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RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s national football team have arrived in Tajikistan for their 2026 World Cup and 2027 Asian Cup second-stage qualifying game on Tuesday.
The Green Falcons’ players and staff were met at Dushanbe International Airport by the Kingdom’s ambassador Waleed Al-Reshaidan, and the Tajikistan Football Federation’s Secretary-General Furkatzhon Akhmedzhanov.
Saudi Arabian Football Federation President Yasser Al-Misehal thanked the officials for the warm welcome.
Al-Nassr defeated holders Al-Ain 5-1 in the AFC Champions League Elite on Tuesday to move into third place in the group and give Saudi Arabia the top three positions in the 12-team table.
With Al-Hilal and Al-Ahli winning on Monday to stay perfect on 12 points after four games, Al-Nassr are just two behind thanks to a devastating performance against the UAE’s powerhouse side.
The last time Al-Ain met Saudi Arabian opposition was just 15 days ago and fans were treated to a nine-goal thriller as Al-Hilal ran out 5-4 winners.
The last time they met Al-Nassr was at the quarter-final stage of last season’s competition in March when the UAE team triumphed on penalties in what was a painful evening for the fans in Riyadh.
It was a different story this time with Al-Nassr going ahead in the fifth minute with an impressive goal, though Al-Ain’s coach Hernan Crespo was left asking questions of his defenders.
Mohamed Simakan has impressed since joining from RB Leipzig, but there seemed to be little danger when the center-back picked up the ball inside his own half. The French defender was allowed to cross the halfway line, though, and with the opposition falling back, a short pass found Talisca who made space for the shot with his first touch and then fired home with his second.
Cristiano Ronaldo fired just wide from a similar position at the edge of the area after 10 minutes, but given Al-Ain’s scoring capabilities there was a feeling that more was needed.
Al-Nassr kept pushing and probing and Ronaldo had a goalbound shot blocked before the five-time Ballon d’Or winner got the all-important second with one of his less spectacular strikes. Khalid Eisa failed to hold on to a long-range effort from Sadio Mane and there was Ronaldo to slot it home from close range.
It was just the cushion that the Riyadh club wanted but they kept coming forward and, soon after, moved further ahead.
Angelo broke into the left side of the area after 37 minutes and his low cross was deflected off the leg of Fabio Cardoso to loop over Eisa and into the net.
The home fans were in dreamland and it could have been even better three minutes before the break had Eisa not got a foot to a Talisca shot that seemed goalbound.
There was just a hint of danger from Soufiane Rahimi in added time to remind Al-Nassr that the Moroccan had scored 13 in the last tournament and four already this time around, but at the break it was looking very good indeed as Al-Nassr had probably produced their best 45 minutes of the season.
They also started brightly after the restart, but after 10 minutes Al-Ain were on the scoresheet and back in the game with a goal from nowhere. Park Yong-woo’s powerful low shot from outside the area bounced off the post but then hit the diving Bento and rebounded into the goal.
A few nerves resulted and Bento was the busier of the two goalkeepers, although, at the other end, Aymeric Laporte headed over from a corner.
Al-Ain went closer when, with 13 minutes remaining, Rahimi rolled the ball across the face of goal for Abdoul Traore to net, but he somehow miscontrolled and the massive chance went begging.
It was his side’s last chance as Wesley sealed victory with nine minutes remaining, the Brazilian curling the ball home from inside the area.
There was no coming back from that, and there was even time for Talisca to grab his second and his team’s fifth as he lifted the ball smartly over Eisa to end a perfect evening for Al-Nassr and a perfect round of games for Saudi Arabia.
NEOM: NEOM Sports Club has appointed Alex Leitao as their new CEO, the club said on Monday.
The former boss of Brazil’s Club Athletico Paranaense and Major League Soccer’s Orlando City joins NEOM as they continue to progress through the ranks of Saudi football.
The club said Leitao would focus on driving the team’s performance, development and brand in alignment with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.
Moaath Alohali, who was the club’s CEO since its acquisition by NEOM in June last year, will transition to an advisory role. Under his leadership, the club secured the services of several top players and coaching staff and won the Second Division title.
Alohali also established a women’s team, which is currently seeking promotion to the Women’s Premier League, and a youth development program to nurture the next generation of Saudi players.
Club Chairman Mishari Al-Mutairi said: “As part of our development efforts to elevate the club’s sporting standards, we are pleased to welcome Alex Leitao as the club’s CEO and to benefit from his extensive experience in leading global clubs.
“The performance achieved by the club thus far reflects our commitment to attracting the best talents and coaches to NEOM, aligning with our goals of reaching the highest levels. We are currently looking forward to new seasons filled with success.”
