JEDDAH: A total of 88,025 men and women played in 620 competitions during the 2023-24 season of the Saudi Amateur Football League.
League officials revealed on Wednesday that 87,729 players from 3,050 men’s teams and 296 players representing 19 women’s teams participated in 10,376 matches across 30 leagues throughout the Kingdom.
Adel Al-Faqih, chairperson of the AFL, said the association aims to play its part in the development of the sports sector in Saudi Arabia, with strong support from the country’s leaders, including “the supervision and follow-up” of Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, minister of sports and president of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee.
The AFL’s specific goals include increasing the proportion of people in the Kingdom who participate in sport, thereby helping to build a vibrant, athletic community that encourages the adoption of positive, healthy lifestyles, Al-Faqih said.
“The association encourages the participation of various age groups in different sports activities, in line with the initiatives of the Quality of Life Program and the goals of Saudi Vision 2030,” he added.
Established in 2014, the AFL organizes tournaments throughout the country to help grow and develop the sport, in line with the goals of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation.
88,000 players compete in Saudi Amateur Football League’s 2023-24 season
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88,000 players compete in Saudi Amateur Football League’s 2023-24 season
- 3,050 men’s teams and 19 women’s teams play in 10,376 matches in 620 competitions across 30 leagues nationwide
- AFL chief Adel Al-Faqih says the association aims to play its part in the development of the sports sector in the Kingdom
Battle of the Giants will enhance Saudi Arabia’s position as combat sports hub, say MMA chiefs
- Riyadh to host latest event as Professional Fighters League and Saudi Mixed Martial Arts Federation continue partnership
RIYADH: Battle of the Giants: Brace For Impact, which will take place on Saturday, is set to enhance Saudi Arabia’s position as a global hub for combat sports, say the CEOs of the Professional Fighters League and Saudi Mixed Martial Arts Federation.
The big fight night at The Mayadeen will be headlined by Francis Ngannou’s PFL debut against 6-foot-8-inch phenomenon Renan “Problema” Ferreira for the heavyweight world title, while MMA legend Cris Cyborg faces hard-hitting Brazilian Larissa Pacheco in the women’s featherweight world title fight.
Saturday’s fight night is the latest of six PFL events in the Kingdom in 2024 so far and reinforces Saudi Arabia’s role as a leading destination for major MMA competitions.
PFL and SMMAF have partnered up to advance the sport across the Kingdom. On Wednesday they held a joint media day in Riyadh to promote both Saturday’s fight and the growth of mixed martial arts in the Kingdom.
Abdullah Al-Hazza, CEO of SMMAF, said: “Hosting major international events and partnering with organizations like PFL not only puts Saudi Arabia on the global MMA map but also brings world-class fighters and competitions to our local audience. And that is very much the case with Battle of the Giants: Brace For Impact on Saturday in Riyadh.
“Partnerships like ours provide Saudi fighters with the opportunity to train and compete against the best in the world, and the exposure and experience gained through these events are invaluable for the development of our athletes. Just ask Hattan Al-Saif, Mostafa Nada, Malik Basahel and Abdullah Al-Qahtani, for example, all of whom have demonstrated their skills and elevated their careers.”
Meanwhile, Pete Murray, CEO of PFL, reiterated the brand’s support for Saudi Arabia’s vision of building a world-class MMA ecosystem of MMA and of being a global leader within it.
“This ties to Vision 2030, with the idea of developing future champions,” he said. “We at PFL pledge to play our role, and this continues Saturday when we couldn’t be prouder to host the biggest MMA event about at The Mayadeen in Riyadh, headlined by world-class fighters in Francis Ngannou and Renan Ferreira.
“Riyadh has become the fight capital of the world, with boxing and now MMA. The region itself is a major demand growth market and the epicenter of that is right here.”
Saudi Arabia has hosted more than 100 global sports events since 2018, with 2.5 million international fans in attendance. The number of sports federations has increased by 200 percent in the last nine years from 32 in 2015 to 97 in 2024. And Saudi people have clearly been inspired — the number of people participating in sports rose from 13 percent in 2015 to 48 percent in 2023.
