La Liga launches Arabic TikTok account to connect with millions of Arab football fans

La Liga launches Arabic TikTok account to connect with millions of Arab football fans
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Spanish football league La Liga on Saturday launched an Arabic account on TikTok in a bid to connect with millions of football fans in the Arab world. (X/@LaLigaEN)
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Updated 15 February 2025
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La Liga launches Arabic TikTok account to connect with millions of Arab football fans

La Liga launches Arabic TikTok account to connect with millions of Arab football fans
  • ‘It represents the culmination of all the efforts La Liga has made in the MENA region over the past years,’ says managing director
  • Account will act as a hub for thrilling highlights from La Liga EA Sports matches

JEDDAH: Spanish football league La Liga on Saturday launched an Arabic account on TikTok in a bid to connect with millions of football fans in the Arab world.

It is part of the league’s efforts to reach and engage with its followers in the Middle East and North Africa region, a media statement said.

“We are thrilled to launch the Arabic TikTok account, as it represents the culmination of all the efforts La Liga has made in the MENA region over the past years,” said Maite Ventura, managing director for MENA.

“We believe that Arab fans deserve high-quality digital content that meets their expectations. This account will bring us closer to them than ever before,” she added.

The initiative marks another step in La Liga’s digital success, as it remains the most-followed football league in the world online, boasting more than 245 million followers across 16 platforms in 20 different languages.

Mohammed Harb, head of partnerships at TikTok MENA, said: “We are delighted to be part of this special step for La Liga.

“Launching a TikTok account in Arabic reinforces the league’s commitment to bringing fans closer to the game they love, providing the TikTok community with a platform that reflects the unique culture and passion of Arab football fans.”

The La Liga Arabic TikTok account will be a hub for all the thrilling highlights from La Liga EA Sports matches, coinciding with the intense competition in the league.

Arab football stars will also receive special attention, as La Liga has hosted more than 80 Arab players throughout its history, from Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar and Syria.

Beyond match highlights, the account will offer a diverse range of visual content, featuring contributions from influencers, players, journalists and fans across the Arab world.


Football superstar Alisha Lehmann thrilled by ‘incredible’ Esports World Cup

Swiss football sensation Alisha Lehmann. (Supplied)
Swiss football sensation Alisha Lehmann. (Supplied)
Updated 10 sec ago
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Football superstar Alisha Lehmann thrilled by ‘incredible’ Esports World Cup

Swiss football sensation Alisha Lehmann. (Supplied)
  • When not on the football pitch, Lehmann likes to play Fortnite and appreciates the innate talent of young gamers
  • As esports continue to grow and connect with a global audience, Lehmann firmly believes that esports will continue to expand its global appeal

RIYADH: Swiss football sensation Alisha Lehmann, known for her electrifying presence on the pitch and her massive social media following, has made a visit to the Esports World Cup 2025 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Lehmann’s journey into the world’s biggest celebration of esports and gaming culture revealed a world that both surprised and resonated deeply with the superstar professional athlete.

Her first taste of the Esports World Cup 2025 was the highly competitive League of Legends final, an experience that left a lasting impression. “I was able to watch the League of Legends final and I was surprised by the atmosphere and passion in the arena,” she said.

“I enjoyed the crowds’ reaction to a tight game; it was a great experience. The stadium is full, there are so many people cheering for the players and you can see how much effort the players put in to get where they are now. It’s amazing. I would tell everyone to come here to experience it and enjoy it.”

This immediate connection to the energy of esports fans highlighted a striking parallel to the intensity she knows well from her experience performing in the world’s leading football stadiums and deepened her appreciation for esports.

The parallels between her world on the football pitch and the virtual battlegrounds of esports are evident to Lehmann. “I started playing from six years old. It doesn’t matter if it’s a racing game or a football game, the experiences are linked because we grow up with the same mindset and we want to win.”

When not on the football pitch, Lehmann likes to play Fortnite and appreciates the innate talent of young gamers, noting how young people possess skills that were unimaginable when she was their age.

“All children and young kids love to play games,” she says. “Sometimes I’ve noticed when I’m playing Fortnite that there are kids that are like 10 years old, and I’m watching them and I’m amazed.

“I think esports is growing every year now. Everyone is watching it, the technology is constantly improving and the games are getting better, I feel that it’s becoming really big.”

As esports continue to grow and connect with a global audience, Lehmann firmly believes that esports will continue to expand its global appeal and become mainstream entertainment for fans around the world.

“I think esports will catch up with traditional sports for sure. Because the technology is constantly evolving and the whole industry is really cool,” she said.

“It’s amazing. I think you can also learn a lot. I know kids in Switzerland who speak English now because they play Fortnite and watch streamers. It’s great to see.”

