Jeddah to Host Variety of World-Focused Sporting Events Starting with Spanish Super Cup in 2025

Culture Square aims to enrich the visitor journey while positioning the district as a global tourist destination, in alignment with Saudi Vision 2030. SPA
Culture Square aims to enrich the visitor journey while positioning the district as a global tourist destination, in alignment with Saudi Vision 2030. SPA
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Jeddah to Host Variety of World-Focused Sporting Events Starting with Spanish Super Cup in 2025

Culture Square aims to enrich the visitor journey while positioning the district as a global tourist destination, in alignment with Saudi Vision 2030. SPA
Culture Square aims to enrich the visitor journey while positioning the district as a global tourist destination, in alignment with Saudi Vision 2030. SPA

Jeddah will host a range of diverse sporting events and activities during the first third of 2025, beginning with the Spanish Super Cup, marking its fifth edition in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from January 8 to 12, as part of ongoing efforts to enhance the sports, economic, and tourism sectors.
According to SPA, the championship will feature matches involving four clubs: Real Madrid, Barcelona, Athletic Bilbao, and Real Mallorca. These will be held at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium and played in a knockout format. The first match will see Barcelona face Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday, January 8, followed by Real Madrid versus Real Mallorca on Thursday, January 9. The winners will advance to the final match, which will take place on Sunday evening, January 12,
Jeddah will also continue hosting major sports events with the Formula E races, featuring the third and fourth rounds of the 11th season on February 14-15 at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, showcasing fully electric, carbon-free racing cars.
Additionally, Jeddah will host the 2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix stc Formula 1, one of the most thrilling and popular global races, for the fifth consecutive year at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, from April 18 to 20. The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix stc Formula 1 is part of the Kingdom’s broader vision for the future, aimed at improving the quality of life for everyone across various social sectors, from culture to sports, contributing to building a more prosperous nation. This aligns with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 to make the Kingdom a desirable destination for living and visiting.
Jeddah will once again host the opening round of the E1 Electric Boat Racing on January 24-25. Last year, this event generated great excitement as competitors vied for the championship cup, won by the Brady team with 20 points in the first round held on the Red Sea coast. Jeddah will also host the Extreme E electric off-road race for the fifth consecutive time, showcasing a new and innovative form of electric car racing that highlights the impact of climate change on the environment and promotes eco-friendly technologies in sustainability. This supports the transition to electric vehicles, contributing to carbon reduction and sustainability for a better future on Earth.
Furthermore, Jeddah will host matches of the Saudi national football team in the qualifiers for the World Cup 2026, along with a series of other major global events and competitions to be announced by the Ministry of Sport and its federations in the coming period.



Celebrations Erupt in North London After Arsenal Seal Premier League Title

Arsenal fans celebrate their team winning the English Premier League, outside the Emirates Stadium in London on May 20, 2026. (AFP)
Arsenal fans celebrate their team winning the English Premier League, outside the Emirates Stadium in London on May 20, 2026. (AFP)
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Celebrations Erupt in North London After Arsenal Seal Premier League Title

Arsenal fans celebrate their team winning the English Premier League, outside the Emirates Stadium in London on May 20, 2026. (AFP)
Arsenal fans celebrate their team winning the English Premier League, outside the Emirates Stadium in London on May 20, 2026. (AFP)

Thousands of Arsenal supporters ‌flocked to the streets of North London on Tuesday as the club clinched their first Premier League title in 22 years, sparking wild scenes outside the Emirates Stadium that continued deep into the night.

Arsenal, who had a dominant campaign and led the league for almost the entire season, were confirmed as champions without kicking a ball after second-placed Manchester City drew 1-1 at Bournemouth.

The players had gathered at the ‌club's training ‌ground an hour north of London ‌to ⁠watch the match and ⁠video released on social media showed them leaping around and hugging one another once the club's 14th English title was assured.

In London, fans streamed out of houses and gathered outside the club's Emirates Stadium, setting off fireworks and flares while chanting "Champions! ⁠Champions! Ole! Ole! Ole!"

"Words can't describe it, ‌we've been waiting 22 years ‌for this. It's unbelievable," an Arsenal fan told Reuters ‌TV.

"Bournemouth did us a massive favor today, they played ‌so well. And we're deserved champions, so, happy days."