Leitao said he was delighted to be a part of Saudi Arabia’s rapidly evolving sporting landscape.
“As we enter a significant phase with the Kingdom’s transformation into a global sports hub, I am delighted to join a sports club to contribute to achieving its sporting and social objectives, adding further distinction to its national journey.
“The rapid growth of NEOM Sports Club, with a focus on professional football as the club’s core sport, is a key factor that enables us to compete, support promising talents, and enhance community engagement in this pioneering region.”
NEOM Sports Club are currently top of the First Division, the second tier of Saudi football.
LONDON: The Saudi Arabian Football Federation presented its bid to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup at an Asian Football Confederation conference in Seoul on Friday.
The event, for member associations and regional associations’ presidents and general secretaries, saw Saudi Arabia highlight its position as a potential World Cup host, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
SAFF’s President Yasser Al-Misehal spoke of international backing for Saudi Arabia’s proposal, noting the “unprecedented historical support from over 170 federations.”
Al-Misehal added that the endorsement emphasized the confidence the global community had in the Kingdom’s capabilities to host the World Cup, a venture he described as “a dream come true” for Saudi football enthusiasts who had passionately supported the sport for years.
The event also featured SAFF’s Secretary-General Ibrahim Al-Qasim, who offered a presentation to football experts and pioneers which stressed Saudi Arabia’s capacity to host the World Cup.
Under the proposed new format, Saudi Arabia would be the sole country to organize the 2034 tournament, underscoring its infrastructural capabilities and commitment to delivering a world-class sporting experience, he said.
The AFC conference, which began on Wednesday, was attended by FIFA’s President Gianni Infantino, AFC’s President Salman bin Ibrahim Al-Khalifa, and national and regional federation leaders.
The decision on the hosts for the 2034 World Cup will be announced at FIFA’s Extraordinary General Assembly on Dec. 11.
Al-Misehal expressed optimism about Saudi Arabia’s prospects, adding that football fans across Asia and beyond were eagerly awaiting FIFA’s decision.
RIYADH: Netflix will launch its latest sports doc series, “Saudi Pro League: Kickoff,” on Nov. 21, the streaming platform revealed in a short teaser.
The docuseries will take football fans behind the scenes of a league with the ambition to become one of the top leagues in the world.
The six-episode series, produced by Whisper, delves into the journey of five Saudi football clubs, Al Nassr, Al Hilal, Al Ittihad, Al Ahli and Al Etiffaq, as they compete to be crowned Saudi Pro League champions.
Well-known international players such as Cristiano Ronaldo (Al-Nassr), Neymar (Al-Hilal), Karim Benzema (Al-Ittihad) and Ettifaq coach Steven Gerrard, as well as great Saudi players such as Salem Al-Dawsari (Al-Hilal), Feras Al-Buraikan (Al-Ahli), Talal Haji (Al-Ittihad), and Abdulrahman Ghareeb (Al-Nassr), all make appearances, describing their journeys, challenges, failures and triumphs throughout the 2023-2024 season.
Beyond the pitch, fans will witness the Saudi Pro League’s vision of transformation unfold, as international legends join the league and make a profound impact on the clubs, the competition and the Saudi football stars.
Featuring exclusive interviews from some of the world’s best players, managers and commentators, along with in-depth stories and highlights from the campaign, the series will offer fans backstage access to the developments shaping the future of the Saudi Pro League.
JEDDAH: Brazilian star Fabinho has revealed that the Al-Ittihad players are going to become Al-Nassr fans, but just for the Roshn Saudi Pro League Capital Derby against champions and current leaders Al-Hilal on Friday.
On Thursday night Al-Ittihad defeated Jeddah rivals Al-Ahli 1-0 as a part of the SPL’s Derby Week.
The win in the Sea Derby ensures Al-Ittihad is equal on points with Al-Hilal at the top of the SPL table but behind the Riyadh club on goal difference, having played an extra match.
Having dropped only three points all season — in a defeat to Al-Hilal — Al-Ittihad, title holders in 2022-2023, have emerged as the reigning champions’ biggest challengers for the league trophy this season.
With that in mind, the former Liverpool midfielder wants both Jeddah and Riyadh to be all yellow this weekend.
“At the moment we are fighting against Al-Hilal at the top of the league, so first we have to do our job,” he told Arab News before the clash in Jeddah.
“And of course we’ll support Al-Nassr this weekend. If they get a good result, it will be good for us, but as I said before we have to care about us first.”
As well as the Sea Derby and Capital Derby, the SPL also hosts Al-Ettifaq versus Al-Qadsiah in the Eastern Derby on Saturday.
All the matchweek nine clashes are a part of the innovative new Derby Week in the league this season.