The growth of women’s participation in both football and esports is a topic close to Lehmann’s heart. Witnessing Team Vitality win the MLBB Women’s Invitational tournament at the Esports World Cup 2025 filled her with pride, and she hopes that female participation in esports and sports continues to thrive.

“I think it’s so good that we push women to compete at the highest levels of sport,” she said. “It’s essential because they are as important as the men and we want to see them shine too.”

When asked to create the line-up for her dream EA Sports FC team, Lehmann was keen to select a starting eleven that represented elite talent from women’s and men’s football.

“Of course I would take Hannah Hampton as a goalkeeper, she’s been amazing in the Euros, I played with her and she does really well,” Lehmann said. “For right back, I’ll take Trent Alexander-Arnold. For center back, I’m going to take Millie Bright and Leah Williamson. For left back, Lucas Hernandez. In midfield, my number 6 would be Alexia Putellas, then Jude Bellingham, and Lionel Messi. Up front it would be Killian Mbappe on the right, Erling Haaland as striker, and Cristiano Ronaldo on the left.”

Gathering the world’s elite players under one competitive banner, the EA Sports FC Pro 25 World Championship tournament is underway at the Esports World Cup 2025 from Aug. 7-10.

More details and tickets, including access to all tournament days and festival experiences, are available at esportsworldcup.com

Esports World Cup 2025 concludes with the New Global Sport Conference, the leading B2B platform for decision-makers across gaming, esports, sport and entertainment. Held at the Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh from Aug. 23-24, NGSC 2025 aims to foster dialogue, drive collaboration and shape the future of competitive entertainment.


New Zealand complete crushing innings win over Zimbabwe

New Zealand complete crushing innings win over Zimbabwe
Updated 09 August 2025
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New Zealand complete crushing innings win over Zimbabwe

New Zealand complete crushing innings win over Zimbabwe
  • Nic Welch, batting at number three, made an unbeaten 47 and stood virtually alone against the New Zealand pace attack
  • It was the third-biggest win by an innings in Test history

ZIMBABWE: New Zealand completed a crushing win by an innings and 359 runs on the third day of the second Test against Zimbabwe at Queens Sports Club on Saturday.

Zak Foulkes, playing in his first Test match, took five for 37 as Zimbabwe were bowled out for 117 in their second innings.

Nic Welch, batting at number three, made an unbeaten 47 and stood virtually alone against the New Zealand pace attack.

It was the third-biggest win by an innings in Test history.

England beat Australia by an innings and 579 runs at The Oval in London in 1938. Australia defeated South Africa by an innings and 360 runs in Johannesburg in 2001/02.

“We bowled well in the first innings after losing the toss,” said Mitch Santner, who captained New Zealand in both Tests in the absence of the injured Tom Latham.

“And the batsmen got through some tough periods with their partnerships and then cashed in.”

New Zealand’s previous biggest win — and Zimbabwe’s previous heaviest defeat — was by an innings and 301 runs when the two teams met in Napier in 2011/12.

Zimbabwe suffered their sixth successive defeat — four of them by an innings — since beating Bangladesh in Sylhet in April.

New Zealand declared their first innings closed on their overnight total of 601 for three.

It took only three balls for Matt Henry to start the home team’s collapse when he bowled Brian Bennett for his second duck of the match.

Henry had Brendan Taylor caught at second slip and Jacob Duffy caught Sean Williams off his own bowling before Matthew Fisher had Zimbabwe captain Craig Ervine held at third slip.

Foulkes, who briefly returned to New Zealand after a triangular Twenty20 series but was recalled after Nathan Smith was injured in the first Test, took the next five wickets.

Foulkes had match figures of nine for 77.

Devon Conway, who scored 153 for New Zealand, was player of the match while Henry, who took 16 wickets across the two matches, was player of the series.


As temperatures touch 50C, Dubai runners turn to indoor marathon

As temperatures touch 50C, Dubai runners turn to indoor marathon
Updated 09 August 2025
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As temperatures touch 50C, Dubai runners turn to indoor marathon

As temperatures touch 50C, Dubai runners turn to indoor marathon
  • Early on Saturday, as temperatures soared outside, a sprawling shopping center in Dubai echoed to the squeak of sneakers as hundreds of people joined “Mallathon” — an indoor, air-conditioned race

DUBAI: Early on Saturday, as temperatures soared outside, a sprawling shopping center in Dubai echoed to the squeak of sneakers as hundreds of people joined “Mallathon” — an indoor, air-conditioned race.

The government-backed initiative aims to encourage exercise during August, often the United Arab Emirates’ hottest month, and make use of Dubai’s giant malls which are otherwise empty at that time.

Running outside during summer in the Gulf, one of the world’s hottest regions where temperatures sometimes top 50C, is unpleasant and even unsafe for many.

