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Saudi International Football Exhibition ‘Saif Expo’ Kicks Off in Jeddah

Saif Expo will run until Saturday at the Jeddah Center for Exhibitions and Events (JCEE)
Saif Expo will run until Saturday at the Jeddah Center for Exhibitions and Events (JCEE)
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Saudi International Football Exhibition ‘Saif Expo’ Kicks Off in Jeddah

Saif Expo will run until Saturday at the Jeddah Center for Exhibitions and Events (JCEE)
Saif Expo will run until Saturday at the Jeddah Center for Exhibitions and Events (JCEE)

The Saudi International Football Expo (Saif Expo) kicked off Thursday in Jeddah, with the aim of providing ideal investment opportunities and leveraging the expertise of global companies.
Saif Expo will run until Saturday at the Jeddah Center for Exhibitions and Events (JCEE), bringing together governmental sports agencies, clubs, and sports centers from both the Kingdom and abroad.
As the first Saudi international exhibition dedicated to the football industry in the Kingdom, Saif Expo serves as a platform for companies, investment institutions, clubs, medical centers, and local and international stores to showcase their impressive achievements and contributions.
The expo aims to attract new commercial products and trademarks in football industry, stimulate sports investments, host global medical sports centers, and highlight the role of technology in enhancing the football industry.
The expo also aims to establish global communication networks, foster commercial relationships, and create employment opportunities for young men and women in the sports sector.
Saif Expo presents a unique opportunity for local and international companies to form fruitful sports partnerships and explore new investment prospects.
This initiative contributes to the development of Saudi sports, aligning with the objectives of Saudi Arabia Vision 2030, which seeks to support and promote all sports disciplines to achieve sporting excellence at both local and international levels.

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Sports

Mexico's Violence-hit Guadalajara to Host World Cup Games

Guadalajara is looking ahead nervously to the World Cup this summer, in which it will host four games. Ulises Ruiz / AFP
Guadalajara is looking ahead nervously to the World Cup this summer, in which it will host four games. Ulises Ruiz / AFP
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Mexico's Violence-hit Guadalajara to Host World Cup Games

Guadalajara is looking ahead nervously to the World Cup this summer, in which it will host four games. Ulises Ruiz / AFP
Guadalajara is looking ahead nervously to the World Cup this summer, in which it will host four games. Ulises Ruiz / AFP

The city of Guadalajara erupted with cartel violence this past weekend, alongside other parts of Mexico, after an army raid left a notorious drug lord dead.

Now, Guadalajara is looking ahead nervously to the World Cup this summer, in which it will host four games, AFP said.

Authorities are turning to technology to keep its slice of the planet's premier sporting event safe, as Mexico is co-hosting the tournament with the United States and Canada.

Drones, anti-drone equipment and AI-driven video surveillance systems are some of the tools the state government of Jalisco -- of which Guadalajara is the capital -- will deploy to provide security.

The preparations come as Jalisco endures an epidemic of disappearances and the discoveries of clandestine graves, with Guadalajara having more of its residents go missing due to brutal drug-related violence than any other city in Mexico.

On Sunday, Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera, leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and one of the most wanted men in Mexico and the United States, was killed in a military operation some 130 kilometers (80 miles) from Guadalajara.

The cartel reacted with fury, triggering gunfire with security forces that left at least 57 people dead across Mexico -- both soldiers and cartel members -- as well as highway blockades in 20 states.

Following the burning of buses and businesses, authorities suspended football games in Guadalajara and the central state of Queretaro.

Football's world governing body FIFA declined to comment on the violence in one of the cup's host cities.

On Monday, the streets of Guadalajara remained semi-empty, as businesses stayed shut as classes were suspended in Jalisco. Schools also shut down in a dozen other states.

Days before, state security officials had reported that Guadalajara was "peaceful."

- 'Grotesque situation' -

Jalisco is one of the states with the most disappeared people in all of Mexico, with 12,575 reported missing, according to official statistics. More than half of the cases come from Guadalajara's metropolitan area.

Disappearances are driven by forced recruitment for criminal groups, said Carmen Chinas, an academic at the University of Guadalajara.

Family members of disappeared people have unearthed hundreds of clandestine graves as they look for their loved ones.

Some activists have expressed dismay over Guadalajara's hosting of the World Cup.

"I don't think there is anything to celebrate. It seems like a pretty grotesque situation to me," said 26-year-old Carmen Ponce, whose brother Victor Hugo disappeared in 2020.

"The country celebrates goals while we are here searching," she said at a field where last September she and her mother found buried plastic bags containing the remains of five people.

People are also jittery about hosting World Cup games in a city that has been through so much.

Juan Carlos Contreras, who oversees the city's security camera network, told AFP there could be protests by residents furious with the government as they search for their missing loved ones.

