Sports

Portugal Changes How No. 7 Is Written to Honor Cristiano Ronaldo

Sports Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring the 1-2 goal during the FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Hungary, in Budapest, Hungary, 09 September 2025. (EPA)

Portugal Changes How No. 7 Is Written to Honor Cristiano Ronaldo

The Portugal football team is making a change to how the No. 7 is written to honor the recently-retired Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo, who wore the number and…

Sports Brazilian football legend Ronaldinho waves during Ravenna FC’s team presentation for the 2026-27 season in Marina di Ravenna, Italy, Aug. 20, 2026. (AFP)

Ronaldinho Poised for Ravenna Start and, Perhaps, One Last Goal

Ronaldinho will roll back the years this weekend when the 46-year-old Brazilian starts his first competitive match in over a decade, and in the unlikely…

Sports Mirra Andreeva plays Diana Shnaider during day six of the FAGE WTA Finals at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on November 13, 2026 in Indian Wells, California. (Getty Images/AFP)

Andreeva Says She Is Learning to Move on Faster from Defeats After WTA Finals Sweep

Mirra Andreeva said she has learned to recover more quickly from setbacks after the Russian teenager completed an unbeaten run through the WTA Finals round…

Sports  Uruguay's players celebrate after Argentina's Leonardo Balerdi scored an own goal during an international friendly soccer match in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Friday, Nov. 13, 2026. (AP)

Uruguay Beats Argentina 2-1 in the First Match Since Messi’s Retirement

The post-Messi era began with an Argentina defeat on Friday. Argentina fell 2-1 to Uruguay on Friday in an international friendly at La Bombonera in Buenos…

Sports Elina Svitolina of Ukraine serves to Aryna Sabalenka during day six of the FAGE WTA Finals at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on November 13, 2026 in Indian Wells, California. (Getty Images/AFP)

Svitolina Stuns Sabalenka to Reach WTA Finals Semis

Elina Svitolina overwhelmed Aryna Sabalenka in the deciding set to seal a 6-3 3-6 6-1 upset on Friday to reach the semi-finals of the season-ending WTA Finals…


Sports The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat

Egypt, Saudi Move Camps from Qatar and Set March 27 Friendly in Jeddah

Egypt will play Saudi Arabia in a friendly in Jeddah on March 27 after both sides shifted their international-window training camps from Qatar due to travel…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Sports Jannik Sinner of Italy poses with his trophy after defeating Daniil Medvedev of Russia in the final at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament Sunday, March 15, 2026, in Indian Wells, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Sinner Says Arriving Early to Acclimatize Helped Indian Wells Title Bid

Jannik Sinner said his first Indian Wells title was the result of meticulous preparation in the heat of the Californian desert after the Italian arrived a week…

Asharq Al Awsat
Sports Mechanics work on the car of McLaren's Australian driver Oscar Piastri during the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit in Shanghai on March 15, 2026. (AFP)

McLaren Launches Investigation After Norris and Piastri Unable to Start F1’s Chinese Grand Prix

McLaren has launched an investigation with engine supplier Mercedes to investigate why both of its cars suffered terminal electrical faults that ruled them out…

Sports Formula One F1 - Chinese Grand Prix - Shanghai International Circuit, Shanghai, China - March 14, 2026 Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton after qualifying in third place REUTERS/Jakub Porzycki

Lewis Hamilton 'Incredibly Grateful' to Ferrari as Long Wait for F1 Podium Ends

Lewis Hamilton says he is “incredibly grateful” to Ferrari for letting him guide the development of the car that put him back on a Grand Prix podium for the…

Asharq Al Awsat
Sports  First-placed Mercedes' Italian driver Kimi Antonelli (2L) celebrates winning alongside Mercedes' British driver George Russell (2R) and Ferrari's British driver Lewis Hamilton (R) after the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit in Shanghai on March 15, 2026. (AFP)

Antonelli Takes His First Win in China to Extend Mercedes’ Dominant Start to New F1 Era

Kimi Antonelli became Formula 1’s second-youngest race winner with a composed drive to victory for Mercedes in an eventful Chinese Grand Prix on Sunday. The…

