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Diriyah Season Returns with Major Sports Events

Diriyah succeeded in hosting several sports events (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Diriyah succeeded in hosting several sports events (Asharq Al-Awsat)
    Diriyah - Asharq Al-Awsat
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Diriyah Season Returns with Major Sports Events

Diriyah succeeded in hosting several sports events (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Diriyah succeeded in hosting several sports events (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The second edition of Diriyah Season will return on Oct. 20 with a full agenda to hold several international sports tournaments and diversified entertainment events at the historical city of Diriyah until Feb. 22.

The Diriyah Season 2022 is back with an inauguration ceremony that will include announcing a pack of tournaments and events that target visitors of various age groups over four consecutive months.

The head of the Diriyah Season Committee, Prince Abdulaziz al-Faisal, announced that the committee is delighted to announce the approach of the Diriyah Season 2022 in the city that enjoys a significant history and prestigious heritage and geographical status for being listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Prince Abdulaziz explained that the big successes of events and sports in Diriyah, through Formula E, the World Heavyweight Championship, and the first edition of the Diriyah Season, are a motive to organize the second season.

He called on all audiences from Saudi Arabia and abroad to participate and enjoy the events that the season offers.

The CEO of Diriyah Gate Development Authority, Jerry Inzerillo, said that Diriyah is a proper location to host all regional and international occasions in all fields.

“We are excited to see big numbers of visitors flocking from across the world to see the new season, and we look forward to satisfying their passion with exciting sports and entertainment experiences,” said Inzerillo.

Diriyah Season 2022 seeks to achieve the development and economic targets of Vision 2030 by developing the events sector in the entertainment, sports, tourists, and cultural fields to provide attractive events that enhance the prosperity of the national economy and the vitality of society.

The historic Diriyah achieved global success by hosting many global sporting events with a large number of Saudi audiences and tourists. It also organized several international cultural, entertainment, and tourism events.

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White House: None More Deserving of FIFA Peace Prize Than Trump

FILE PHOTO: US President Donald Trump speaks during the signing ceremony for an executive order on mail ballots, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., March 31, 2026. REUTERS/Evan Vucci/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: US President Donald Trump speaks during the signing ceremony for an executive order on mail ballots, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., March 31, 2026. REUTERS/Evan Vucci/File Photo
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White House: None More Deserving of FIFA Peace Prize Than Trump

FILE PHOTO: US President Donald Trump speaks during the signing ceremony for an executive order on mail ballots, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., March 31, 2026. REUTERS/Evan Vucci/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: US President Donald Trump speaks during the signing ceremony for an executive order on mail ballots, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., March 31, 2026. REUTERS/Evan Vucci/File Photo

The White House has hit back at critics of Donald Trump being awarded the FIFA Peace Prize, saying there is none more deserving than the US president.

Global soccer governing body FIFA gave Trump the inaugural award at the World Cup draw in December for "promoting peace and unity around the world", triggering condemnation from human rights groups and activists in the lead-up to the World Cup.

Australian ⁠soccer player Jackson ⁠Irvine said this week that giving the award to Trump made a mockery of FIFA's Human Rights Policy, while Norway's soccer federation said FIFA should abolish the award.

The White House responded by saying ⁠Trump's "Peace through Strength foreign policy" had ended eight wars in less than a year.

"There is no one else in the world more deserving of FIFA’s first ever Peace Prize than President Trump. Anyone who thinks otherwise clearly suffers from a severe case of Trump Derangement Syndrome," White House spokesman Davis Ingle said in a statement.

The US, which ⁠is co-hosting ⁠the World Cup with Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19, launched a military strike on Venezuela a month after the draw for the tournament was made and began joint airstrikes with Israel on Iran on February 28.

