Saudi Arabia bets 2034 World Cup will bring foreign investment, reduce reliance on debt Hosting the 2034 World Cup will give fresh impetus to Saudi Arabia’s economic diversification plans as tournament-linked construction and developments open new investment opportunities. Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia wins bid to host 2034 FIFA World Cup: What we know Saudi Arabia has poured billions into developing sporting infrastructure and buying up top global football talent as part of its Vision 2030 diversification strategy. Saudi Arabia
Saudi Dania Akeel’s Baja Cup win inspires Arab women in motorsports The Jeddah-born driver is the first Saudi woman to win that cup and among an increasing number of Arab women drivers to achieve success in the traditionally male-dominated sport in recent years. Saudi Arabia
After Ronaldo, Neymar scores $54 million penthouse in Dubai The Brazilian soccer player is the latest athlete to acquire property in the UAE’s largest city. United Arab Emirates
Saudi golf league gains another star in Dustin Johnson, unable to woo Tiger Woods Golf legend Greg Norman, who heads the Saudi breakaway competition, said Woods was offered nearly $1 billion to play. Gulf
Will the FIFA World Cup help bridge Iran-US gaps? The US men's national soccer team is in the most politically charged group along with Iran and possibly Ukraine, among other teams. Iran
Teenage Syrian refugees in Lebanon find cricket a welcome distraction Cricket is emerging as a tool for social transformation and improving Syrian refugees’ education. Lebanon
Palestinian wins world weightlifting championship in Greece In a first, Palestine wins gold and bronze medals at the weightlifting world championships despite the great challenges facing the sports sector in the Gaza Strip. Palestine
Women’s Tennis Association adds tournament in Tunisia following Ons Jabeur’s success Tunisian tennis star Ons Jabeur is quickly becoming one of the top competitors in the sport. Tunisia
Golf legend Greg Norman describes 'cultural change' in Saudi Arabia The Australian golfer, who now heads a Saudi-funded golf league, said he does not answer to the Saudi government and condemned the murder of Jamal Khashoggi in a recent interview. Saudi Arabia
Turkish soccer in dire straits due to economic crisis, power struggles Turkey’s soccer sector has hit rock bottom as power struggles as well as financial and structural difficulties set in. Turkey
Debate on Iranian women’s access to soccer games flares up again After 2,000 ticket-holding Iranian women were blocked from attending a soccer game in the city of Mashhad, gender inequality in Iran is back in the spotlight. Iran
Explainer: the Phil Mickelson-Saudi Arabia golf controversy Golfer Phil Mickelson called Saudis “scary” in a recently surfaced interview. The fallout exposed a riff in the golf community over a Saudi-funded league that aims to compete with the PGA Tour, which has been criticized for its treatment of players. Gulf
Iran wrestling team calls off US match after visas denied Among those denied a visa was Iran’s Wrestling Federation chief, whose “death to America” remarks had stirred controversy. Iran
Gulf Air adds more London flights for Bahrain Grand Prix A record number of people attended Bahrain’s premier Formula One motor racing event in 2019, but attendance dropped dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic amid restrictions. News Brief
Saudi investment fund starts gaming group The fund, which is headed by the crown prince, will work on developing video game competitions with two European companies. News Brief