Sports Football - LaLiga - Real Madrid v Elche - Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain - March 14, 2026 Real Madrid's Arda Guler celebrates scoring their fourth goal with Cesar Palacios, Dean Huijsen, Thibaut Courtois and Diego Aguado. (Reuters)

Real Madrid Rout Elche with Guler 70-Yard Strike

Arda Guler scored from around 70 yards out and Fede Valverde capped an excellent week with another fine strike as Real Madrid thrashed Elche 4-1 on Saturday in…

Sports Daniil Medvedev, of Russia, celebrates after defeating Carlos Alcaraz, of Spain, during a semifinal match at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament, Saturday, March 14, 2026, in Indian Wells, Calif. (AP)

Medvedev Downplays Indian Wells Win Over Alcaraz, Says Young Guns Still Ahead

Daniil Medvedev said ‌his Indian Wells semi-final win over Carlos Alcaraz on Saturday would prove nothing more than a temporary setback for the Spaniard,…

Sports 14 March 2026, Leverkusen: Munich's Luis Diaz celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and FC Bayern Munich at the BayArena. Photo: Federico Gambarini/dpa

Nine-man Bayern Come from Behind to Rescue 1-1 Draw at Leverkusen

Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich had two players sent off and two goals disallowed but came back from a goal down to snatch a 1-1 draw at Bayer Leverkusen on…

Asharq Al Awsat
Sports Will Iran play its World Cup matches in Mexico? (Reuters)

Iran Says Wants to Play World Cup Matches in Mexico

Iran has suggested to move its World Cup matches from the United States to co-hosts Mexico in connection with the Middle East war. Sports minister Ahmad…

Asharq Al Awsat
Sports The members of Iran's women's football team who did not claim asylum in Australia arrived at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport on March 11, 2026 © ARIF KARTONO / AFP

Iran State Media Says Two More Footballers Pull Australia Asylum Bids

Two more players of the Iranian women's football team, which competed in the Asian Cup in Australia, and one member of the backroom staff have withdrawn their…

Asharq Al Awsat
Sports An aerial view shows Cairo's traffic with buildings and houses, through the window of a Turkish Airlines plane, in Cairo, Egypt March 12, 2026. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh

African Champions Pyramids Hit Back to Draw in Morocco

Pyramids of Egypt preserved an unbeaten record in defense of the CAF Champions League title by coming from behind to draw 1-1 at FAR Rabat of Morocco late on…

Asharq Al Awsat
Sports Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands waits inside his car during the qualifying session of the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit, in Shanghai, China, Saturday, March 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Andy Wong, Pool)

Verstappen Says Red Bull Car ‘Completely Undrivable' after Chinese GP Qualifying

Red Bull's Max Verstappen said his RB22 Formula One car is "completely undrivable," after qualifying eighth for Sunday's Chinese Grand Prix and a torrid sprint…

Asharq Al Awsat
Sports Mar 13, 2026; Indian Wells, CA, USA; Aryna Sabalenka (BEL) shakes hands with Linda Noskova (CZE) after winning her the semi final match during the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Sabalenka, Rybakina Set Up Blockbuster Indian Wells Final

Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina moved into the Indian Wells final with straight-sets victories over Linda Noskova and Elina Svitolina on Friday, setting up…

Asharq Al Awsat
Sports Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - FIFA World Cup 2026 Draw - John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, DC, US - December 5, 2025 Draw Assistant Shaquille O'Neal draws out Iran during the FIFA World Cup 2026. (Draw Pool via Reuters)

Iran Football Team Pushes Back on Trump Comments, Says ‘No One Can Exclude’ It from the World Cup

Pushing back on US President Donald Trump’s comments, Iran's national soccer team says “no one can exclude” it from playing in the men's World Cup in the…

Sports Benfica head coach José Mourinho (L) reacts during the Portuguese First League soccer match against FC Porto at Luz stadium in Lisbon, Portugal, 08 March 2026.  EPA/MIGUEL A. LOPES

Bans Will Cost Mourinho 2 Games as Benfica Calls Punishment 'Unfair'