- 'Economic blow' -

Missael Robles, a 31-year-old tour guide from Guadalajara, told AFP that he's cancelled as many as 25 tours since the Oseguera violence exploded on Sunday.

"The economic blow is a big deal," he added.

Authorities have discovered properties used by criminal groups just a few kilometers from the Akron stadium which is due to host World Cup games.

Less than two kilometers (one mile) from the sporting complex, the state prosecutor's office raided a house and arrested two people accused of kidnapping.

AFP saw chains wrapped around metal bars in the abandoned building, with the Akron stadium visible in the distance.

Jose Raul Servin, who has been looking for his son Raul since he disappeared in April of 2018, fears that tourists coming for the World Cup could be preyed on by crime gangs.

"We don't want anything to happen," he said, "like what's happened to us."

Servin remembers with nostalgia that his son was a football fan. "If he were here, he would be happy about the World Cup," he said.

Sports

No Mourinho and Prestianni for Benfica in Champions League Match Against Real Madrid

SL Benfica's Argentine forward #25 Gianluca Prestianni hides his mouth while arguing with Real Madrid's Brazilian forward #07 Vinícius Júniorwho complained about alleged racists insults during the UEFA Champions League knockout round play-off first leg football match between SL Benfica and Real Madrid CF at Estadio da Luz in Lisbon on February 17, 2026. (AFP)
SL Benfica's Argentine forward #25 Gianluca Prestianni hides his mouth while arguing with Real Madrid's Brazilian forward #07 Vinícius Júniorwho complained about alleged racists insults during the UEFA Champions League knockout round play-off first leg football match between SL Benfica and Real Madrid CF at Estadio da Luz in Lisbon on February 17, 2026. (AFP)
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No Mourinho and Prestianni for Benfica in Champions League Match Against Real Madrid

SL Benfica's Argentine forward #25 Gianluca Prestianni hides his mouth while arguing with Real Madrid's Brazilian forward #07 Vinícius Júniorwho complained about alleged racists insults during the UEFA Champions League knockout round play-off first leg football match between SL Benfica and Real Madrid CF at Estadio da Luz in Lisbon on February 17, 2026. (AFP)
SL Benfica's Argentine forward #25 Gianluca Prestianni hides his mouth while arguing with Real Madrid's Brazilian forward #07 Vinícius Júniorwho complained about alleged racists insults during the UEFA Champions League knockout round play-off first leg football match between SL Benfica and Real Madrid CF at Estadio da Luz in Lisbon on February 17, 2026. (AFP)

There won't be another confrontation between Vinícius Júnior and Gianluca Prestianni in the Champions League this week.

Real Madrid and Benfica will meet at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium on Wednesday, but UEFA banished Prestianni from the game on Monday following accusations he racially abused Vinícius in the first leg of the knockout round last week.

Madrid won 1-0 in Lisbon after Vinícius scored in the second half. But when the Brazil forward celebrated by the Benfica corner flag and upset the local fans and players, the game was halted for nearly 10 minutes. Prestianni confronted Vinícius, who accused the Argentine of calling him “monkey.” Prestianni denied racially insulting Vinícius.

The anti-racism protocol was activated but no further action was taken during the match as there was no evidence against Prestianni, who covered his mouth with his shirt while talking to Vinícius. The Madrid forward was shown a yellow card after his celebration.

UEFA said the one-match suspension of Prestianni from its control, ethics and disciplinary body was related to discriminatory behavior.

“This is without prejudice to any ruling that the UEFA disciplinary bodies may subsequently make following the conclusion of the ongoing investigation and its respective submission to the UEFA disciplinary bodies,” it said in a statement.

Benfica said in a statement that it lamented that Prestianni was suspended while the investigation was underway. It said it would appeal UEFA's suspension. Portuguese media said Prestianni was expected to travel to Madrid with the squad.

Prestianni did not play in Benfica’s 3-0 win over AVS on Saturday in the Portuguese league because of a yellow card suspension, but he was expected to be on the field along with Vinícius during Wednesday's match at the Bernabeu.

Vinícius scored Madrid's goal in a 2-1 loss at Osasuna on Saturday in La Liga.

Mourinho out

Missing for Benfica on Wednesday will be coach José Mourinho, who was sent off late in the first leg for complaining to the referee. The former Madrid coach criticized Vinícius for celebrating his goal by the Benfica flag.

Benfica said Mourinho was not going to attend the pre-game news conference on Tuesday, with his assistant taking over.

Mourinho said Saturday it was a “tough week” for everyone at Benfica. He declined to comment when asked if he regretted his criticism of Vinícius.

Surprising Bodø/Glimt

On Tuesday, small Norwegian club Bodø/Glimt will look to keep its surprising run going when it takes a two-goal advantage for the second leg at Inter Milan.