Arsenal great Ian Wright also joined the party outside the stadium and was mobbed by fans singing his name.

"I was absolutely ‌over the moon," Wright, who scored 185 goals for the club in the ⁠1990s, told ⁠Premier League Productions.

"I got in the cab, got my Mrs. and my girls in the cab and I said, 'We're going down there, let's go down to the Emirates.'"

"It's amazing, honestly, and this club deserves it. Our fans deserve it all, around the world and everybody, we deserve this, man."

Arsenal finish their Premier League campaign with a trip to Crystal Palace on Sunday, before they move on to face Paris St Germain in the Champions League final in Budapest on May 30.


UEFA Hands Lifetime Ban to Czech Coach who Secretly Filmed Female Players

UEFA Hands Lifetime Ban to Czech Coach who Secretly Filmed Female Players
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UEFA Hands Lifetime Ban to Czech Coach who Secretly Filmed Female Players

UEFA Hands Lifetime Ban to Czech Coach who Secretly Filmed Female Players

UEFA has issued a lifetime ban to Petr Vlachovsky, a Czech women's soccer coach who secretly filmed his players, the governing body announced on Tuesday.

Czech media reported that the coach was convicted in May 2025 and initially received a suspended one-year prison sentence and a five-year domestic coaching ban for filming FC Slovacko's players in changing rooms, the youngest of whom was 17.

In a statement, ⁠UEFA's Control, Ethics ⁠and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) said it had decided to ban Vlachovsky "from exercising any football-related activity for life" following the appointment of an Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector to investigate allegations of potential misconduct.

"The CEDB further ⁠decided to request FIFA to extend the abovementioned ban on a worldwide level and to order the Football Association of the Czech Republic to revoke Mr. Petr Vlachovsky’s coaching license," Reuters quoted the statement as saying.

FC Slovacko did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

Football players' union FIFPRO welcomed the ban as well as UEFA's request for ⁠world ⁠soccer governing body FIFA to impose an international ban on Vlachovsky.

"This outcome sends a strong and necessary message that abusive and inappropriate behavior has no place in football and that safeguarding the wellbeing of players must remain a priority at every level of the game," FIFPRO added in a statement.

Vlachovsky had also previously served as coach of the Czech women's Under-19s team.


Alcaraz Withdraws from Wimbledon with Wrist Injury

Tennis - Wimbledon - All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, Britain - July 14, 2024 Spain's Carlos Alcaraz poses for a picture with the trophy after winning his men's singles final against Serbia's Novak Djokovic. (Reuters)
Tennis - Wimbledon - All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, Britain - July 14, 2024 Spain's Carlos Alcaraz poses for a picture with the trophy after winning his men's singles final against Serbia's Novak Djokovic. (Reuters)
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Alcaraz Withdraws from Wimbledon with Wrist Injury

Tennis - Wimbledon - All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, Britain - July 14, 2024 Spain's Carlos Alcaraz poses for a picture with the trophy after winning his men's singles final against Serbia's Novak Djokovic. (Reuters)
Tennis - Wimbledon - All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, Britain - July 14, 2024 Spain's Carlos Alcaraz poses for a picture with the trophy after winning his men's singles final against Serbia's Novak Djokovic. (Reuters)

Carlos Alcaraz's hopes of regaining his Wimbledon title have been dashed with the two-time champion announcing Tuesday he is withdrawing as he recovers from a wrist injury.

"My recovery is going well and I'm feeling much better, but unfortunately I'm still not ready to play, I am obliged to withdraw from both Queen's and Wimbledon," said Spaniard Alcaraz, who lost to world number one Jannik Sinner in last year's final.

"These are two really special tournaments for me and I'll miss them a lot. We'll keep working to come back as soon as possible."

Alcaraz sustained the injury during the first round of the Barcelona Open and subsequently pulled out of tournaments in Madrid and Rome and then Roland Garros, where he is the reigning two-time champion.

The world number two became the youngest man to complete the career Grand Slam in January with his triumph at the Australian Open. The 23-year-old holds a 22-3 record this season and also won a title in Doha.

Wimbledon will be only the third Grand Slam that Alcaraz has missed since making his main draw debut at the 2021 Australian Open.

Alcaraz's injury has stopped him continuing his exciting rivalry with Italian Sinner, 24, who is firm favorite to triumph in Paris and London.