Jose Mourinho is set to miss Benfica’s next two games as punishment for his red card and subsequent confrontation with a Porto assistant coach in last Sunday’s…

Asharq Al Awsat
Sports  Barcelona's Lamine Yamal scores his side's first goal from the penalty spot during the Champions League round of 16 first leg soccer match between Newcastle United and Barcelona in Newcastle, England, Tuesday, March 10, 2026. (AP)

Election Draws Spotlight as Barca Host Sevilla

Barcelona welcome Sevilla on Sunday aiming to maintain their La Liga lead on Real Madrid, but the stakes are even higher off the field with the club's next…

Sports  Soccer Football - UEFA Champions League - Round 16 - First Leg - Bayer Leverkusen v Arsenal - BayArena, Leverkusen, Germany - March 11, 2026 Bayer Leverkusen players applaud their fans after the match. (Reuters)

Leverkusen Wrestle with Inconsistency as Brilliant Bayern Await

Unpredictable Bayer Leverkusen host Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich on Saturday, still battling the inconsistency which threatens to derail their top-four…

Sports An empty check-in counter for Qatar Airways, amid the US-Israel conflict with Iran, at Terminal 8 at John F. Kennedy (JFK) International Airport in New York City, US, March 2, 2026.  REUTERS/Bing Guan

Roberto Mancini Unable to Return to Qatar for Coaching Duties

Al-Sadd coach Roberto Mancini has been unable to return to Qatar and will miss the team’s next game against Umm Salal because of the war in the region, the…

Asharq Al Awsat (Doha)
Sports  Formula One F1 - Chinese Grand Prix - Shanghai International Circuit, Shanghai, China - March 13, 2026 Mercedes' George Russell ahead of practice. (Reuters)

Mercedes the Class of the Field in Chinese GP Practice

Mercedes' George Russell led ‌the way in practice for the Chinese Grand Prix on Friday ahead of teammate Kimi Antonelli, with the at times twitchy-looking…

Sports INDIAN WELLS, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 12: Aryna Sabalenka plays a backhand against Victoria Mboko of Canada in their quarterfinal match of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 12, 2026 in Indian Wells, California. Clive Brunskill/Getty Images/AFP

Sabalenka and Sinner Move to the BNP Paribas Semifinals

Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka — the world's top-ranked men's and women's tennis players — both won quarterfinal matches in straight sets during an…

Asharq Al Awsat
Sports Tottenham Hotspur's Dominic Solanke celebrates scoring the 1-0 goal during the English Premier League soccer match of Tottenham Hotspur against Crystal Palace, in London, Britain, 05 March 2026. EPA/DANIEL HAMBURY

Solanke Says Tottenham's Madrid Meltdown One in a Million

Tottenham Hotspur's meltdown against Atletico Madrid in Tuesday's Champions League last-16 clash was a one-in-a-million occurrence, according to forward…

Asharq Al Awsat
Sports Bayern Munich's players celebrate at the end of the UEFA Champions League round of 16 1st leg soccer match between Atalanta BC and FC Bayern Munich at the Bergamo Stadium in Bergamo, Italy, 10 March 2026.  EPA/MICHELE MARAVIGLIA

Bayern Faces Tough Leverkusen Test in Bundesliga after 6-1 Win and Injury Concerns

Bayern Munich is heading to Bayern Leverkusen in the Bundesliga after contrasting Champions League games in midweek for the two clubs. Bayern was on rampant…

Asharq Al Awsat
Sports Fernando Alonso expects a difficult weekend in his Aston Martin in China. Paul Crock / AFP

Alonso Fears More Pain in China with Struggling Aston Martin

Fernando Alonso said Thursday he expects another difficult weekend wrestling with his new Aston Martin at the Chinese Grand Prix after failing to finish the…

Asharq Al Awsat
Sports Max Verstappen arrives at the paddock ahead of the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai. Jade GAO / AFP

Verstappen Jokes New F1 Cars 'More Like Mario Kart'

Four-time world champion Max Verstappen said Thursday he was not having much fun driving the new era of Formula One cars, joking he was "practicing with Mario…

Asharq Al Awsat