The first leg win followed back-to-back wins against Manchester City and Atletico Madrid in the league phase.

Inter, last year’s Champions League runner-up, will hope to overcome the deficit and show the loss in Norway was a fluke amid a run of seven wins in eight games across all competitions.

“Sometimes we produce our best in big matches, other times we don’t,” Inter defender Manuel Akanji said. “But there aren’t two different versions of Inter. Yes, we lost to Bodø/Glimt last time out in the Champions League but we’re still the same team capable of great things.”

Juve's crisis

Another Italian club which will need a comeback will be Juventus when it hosts Galatasaray on Wednesday after losing 5-2 in the first leg in Türkiye.

Juventus has been struggling, though, and is coming off a 2-0 home loss to Como in Serie A that hurt its hopes of Champions League qualification next season. It was Juventus’ third straight defeat across all competitions and its fifth game in a row without a win.

Focused PSG

Defending European champion Paris Saint-Germain and Monaco won in Ligue 1 this weekend ahead of their second leg in Paris on Wednesday. Monaco's 3-2 victory over Lens allowed PSG to regain the league lead after beating Metz 3-0.

In the Champions League, PSG came from two goals down against Monaco to win the first leg 3-2. Désiré Doue, who scored twice against Monaco, also found the net in the win against Metz.

Atletico Madrid rebounds

Atletico squandered a two-goal lead and conceded late in a 3-3 draw in its first leg at Club Brugge.

Diego Simeone's team rebounded ahead of Tuesday's return match by defeating Espanyol 4-2 in La Liga on Saturday. Ademola Lookman scored again, earning his fourth goal in six matches since being signed by Atletico.

“It's always important to win ahead of an important match like the one we have on Tuesday,” Simeone said.

Elsewhere Also on Tuesday, Newcastle will be in control when it hosts Qarabag defending a 6-1 first-leg win, while Bayer Leverkusen holds a 2-0 lead from its win at Olympiakos. Borussia Dortmund also won 2-0 in the first leg against Atalanta ahead of the return game in Italy.

Sports

Advocaat Resigns as Curacao Coach ahead of World Cup

Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - FIFA World Cup 2026 Draw - John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, D.C., US - December 5, 2025 Curacao coach Dick Advocaat inside the venue before the FIFA World Cup 2026 Draw Pool via REUTERS/Dan Mullan/File Photo
Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - FIFA World Cup 2026 Draw - John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, D.C., US - December 5, 2025 Curacao coach Dick Advocaat inside the venue before the FIFA World Cup 2026 Draw Pool via REUTERS/Dan Mullan/File Photo
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Advocaat Resigns as Curacao Coach ahead of World Cup

Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - FIFA World Cup 2026 Draw - John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, D.C., US - December 5, 2025 Curacao coach Dick Advocaat inside the venue before the FIFA World Cup 2026 Draw Pool via REUTERS/Dan Mullan/File Photo
Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - FIFA World Cup 2026 Draw - John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, D.C., US - December 5, 2025 Curacao coach Dick Advocaat inside the venue before the FIFA World Cup 2026 Draw Pool via REUTERS/Dan Mullan/File Photo

Veteran Dutch coach Dick Advocaat, who led Curacao to their first World Cup qualification, has stepped down as manager months before the finals because of his daughter’s ill health.

Fred Rutten, 63, will take over and lead the Caribbean island nation to the World Cup, the Curacao Football Federation said on Monday, Reuters reported.

"I have always said that family comes before football,” Advocaat said in a statement. "This is therefore a natural decision. That said, I will greatly miss Curacao, its people, and my colleagues. I consider qualifying the smallest nation in the world for the World Cup one of the highlights of my career. I am proud of my players, staff, and board members who believed in us." The 78-year-old Advocaat described leading the island, which is part of the Dutch kingdom with a population of around 150,000, to the World Cup as the "craziest thing" he had achieved in a managerial career spanning nearly four decades. He would have become the oldest coach in World Cup finals history.

Gilbert Martina, president of the Curacao Football Federation, said: "His decision commands nothing but respect. Dick has made history with our national team. Curacao will always remain grateful to him."

Rutten, who won a single cap for the Netherlands in his playing days, has managed Feyenoord, PSV Eindhoven, and Schalke 04.

"It is a difficult time for Dick, and I wish him and his family strength,” Rutten said.

“Dick is an icon in world football. It is truly an honour to continue his work. I have spoken extensively with him and his staff and will continue along the same path. Curacao can expect the same dedication and commitment from me."

Rutten will take charge of the Curacao squad for the first time in March, when they travel to Australia for a mini-tournament with the host country and China.

Curacao begin their World Cup campaign with a Group E match against Germany in Houston on June 14.