five games to go, are set to follow as for the second consecutive season all three promoted sides will fail to avoid the drop.

Topics: football soccer England Premier league Liverpool Leicester City

Related

Sport
Liverpool on brink of title, Leicester and Ipswich prepare for drop
Football
Leicester hit historic low in Brentford rout

Al-Jazira stun star-studded Shabab Al-Ahli and take ADIB Cup final glory

Updated 20 April 2025
Matt Monaghan
Follow

Al-Jazira stun star-studded Shabab Al-Ahli and take ADIB Cup final glory

  • A 2-1 win for the underdogs at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium proved worthy of the pre-match hype
Updated 20 April 2025
Matt Monaghan

AL-AIN: Abdullah Ramadan’s remarkable 40-yard wonder strike and fancy footwork from ex-Fulham winger Neeskens Kebano helped fire underdogs Al-Jazira to a deserved 2-1 ADIB Cup final victory against star-studded Shabab Al-Ahli Dubai Club on Saturday night.

Hazza bin Zayed Stadium was a fitting setting for Saturday’s epic showpiece between two heavyweights of the UAE game. On the day, Sharjah’s serial winner Cosmin Olaroiu was confirmed as new national team head coach, prize midfielder Ramadan shook off an injury-ravaged campaign and generated a jaw-dropping reminder of his mesmerising talents on 18 minutes by blasting in from range.

This slender advantage for Adnoc Pro League’s distant sixth-placed side against the runaway leaders would evaporate five minutes into the second half when prolific Iranian forward Sardar Azmoun followed up his own effort to level. But the momentum of Paulo Sousa’s men was immediately checked on 55 minutes when DR Congo flyer Kebano produced a series of beguiling stepovers and lashed into the bottom corner.

Shabab Al-Ahli continued to predictably boss possession with 62 percent, and attempts on goal (17-9), although theynever truly looked like mounting a comeback to avoid this term’s first domestic defeat. The final whistle handed the spirited Pride of Abu Dhabi their second ADIB Cup crown and just third trophy since the 2017-2018 season off.

Arab News looks at some key talking points from the decider:

 

A new era for Jazira

The 2024-2025 season has been a time of change for Jazira.

Club legend and record goal scorer Ali Mabkhout made a high-profile summer departure to Al-Nasr, while they began this campaign without a permanent Dutch manager at the helm for the first time since Brazilian Abel Braga’s mistaken summer 2015 return. Bold calls that have not always appeared judicious via mixed fortunes under Morocco’s Hussein Ammouta.

This, however, felt like a fork in the road. Big-name stars stood up tall, France’s World Cup 2018 winning playmaker Nabil Fekir oozed class with every silky touch and ex-Arsenal stalwart Mohamed Elneny battled hard from an unfamiliar centre-back role.

Ammouta’s residual capacity to inspire, as shown with shock 2023 AFC Asian Cup finalists Jordan, was also on display. Heroes emerged across the pitch — including starlets Mamadou Coulibaly, Vinicius Mello, Ravil Tagir and Ilyass Lagrimi.

This could be the start of something very special.

 

Shabab Al-Ahli continue to stumble at the finishing line

Another big game, another big disappointment for Shabab Al-Ahli.

ADIB Cup final defeat follows elimination in the AFC Champions League Elite play-off round to Qatar’s unexceptional Al-Gharafa and penalty shootout defeat to rivals Sharjah in the AFC Champions League Two quarter-finals.

This campaign could finish with the Adnoc Pro League, President’s Cup, Qatar–UAE Challenge Shield and Emaar Super Cup trophies residing at Rashid Stadium. Yet there is a sense of immense potential being left unfulfilled.

UAE wide men Yahya Al-Ghassani and unused substitute Harib Abdalla could certainly use some more game time, while fellow international Sultan Adil may further freshen up their attack after a lengthy absence.

A monstrous 11-point league gap — albeit with second-placed Sharjah holding a game in hand — gives opportunity for experimentation.

 

A final worthy of the fanfare

Pre-match ceremonies often feel like duds after kick-off.

This engrossing final, however, most certainly was not.

Early entertainment sparked by traditional dancers allied with booming pyrotechnics before kick-off reached its high point upon the novel sight of sponsors ADIB’s ATM dispensing the match ball. Nobody watching felt short-changed about what followed.

Styles make fights and Jazira’s counter-punching approach took the shine off glittering Shabab Al-Ahli.

Urged on by a strong crowd in Al-Ain, this was a chance for UAE football to show off. It surely did.

 

Topics: UAE football cup

Related

Sport
Palestinian Oday Dabbagh scores as Aberdeen beat Hearts 2-1 to reach Scottish Cup final
2022 - FIFA World Cup in Qatar and the Saudi football revolution

Latest updates

Arabs mourn death of Pope Francis, advocate of interfaith dialogue and human dignity
US lawmakers in new push to free wrongly deported migrant
Pakistan finmin seeks investments in Washington meetings with Deloitte, IFC executives
Gill, Sudharsan help toppers Gujarat boss Kolkata in IPL
Carney ahead in polls as Canada enters last week of election campaign

Search form

Print Edition
Read pdf version Subscribe now
© 2025 SAUDI RESEARCH & PUBLISHING COMPANY, All Rights Reserved And subject to Terms of Use Agreement.