“If you run outside, it’s not healthy at all because temperatures are around 40C to 50C,” said one runner who gave his name as Rai, his platinum-blond hair pulled back with a headband.

Participants wearing “Dubai Mallathon” T-shirts and sports gear ran and walked past closed stores along vacant, marbled halls that were set to be teeming with shoppers hours later.

Throughout August, nine of the city’s shopping centers — including the cavernous Dubai Mall, one of the world’s biggest — are open daily for runners and walkers from 7am-10am.

On weekends, runners can enter organized 10km, 5km or 2.5km races at designated malls, complete with podium presentations and prizes.

During Saturday’s race at the City Center Mirdif mall, two robots buzzed around the participants, who paused to take selfies with them.

Others waited in line to use electric bikes that powered blenders to make healthy smoothies.

Mallathon is backed by Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, 42, whose public profile projects him as an exemplar of active living.

It is one of a number of attempts to steer Dubai’s car-loving, mall-rat population toward exercise, including the 30x30 challenge, where residents are encouraged to exercise 30 minutes a day for a month.

Obesity rates in the energy-rich Gulf country regularly top global charts.

A study published by The Lancet in March predicted a staggering 94 percent of UAE males would be overweight or obese by 2050 — the highest in the world.

Partly to blame is the furnace-like heat that ravages the region for several months a year, and is steadily growing more intense.

The UAE had its hottest April on record this year, and then breached its May high two days in a row. On August 1, temperatures reached 51.8C, just shy of the national record of 52C.

Menna, a 36-year-old Egyptian who has lived in Dubai for 15 years, said there was “no way” she would exercise outside in the summer.

But in the mall, “we have air-conditioning, first aid, water... there’s everything that you need.”

“It motivates you more when other people are doing it too,” she added.

Fouzeya Faridoon, head of social activities at Dubai Sports Council, said more than 500 people had signed up for Saturday’s event, which was free.

“The idea is to encourage people to exercise, especially walking and running, even in the summer,” she told AFP.

Children, men, women and at least one person with a disability were among the participants who collected a medal and a bag of freebies at the finish line.

Zamani, a Sri Lankan tourist, was one of the runners, along with her young children.

“I like the energy, everybody is all geared up,” the 46-year-old said.

“It’s very modern and chic.”


Rodri will not make Manchester City return till September

Rodri will not make Manchester City return till September
Updated 09 August 2025
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Rodri will not make Manchester City return till September

Rodri will not make Manchester City return till September
  • Manchester City midfielder Rodri will not be at full fitness until after September’s international break, Pep Guardiola has revealed

LONDON: Manchester City midfielder Rodri will not be at full fitness until after September’s international break, Pep Guardiola has revealed.

The 2024 Ballon d’Or winner missed most of last season due to ligament damage and without him City failed to mount a strong defense of their Premier League crown.

The 29-year-old Spanish international fought his way back to fitness but suffered a groin injury in City’s defeat to Saudi club Al-Hilal at the Club World Cup in the United States last month.

“Rodri’s getting better but he had a big injury in the last game against Al-Hilal and for the last five or six weeks,” Guardiola said in comments released on Saturday.

“He’s training right now and in the last two or three days is better. Hopefully maybe the international break is when he will be really, really fit.

“Hopefully, in the games (prior to that) he can play some minutes but the important thing is to not have pain because we don’t want him to be come back and injured, come back and injured.

“We will try desperately to avoid that but he’s training the last two or three days with us and that’s good.”

The City staff are also nursing Phil Foden and Mateo Kovacic back to fitness and both players joined Rodri in being left out of a pre-season game in Sicily this week.

City face Wolves in their first Premier League game of the season next weekend and then play Tottenham and Brighton before the September internationals.


Johnson, Garcia share lead, Stinger GC tops team leaderboard at LIV Golf Chicago

Johnson, Garcia share lead, Stinger GC tops team leaderboard at LIV Golf Chicago
Updated 09 August 2025
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Johnson, Garcia share lead, Stinger GC tops team leaderboard at LIV Golf Chicago

Johnson, Garcia share lead, Stinger GC tops team leaderboard at LIV Golf Chicago
  • Garcia, the Fireballs GC captain, shot a 4-under 67 that was matched by Johnson, the 4Aces captain, for a share of the lead at a challenging Bolingbrook Golf Club

BOLINGBROOK: Sergio Garcia may be regaining his form from earlier this season. Dustin Johnson may be rounding into form.

In Friday’s first round at LIV Golf Chicago, the two captains and major champions showed they’re ready to make plenty of noise as the 2025 season nears its conclusion.

