Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan: The 'Paris Edition' Affirmed the Growing Stature of Esports

Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan (Esports World Cup)

06:46-24 August 2026 AD ـ 11 Rabi’ Al-Awwal 1448 AH

Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan (Esports World Cup)

Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan, Chairman of the Saudi Esports Federation, said the Esports World Cup’s Paris edition marked further international growth and expansion, describing its reach to audiences outside Saudi Arabia as an important milestone in the tournament’s development.

“We are proud of what the Esports World Cup achieved in Paris, particularly in terms of its international growth and expansion,” Prince Faisal said. “The tournament’s ability to reach a global audience outside the Kingdom is an important milestone in its journey and a sign of the growing recognition of esports as a global sector capable of bringing together communities, cultures and audiences from around the world”.

He added: “The attendance of Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, is clear evidence of the growing interest in esports and of the sector’s development and standing. I congratulate all the players, clubs, publishers, partners and organizers who contributed to the success of this edition. Paris has marked an important chapter in the tournament’s journey and laid a strong foundation on which to build in the years ahead.”

Eddie Chen, chief operating officer of All Gamers Global, said his team’s club championship was the result of a project that began with the club’s global expansion in 2024, coinciding with the launch of the Esports World Cup.

“When we began expanding the club’s global presence in 2024, the same year the Esports World Cup was launched, our goal was to build a club capable of succeeding across different games, regions and cultures,” Chen said. “This title demonstrates how far that vision has progressed.”

“Our journey in Paris reflected the strength of the entire organization... This trophy is the product of the efforts of every player, coach and member of the club who contributed with dedication to getting us here”, he added.

All Gamers Global won the Club Championship at the 2026 Esports World Cup with 5,300 points, beating second-placed Falcons (4,600) and Vitality (3,300).

PSG Coach Warns Players Need to Compete Out of their Comfort Zone

Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - Stade Rennes v Paris St Germain - Roazhon Park, Rennes, France - August 23, 2026 Paris St Germain coach Luis Enrique with Vitinha REUTERS/Stephane Mahe

Paris: Asharq Al Awsat

08:45-24 August 2026 AD ـ 11 Rabi’ Al-Awwal 1448 AH

Paris: Asharq Al Awsat

08:45-24 August 2026 AD ـ 11 Rabi’ Al-Awwal 1448 AH

PSG Coach Warns Players Need to Compete Out of their Comfort Zone

Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - Stade Rennes v Paris St Germain - Roazhon Park, Rennes, France - August 23, 2026 Paris St Germain coach Luis Enrique with Vitinha REUTERS/Stephane Mahe

Paris Saint-Germain players can ill afford to cruise through the season as coach Luis Enrique warned he expected them to play out of their comfort zone.

The PSG coach took off both Ousmane Dembélé and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia at halftime of their opening game of the new Ligue 1 season, bringing on Mika Godts and Ferran Torres, who scored twice to salvage a point at Stade Rennais on Sunday.

"Football is like that. Paris Saint-Germain have won nothing, nothing," he said of the new season where they defend not only their Ligue 1 title but chase a third successive Champions League victory.

"If you think about what you've won, you're not ⁠going to win ⁠anything! There is no credit. You have to show every day, every match, every training session, that you're ready. Otherwise, it's easy to relax and start slipping.

"I wasn't brought up that way. We are always looking to win, and to keep winning, you have to step outside your comfort zone. Is that clear?"

PSG, who won the European ⁠Super Cup this month but lost the French version to Racing Lens, played a sluggish first half at Rennes and were 2-0 down at the break.

But new Spanish signing Ferran Torres, who netted the winner in last month's World Cup final, came on for Dembélé and scored twice to ensure a point for the Parisians.

"He wasn't bad, was he? He scored two goals, but I'm happy with everyone who came on in a very difficult match because we had a lot of trouble controlling Rennes in the first half," Reuters quoted Luis Enrique as saying.

"They ⁠were good ⁠on the counterattack and scored two wonderful goals. It was complicated, but it's important for me to see that so many players are ready.

"We sign players to go on a long journey with them. It's very positive for him and we're very happy," he said of Ferran Torres' debut.

"We're always looking to find the best players for every match. Places in the team will be more difficult to get than last year, and that's our ambition.

"I think we had a very good transfer window, and we're still open to different possibilities. Everyone knows how difficult it is for a team to keep winning. And clearly, we still need to improve."

Sports

African Players in Europe: Ajayi and Mendy Stun United

Hull City's Nigerian defender #06 Semi Ajayi applauds fans on the pitch after the English Premier League football match between Hull City and Manchester United at the MKM Stadium in Kingston upon Hull, eastern England on August 22, 2026. (AFP)

08:44-24 August 2026 AD ـ 11 Rabi’ Al-Awwal 1448 AH

African Players in Europe: Ajayi and Mendy Stun United

Nigerian Semi Ajayi and Senegalese Nobel Mendy temporarily vacated defensive roles to score as promoted Hull City stunned Manchester United 2-0 in the Premier League opening round at the weekend.

