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Aramco and FIFA Announce Global Partnership

FILES) This picture shows Aramco tower at the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) in Riyadh on April 16, 2023. (Photo by Fayez Nureldine / AFP)
FILES) This picture shows Aramco tower at the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) in Riyadh on April 16, 2023. (Photo by Fayez Nureldine / AFP)
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Aramco and FIFA Announce Global Partnership

FILES) This picture shows Aramco tower at the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) in Riyadh on April 16, 2023. (Photo by Fayez Nureldine / AFP)
FILES) This picture shows Aramco tower at the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) in Riyadh on April 16, 2023. (Photo by Fayez Nureldine / AFP)

Saudi Aramco signed a four-year global partnership with professional football association FIFA, according to an Aramco statement.

The company becomes FIFA’s major worldwide partner exclusive in the energy category, with sponsorship rights for multiple events including the highly anticipated FIFA World Cup 26™ and FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027™, said the statement on Thursday.

The agreement, which runs until the end of 2027, builds on a shared commitment to innovation and development, and will combine football’s unique global reach with Aramco’s history of championing innovation and community engagement.

“Through this partnership with FIFA, we aim to contribute to football development and harness the power of sport to make an impact around the globe,” said Aramco President and CEO Amin H. Nasser. “It reflects our ambition to enable vibrant communities and extends our backing of sport as a platform for growth.”

"Our existing relationship with the Saudi football team Al-Qadsiah, our support for women’s golf through the Aramco Team Series, and our backing of F1 in schools each demonstrate the possibilities of such partnerships to create pathways for opportunity, positively impact society, and promote development at the grassroots level,” he said.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino said the partnership will assist the soccer body to successfully deliver its flagship tournaments over the next four years.

“Aramco has a strong track record of supporting world-class events, but also a focus on developing grassroots sport initiatives. We look forward to collaborating with them on a variety of initiatives over the coming years,” he added.

Aramco also intends to work with FIFA to drive innovation, identifying opportunities to deploy the company’s expertise and technologies in the delivery of football events globally. This includes initiatives that aim to provide new and innovative ways for football fans to engage with FIFA’s events, the statement said.

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Djokovic Faces 'New Reality' after Losing Another Opening Match in Madrid

Novak Djokovic of Serbia waves to the crowd after losing against Matteo Arnaldi of Italy during the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Novak Djokovic of Serbia waves to the crowd after losing against Matteo Arnaldi of Italy during the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
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Djokovic Faces 'New Reality' after Losing Another Opening Match in Madrid

Novak Djokovic of Serbia waves to the crowd after losing against Matteo Arnaldi of Italy during the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Novak Djokovic of Serbia waves to the crowd after losing against Matteo Arnaldi of Italy during the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

After losing a second straight opening match and three in a row overall, Novak Djokovic said he was facing a “new reality” in his two decades of pro tennis.
Djokovic's public coming to terms with his rare losing streak came after he fell in straight sets to Matteo Arnaldi in his first match of the Madrid Open on Saturday, The Associated Press reported.
The 37-year-old Djokovic came to Spain after also losing his opener to Alejandro Tabilo at the Monte Carlo Masters two weeks ago and, before that, the Miami Open final.
“I was hoping I can play one more match than I played in Monte Carlo. (It's) kind of a new reality for me, I have to say, trying to win a match or two, not really thinking about getting far in the tournament," Djokovic said.
The struggles by the winner of 24 Grand Slam titles coincide with the start of the clay-court swing culminating in the French Open next month.
“It’s a completely different feeling from what I had in 20-plus years of professional tennis,” he said. “It’s a challenge for me mentally to really face these kinds of sensations on the court, going out early now regularly in tournaments.”
Arnaldi won 6-3, 6-4, delaying Djokovic’s search for a career 100th title. The Serb was undermined by 32 unforced errors to his opponent's 18 and had his serve broken three times.
It was the first meeting between Djokovic and 44th-ranked Arnaldi of Italy.
“He’s my idol, he’s always been,” Arnaldi said of Djokovic. “To play him at a stage like this was already a victory for me. He’s not at his best right now, so I came on court to try to play my best tennis and win and it happened.”
Arnaldi raised his arms and turned to the crowd after striking a winner that gave him a second-set break. Djokovic tried to hit right back and had three break points, but Arnaldi rallied to save his serve and finished off the three-time champion.
He wrote “OMG” (Oh my god) on the camera when given the marker for the now customary message by the winner to the television audience.
Djokovic is still seeking his first title of the season after winning his 99th title last August at the Paris Olympics. He has lost four finals since then. The only two players to reach the 100-title milestone are Jimmy Connors (109) and Roger Federer (103).
Arnaldi will next face Damir Dzumhur after he rallied past Sebastian Baez 1-6, 6-1, 6-2.
The sixth-seeded Alex de Minaur beat Lorenzo Sonego 6-2, 6-3 and moves on to play Denis Shapovalov after the Canadian defeated Kei Nishikori 6-1, 6-4.
Stefanos Tsitsipas fought back against Jan-Lennard Struff 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 and will face 10th-seeded Loranzo Musetti, who beat Tomas Martin Etcheverry 7-6 (3), 6-2.
Cameron Norrie also came back to down Jiri Lehecka 2-6, 6-4, 6-0. He will play Gabriel Diallo.
Other winners included fifth-seeded Jack Draper and 15th-seeded Grigor Dimitrov.
Second-seeded Iga Swiatek saw off Linda Noskova 6-4, 6-2 as the defending champion advanced to the round of 16.
Swiatek will play Diana Shnaider in the quarterfinals.
Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva advanced to the last 16 for the third straight year by defeating Magdalena Frech 7-5, 6-3.
The 17-year-old Andreeva, ranked No. 7, has yet to lose before the Madrid fourth round.
She reached that stage for the first time in 2023 while playing as a wild card in her second WTA main draw. Last year, her first big quarterfinals came in the Spanish capital.
“I was very, very nervous,” Andreeva said. “I still struggle to find my best tennis in Madrid. Super happy that I could manage to play consistent throughout the whole match.”
Andreeva, who will turn 18 on Tuesday, will next face Ukrainian qualifier Yuliia Starodubtseva, who defeated 18th-seeded Liudmila Samsonova in three sets.
Americans Coco Gauff and Madison Keys also advanced with straight-set wins.
Fourth-seeded Gauff beat compatriot Ann Li 6-2, 6-3, while the fifth-seeded Keys edged Anna Kalinskaya 7-5, 7-6 (3).