Garcia, the Fireballs GC captain, shot a 4-under 67 that was matched by Johnson, the 4Aces captain, for a share of the lead at a challenging Bolingbrook Golf Club. The two will start Saturday’s second Round 1 stroke ahead of a six-player chase pack that includes four other major champions: Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm.

On the team leaderboard, South African Stinger GC shot a cumulative 6 under to lead by one stroke over Garcia’s Fireballs, with Johnson’s 4Aces and DeChambeau’s Crushers tied for third at 3 under. The Stingers are looking to break a drought of 31 tournaments without a team win.

Two weeks ago at LIV Golf UK by JCB, Johnson finished last in the 54-man field but bounced back on Friday thanks mostly to a nine-hole stretch in which he posted five birdies. It’s the second time this season he’s gone from worst in one tournament to the lead in the first round of the next tournament. He finished 54th in Hong Kong, then had the solo lead after 18 holes in Singapore, eventually tying for fifth.

“To be honest, even in the UK, I did not play nearly as bad as my score,” Johnson said. “I know my score was horrible, but I actually hit a lot of good shots.”

He’s been hitting plenty of good shots lately. Prior to the UK event, he had finished in the top 10 in three of five starts, his best stretch this season as he chases his first win of 2025. He certainly hit some terrific shots Friday, despite windy conditions and tough pin placements. His irons were especially on point, as he hit 14 greens in regulation, tying for second-most in the field.

“It’s close,” Johnson said when asked about his form. “I feel like I’m always close, and it only takes a couple shots here or there where my game just clicks back and I start playing good again.”

Garcia won earlier this year in Hong Kong during a stretch in which his Fireballs claimed three consecutive team titles. But the legendary Spaniard’s form fell off during the middle part of the season.

Always a great ball-striker, Garcia found his putting stroke Friday, as he needed just 23 putts, tying for fewest in the field. Entering the tournament ranked sixth in the season-long points race, Garcia is now projected to move into fourth place.

“I’ve been working very hard on all parts of my game,” he said. “Today, I felt like I hit the ball pretty much as well as I hit the ball at the beginning of the year … I hit several shots very, very close, so obviously on the conditions that we had today, if you have five or six tap-ins for birdie, that helps a lot.”

Among the chasers, the most intriguing development concerns the Individual Championship race. Rahm is tied for third on the Chicago leaderboard while points leader Joaquin Niemann — a five-time winner this season — is tied for 45th after shooting a 74.

If Rahm wins this week and Niemann finishes no better than 18th, then Rahm takes over the lead entering the decisive event next week at the regular-season finale at LIV Golf Indianapolis. According to LIV Golf data experts, Rahm increased his chances of catching Niemann from 15 percent to 30 percent after Friday’s round.

Others have plenty to play for, too, including the 55-year-old Mickelson, the six-time major winner who is having his best season on LIV Golf. He started the week 20th in points but is projected to 11th after shooting a 68 in which he was bogey-free for the first 14 holes. He’d love to finish inside the top 10 in the season-long race.

“I’ve played well this year, played consistent,” he said. “At 55, I think that’s a cool accomplishment, and I would love to finish this year off right.”

TEAM SCORES

LIV Golf’s scoring format involves all four scores now counting in every round in the team competition. Here are the results and scores for each team after Friday’s Round 1 of LIV Golf Chicago.

1. STINGER GC -6 (Burmester 68, Grace 69, Schwartzel 69, Oosthuizen 72)

2. FIREBALLS GC -5 (Garcia 67, Ballester 69, Ancer 71, Puig 72)

T3. CRUSHERS GC -3 (DeChambeau 68, Casey 70, Lahiri 71, Howell III 72)

T3. 4ACES GC -3 (Johnson 67, Reed 70, Pieters 72, Varner III 72)

5. SMASH GC -2 (Koepka 68, Gooch 69, McDowell 72, Kokrak 73)

6. HYFLYERS GC -1 (Mickelson 68, Ogletree 69, Tringale 70, Steele 76)

7. LEGION XIII E (Hatton 68, Rahm 68, McKibbin 73, Surratt 75)

8. TORQUE GC +1 (Pereira 69, Muñoz 70, Ortiz 72, Niemann 74)

9. RIPPER GC +2 (Herbert 69, Leishman 71, Smith 71, Jones 75)

10. RANGEGOATS GC +3 (Uihlein 70, Watson 71, Campbell 73, Wolff 73)

11. CLEEKS GC +4 (Bland 70, Kaymer 70, Meronk 72, Kjettrup 76)

T12. IRON HEADS GC +9 (Jang 72, Kozuma 72, Lee 72, Na 77)

T12. MAJESTICKS GC +9 (Horsfield 72, Westwood 72, Poulter 74, Stenson 75)

Wild Cards: C. Lee 74, Kim 82