First all-female rally in MENA region gets underway in Saudi Arabia
- The event, which runs until Oct. 21, will see pilots and co-pilots competing across Saudi Arabia’s diverse landscapes
MEDINA: The inaugural Rally A’Shira, the first all-female rally in the Middle East and North Africa sponsored by Richard Mille, got underway on Wednesday.
The event, which runs until Oct. 21, will see pilots and co-pilots competing across Saudi Arabia’s diverse landscapes, beginning in Madinah and ending at the Red Sea.
The rally features 50 participants driving 20 4x4 vehicles. Relying on traditional road maps and kilometer calculations, drivers will navigate the course without digital tools.
The rally is part of a broader effort to align with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, a national initiative led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, to diversify the country’s sporting, social, and cultural landscape.
Rally A’Shira will not only promote women’s participation in motorsport but also highlight Saudi Arabia’s rich heritage and landscapes, organizers said.
The rally’s route includes a stop in AlUla, known for its dramatic rock formations, before concluding at the Red Sea, where participants will stay at the luxury Shebara Resort.
Richard Mille has partnered with the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation and the Saudi Motorsport Co. to host the event, with BeOnd Jet serving as the aviation partner for the rally.
By combining motorsport with cultural exploration, Rally A’Shira will mark a significant moment for both women in the region and the broader motorsport community, organizers said.
Amanda Mille, brand and partnerships director of Richard Mille, said: “Aligned with Saudi Arabia’s ambitions and Richard Mille’s vision, we are proud to partner with Saudi (Research and) Media Group as our media partner, showcasing and celebrating the spirit of Rally A’Shira and the hidden gems of the Kingdom through their lens.”
England 239-6 in second Test after Sajid strikes for Pakistan
- Spinner takes three wickets in space of 10 deliveries during final session
- England lead series 1-0 after winning first Test by an innings and 47 runs
MULTAN: Pakistan spinner Sajid Khan took three wickets in the space of 10 deliveries including centurion Ben Duckett to leave England on 239-6 in the second Test in Multan on Wednesday.
An absorbing second day’s play on a turning pitch ultimately belonged to the hosts, who lead by 127 runs after their first-innings 366.
England had been cruising nicely at 211-2 when Sajid removed Joe Root (34), Duckett (114) and Harry Brook (nine) in the final session.
From the other end, fellow spinner Noman Ali dismissed England skipper Ben Stokes for one as a suddenly rattled England lost four wickets in the space of 14 runs.
At the close, Jamie Smith and Brydon Carse were at the crease with 12 and two respectively.
With the Multan pitch — which was also used for the first Test — offering sharp spin, the home team will be looking for a lead in the first innings for a series-levelling win.
England lead the three-match series 1-0 following their innings and 47 run win in the first Test.
In all, 11 wickets fell on the day with Sajid taking 4-86 and Noman 2-75.
Sajid bowled first Test triple century-maker Brook with a sharp turning delivery while Root — who smashed 262 in the last match — was bowled off an inside edge while sweeping.
Duckett scored aggressively before edging a drive off Sajid to the slip where Salman Agha took a sharp catch.
Before England’s slide it was Duckett who dominated, cracking 16 boundaries in his knock during which he also crossed 2,000 runs in his 28th Test.
Duckett added 73 for the opening stand with Zak Crawley (27), 52 for the second with Ollie Pope (29) and another solid 86 for the next with Root.
He swept spinner Agha for a boundary to reach his fourth Test century off just 120 deliveries, having completed his half-century off just 47 balls.
The hosts used Sajid in the second over as they chased an early England wicket but opener Crawley held out twice.
At 49-0 he survived a run-out when Sajid removed the stumps before grabbing the ball with the England opener out of his crease having being sent back by Duckett.
On 24 Crawley overturned a leg-before decision by New Zealand umpire Chris Gaffaney off Sajid before his luck ran out three runs later.
Crawley was finally caught behind off left-arm spinner Noman as the home team successfully reviewed a not-out decision by Sri Lankan umpire Kumar Dharmasena.
Earlier, Pakistan’s tail had frustrated England by adding 107 runs after resuming at 259-5, with Jamal and Noman adding an invaluable 49 runs for the ninth wicket.
But from 358-8 at lunch Jamal was dismissed off the very first ball after the interval, bowled by Brydon Carse, who finished with 3-50.
Spinner Jack Leach ended Noman’s 32-run knock by having him caught in the deep by Carse to finish with 4-114.