AFP Sport highlights African headline-makers in the major European leagues:

ENGLAND

SEMI AJAYI (Hull City)

He scored Hull's first Premier League goal in nine years when he was quickest to react from close range in the 17th minute after Oli McBurnie's shot following a poorly defended corner was parried by United goalkeeper Senne Lammens.

NOBEL MENDY (Hull)

Regan Slater's pin-point free-kick proved too much for the visitors to handle and Mendy's header flew past a helpless Lammens to spark yet more wild celebrations among the home fans at the MKM Stadium.

SPAIN

CHIDERA EJUKE (Sevilla)

The Nigerian came off the bench for the second half and took just five minutes to increase a 1-0 half-time lead for Sevilla at Athletic Bilbao. Ejuke raced through and lobbed the ball over 2026 World Cup-winning Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon. Sevilla finished 3-1 winners.

ITALY

HASSANE KAMARA (Udinese)

The France-born Ivory Coast international outsprinted the Como defense and used his left foot to chip the ball over goalkeeper Jean Butez and put Udinese ahead. Como equalized early in the second half of the Serie A clash to force a 1-1 draw.

FRANCE

AMINE GOUIRI (Marseille)

Algeria striker Gouiri struck twice in the second half as Marseille hammered visiting Strasbourg 4-0 in the opening round of Ligue 1. He netted from close range on 46 minutes, then converted a penalty midway through the second half.

DAME GUEYE, LOUIS MAFOUTA (Le Mans)

Both goals for promoted Le Mans came from African strikers in a 2-2 home draw against Brest. Senegalese Gueye levelled in first half added time and Central African Republic international Mafouta put the hosts ahead before Malian Kamory Doumbia restored parity.

Sports

Mercedes No Longer Have the Fastest Car in F1, Says Antonelli

23 August 2026, Netherlands, Zandvoort: Italian second placed Formula One driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli of team Mercedes speaks during the drivers' press conference after the Dutch Formula One Grand Prix at Mascot Circuit Zandvoort. (dpa)

08:13-24 August 2026 AD ـ 11 Rabi’ Al-Awwal 1448 AH

Mercedes No Longer Have the Fastest Car in F1, Says Antonelli

McLaren have taken a big step forward and Mercedes no longer have the quickest car in Formula One, championship leader Kimi Antonelli said after Sunday's Dutch Grand Prix.

McLaren's reigning champion Lando Norris celebrated his second win in a row from pole position at Zandvoort, with Antonelli and Mercedes teammate George Russell second and third ahead of Ferrari pair Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.

"We’re clearly not the fastest car anymore on the grid," said Antonelli, who won five races in a row earlier in the season.

"We’re probably second or third, at least in today’s race, and McLaren has taken a huge step, especially since Hungary, since the big upgrade package they brought."

Norris, who lost out to Antonelli at the race restart and then had to overtake him on track, questioned ‌that assertion however.

"I ‌don’t think it’s true. I think if I didn’t get Kimi when ‌I ⁠overtook him, I ⁠don’t think I would have won the race," he said.

"For once I would give myself a little bit of credit that I feel like I’m doing a better job than everyone, and I think that can also make a difference.

"We certainly have a car now capable of beating them ... but I think they have a better all-round performing car than what we do."

Zandvoort, and Budapest's Hungaroring before that, played to McLaren's strengths but some of the tracks coming up may be less favorable.

Ferrari can be expected to go well at their home ⁠grand prix at Monza early next month, with upgrades in the pipeline, ‌while Antonelli faces hefty grid penalties for an engine change.

A TOUGHER ‌RIDE

Mercedes are still way ahead of Ferrari and McLaren in the constructors' championship and scored more points (46 to McLaren's ‌43 and Ferrari's 31) than anyone else over the weekend.

"We have a strong car in certain ‌areas. It’s not like last year where we were pretty good everywhere," said Norris.

"We’re very, very strong in high speed, and that’s the place we’ve improved the car the most, is high-speed performance. No one matches us in high speed, and that’s a good thing.

"But the advantage that they (Mercedes) have to us in slow speed is also crazy. And ‌therefore, I don’t have the confidence to say 'yeah, I can easily fight for a championship for the rest of the season.

"I know I’ve just ⁠won two races in ⁠a row and had two poles in a row, but at the minute I don’t have the car I need to fight for a championship," added the Briton, who is 83 points behind Antonelli with another 11 rounds remaining unless the situation in the Middle East forces a calendar change.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said cost-cap restrictions meant Mercedes did not have the money to put developments on the car as fast as they might like to.

"We are trying to evenly split that through the season based on our calculations of when we can bring the biggest updates and optimizing the championship points," he told reporters.

"So, the ride has been a bit tougher than at the beginning of the year."

McLaren principal Andrea Stella said he expected Mercedes to accelerate their car's development regardless.

"I'm sure their car in the wind tunnel is quite a bit faster than the car they have on track," said the Italian.

"And they will want to now convert some of this potential into upgrades that make it to the real car. I'm just pretty sure that they will have upgrades."

Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan: The 'Paris Edition' Affirmed the Growing Stature of Esports

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