Trump frequently invokes his success at resolving international conflicts and has said on numerous occasions that he should be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Sports

Sabalenka Stunned by Baptiste in Madrid Open Quarter-finals

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus reacts during her quarterfinals match against Hailey Baptiste of the USA at the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, 28 April 2026. EPA/JUANJO MARTIN
Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus reacts during her quarterfinals match against Hailey Baptiste of the USA at the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, 28 April 2026. EPA/JUANJO MARTIN
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Sabalenka Stunned by Baptiste in Madrid Open Quarter-finals

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus reacts during her quarterfinals match against Hailey Baptiste of the USA at the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, 28 April 2026. EPA/JUANJO MARTIN
Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus reacts during her quarterfinals match against Hailey Baptiste of the USA at the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, 28 April 2026. EPA/JUANJO MARTIN

World number one Aryna Sabalenka suffered a shock 2-6 6-2 7-6(6) defeat by Hailey Baptiste at the Madrid Open on Tuesday as the American produced the biggest win of her career after saving six match points to reach the semi-finals for the first time.

The 24-year-old Baptiste, seeded 30, claimed her first victory over a top-five player, handing ⁠defending champion Sabalenka ⁠only her second defeat of the season.

The 30th seed will now face world number nine Mirra Andreeva, after the Russian got past Canada's Leylah Fernandez 7-6(1) 6-3 in the quarter-finals ⁠earlier on Tuesday.

"Incredible. Super proud of myself," Reuters quoted Baptiste as saying. "It was a super tight match, 7-6 in the third. Had to fight off match points. I'm really happy right now.

"It just shows me where my game lies. I've always believed it. Now I'm starting to put it into action and the world ⁠is ⁠seeing it as well."

The defeat of top-seeded Belarusian Sabalenka is the latest upset at the WTA 1000 clay tournament that has seen the top seven seeds knocked out.

Baptiste is guaranteed to reach a career-high ranking of at least 24th after also reaching the Miami Open quarter-finals last month, where she lost to Sabalenka.

Sports

FIFA Enacts New World Cup Rule on Yellow Cards to Help Avoid Player Bans in Knockout Rounds

A replica World Cup soccer ball is seen during a press conference in the Staten Island borough of New York, New York, USA, 27 April 2026. EPA/SARAH YENESEL
A replica World Cup soccer ball is seen during a press conference in the Staten Island borough of New York, New York, USA, 27 April 2026. EPA/SARAH YENESEL
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FIFA Enacts New World Cup Rule on Yellow Cards to Help Avoid Player Bans in Knockout Rounds

A replica World Cup soccer ball is seen during a press conference in the Staten Island borough of New York, New York, USA, 27 April 2026. EPA/SARAH YENESEL
A replica World Cup soccer ball is seen during a press conference in the Staten Island borough of New York, New York, USA, 27 April 2026. EPA/SARAH YENESEL

FIFA has tweaked World Cup rules on yellow cards to ensure fewer players are suspended for key elimination games.

An extra amnesty for yellow cards — wiping player disciplinary records twice during the expanded tournament in North America — was proposed to a meeting Tuesday of FIFA’s ruling council. Later FIFA issued a statement confirming the change.

“Reflective of the expanded format with an extra knockout round, the FIFA Council confirmed an amendment to the regulations for the FIFA World Cup 2026 whereby single yellow cards in the final competition will be canceled after the group stage and then again after the quarterfinals,” it said.

At the World Cup, players must serve a one-game ban if they are shown a yellow card in two different games but single yellow cards were canceled at previous tournaments after the quarterfinals stage. That ensured no player would miss the final through suspension just because of getting a yellow card in the semifinal, The Associated Press reported.

The expanded 48-team World Cup format, with an extra round-of-32 knockout stage, led to a FIFA review aimed at helping keep players on the field.

FIFA cleared the disciplinary records of players who have one yellow card after the three-game group stage so they start the knockout phase afresh. A second amnesty after the quarterfinals will apply for players who got one yellow during the three previous knockout rounds and whose teams advanced to the semifinals.

FIFA also announced Tuesday an increase in financial resources to be distributed to all 48 World Cup participating teams by a further 15%, totaling $871 million, or just over $18 million per team. The new figures include an increase in preparation money from $1.5 million to $2.5 million per team and an increase in qualification money from $9 million to $10 million.

The World Cup will be played June 11 to July 19 in the United States, Canada and Mexico.