Serena Williams says she had a benign cyst removed from her neck and ‘all is OK’
- After more tests, including a biopsy that was negative for cancer, Williams said, her doctors said she should have a procedure
- She showed video of herself in a hospital bed and wrote: “I am feeling so grateful, and fortunate everything worked out, and most of all I’m healthy”
NEW YORK: Serena Williams says she had a benign branchial cyst “the size of a small grapefruit” removed from her neck and “all is OK.”
The retired tennis star, who turned 43 last month, posted Wednesday on social media that she found a lump on her neck in May, had an MRI exam, and was told she didn’t need to get it removed if she didn’t want to. So she didn’t then, “but it kept growing,” Williams said.
After more tests, including a biopsy that was negative for cancer, Williams said, her doctors said she should have a procedure.
She showed video of herself in a hospital bed and wrote: “So this is me removing it. I am feeling so grateful, and fortunate everything worked out, and most of all I’m healthy.”
In a separate social media post, she said she is “still recovering, but getting better. Health always comes first.”
Williams announced her retirement — famously eschewing that term and saying instead she was “evolving” away from professional tennis — shortly before playing in the 2022 US Open, her last tournament.
She won 23 Grand Slam titles in singles, the most by a woman in the sport’s professional era, and another 14 in doubles with her older sister Venus. Serena Williams spent more than 300 weeks at No. 1 in the WTA rankings and collected four Olympic gold medals.
Root could break 16,000-run barrier, says England great Cook
- Root overtook Alastair Cook’s 12,472 runs record tally in first Test against Pakistan
- His innings was instrumental in ensuring England beat Pakistan by innings and 47 runs
LONDON: Alastair Cook says “generational talent” Joe Root could become the first batter to reach 16,000 Test runs as the retired England captain was named in the ICC’s Hall of Fame.
Root, 33, overtook Cook’s record England tally of 12,472 runs in the first Test of the ongoing series in Pakistan, in which the Yorkshireman scored a mammoth 262.
He is now fifth on the all-time list of runscorers behind Sachin Tendulkar, who leads the way with 15,921, Ricky Ponting, Jacques Kallis and Rahul Dravid, all of whom have retired.
“I think Joe Root could set a mark, certainly on the English side, which will be very hard to beat,” said Cook, who retired from Test cricket in 2018 with a century in his final innings.
“But you just never know. I hope he can get very close, if not be the first person to score 16,000 Test runs. It would be a great achievement but it’s a fair way off yet.”
Cook, 39, said even in a fast-changing landscape, with Test cricket competing for calendar space alongside the white-ball game, it was difficult to say records would stand forever.
“Everyone looked to that Tendulkar record of 200 Test matches and I think quite a few people said, ‘Well, that’s never going to be done’.
“And you’ve got a fast bowler who has played 188 Test matches and taken more than 700 wickets (retired England quick James Anderson).
“So I know the game is changing, the landscape is changing. But something always crops up, someone always does.”
Cook said it was difficult to separate the so-called “Big Four” of Root, India’s Virat Kohli, Steve Smith of Australia and New Zealand’s Kane Williamson.
“They’re all wonderful, wonderful players, all very different actually in terms of their methods and ways of playing,” he said.
“But one thing which kind of unites them is that hunger and desire to keep improving and keep churning out the runs.
“They are generational players who will always be spoken about, and the fact that you can add Joe Root, whether you put him first, second, third, fourth, all personal opinion, it doesn’t really matter.
“But they are great, great players and make the game, the kind of one which we all started playing, look a lot easier than it is.”
Cook on Wednesday became the 113th payer to be inducted into the International Cricket Council’s Hall of Fame, joining alongside retired India spinner Neetu David, a star of the women’s game, and South African multi-format great AB de Villiers.
“It was a surprise,” said the former England skipper. “When you read the list of people that you’re joining, it’s a great list to have joined. So I feel very privileged.”
Cook paid a warm tribute to former England captain Graham Gooch, a predecessor at his county side, Essex.
“A lot of people know about my relationship with Graham Gooch, Essex and England opener and kind of mentor, friend, coach, you name it,” he said.
“He’s kind of done everything for me. So it’s just we never played on the same team. I thank God, probably. Thank goodness, because he was obviously a far better player than me.”
