Arsenal, Tottenham to Play Pre-season North London Derby in Hong Kong

This photo shows a general view from inside the Kai Tak Sports stadium, a multi-purpose sports venue at the site of the former Kai Tak Airport in Kowloon, on the first day of the 2025 Rugby Sevens Hong Kong tournament on March 28, 2025. (Photo by Peter PARKS / AFP)
This photo shows a general view from inside the Kai Tak Sports stadium, a multi-purpose sports venue at the site of the former Kai Tak Airport in Kowloon, on the first day of the 2025 Rugby Sevens Hong Kong tournament on March 28, 2025. (Photo by Peter PARKS / AFP)
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Arsenal, Tottenham to Play Pre-season North London Derby in Hong Kong

This photo shows a general view from inside the Kai Tak Sports stadium, a multi-purpose sports venue at the site of the former Kai Tak Airport in Kowloon, on the first day of the 2025 Rugby Sevens Hong Kong tournament on March 28, 2025. (Photo by Peter PARKS / AFP)
This photo shows a general view from inside the Kai Tak Sports stadium, a multi-purpose sports venue at the site of the former Kai Tak Airport in Kowloon, on the first day of the 2025 Rugby Sevens Hong Kong tournament on March 28, 2025. (Photo by Peter PARKS / AFP)

Arsenal will play Tottenham in a pre-season friendly in Hong Kong, the first North London derby to be held outside the United Kingdom, the clubs said Monday, while Liverpool will meet AC Milan.

The London rivals will play at the southern Chinese city's new 50,000-capacity Kai Tak Stadium on July 31.

"Playing against Tottenham Hotspur in the magnificent new Kai Tak Stadium will be a great experience for both teams and supporters, and will be a very important part of our pre-season preparations ahead of the new season," AFP quoted Arsenal's managing director Richard Garlick as saying.

Liverpool will play Serie A giants Milan on July 26 at the same stadium.

It will be a replay of the classic 2005 Champions League final, which the Reds won on penalties after being 3-0 down at half-time.

Arne Slot's Liverpool are likely to head to Hong Kong as Premier League champions -- they are currently 12 points clear with nine games left.

Liverpool will also travel to Japan for the first time during pre-season, the club said, without giving dates.

Hong Kong this month officially opened a major $3.85 billion sports park with futuristic Kai Tak Stadium the centerpiece of it.

The stadium saw its first major event at the weekend when it hosted the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens with more than 110,000 spectators attending over three days.

It is all part of efforts to restore the city's image, which took a battering after political protests and a Beijing-imposed national security law.

Visitor numbers to Hong Kong also plummeted during almost three years of strict Covid curbs and have only recently begun to recover.



Crippa, Demise Claim Paris Marathon Victories

Athletics - Paris Marathon - Paris, France - April 12, 2026 Italy's Yemaneberhan Crippa and Ethiopia's Shure Demise celebrate on the podium after winning the men's and women's elite race respectively REUTERS/Tom Nicholson
Athletics - Paris Marathon - Paris, France - April 12, 2026 Italy's Yemaneberhan Crippa and Ethiopia's Shure Demise celebrate on the podium after winning the men's and women's elite race respectively REUTERS/Tom Nicholson
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Crippa, Demise Claim Paris Marathon Victories

Athletics - Paris Marathon - Paris, France - April 12, 2026 Italy's Yemaneberhan Crippa and Ethiopia's Shure Demise celebrate on the podium after winning the men's and women's elite race respectively REUTERS/Tom Nicholson
Athletics - Paris Marathon - Paris, France - April 12, 2026 Italy's Yemaneberhan Crippa and Ethiopia's Shure Demise celebrate on the podium after winning the men's and women's elite race respectively REUTERS/Tom Nicholson

Italy's Yemaneberhan Crippa won the Paris marathon on Sunday, while Ethiopia's Shure Demise claimed victory in the women's category in a new course record.

The Ethiopian-born Crippa, 29, clocked a personal best of 2hr 05min 16sec for the win in the French capital.

Bayelign Teshager of Ethiopia finished second, just five seconds off Crippa, with Kenya's Sila Kiptoo rounding off the podium (2:05:26).

The women's race saw 30-year-old Demise smash the course record by more than a minute.

She won in 2:18:33 ahead of compatriot Misgane Alemayehu (2:19:06) and Kenya's Magdalyne Masai (2:19:18).


Belgium Shock United States to Reach Billie Jean King Cup Finals

Czech Republic's Marie Bouzkova (R) and team captain Barbora Strycova celebrate winning their Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers round between Switzerland and Czech Republic in Biel, Switzerland, 11 April 2026. EPA/PETER SCHNEIDER
Czech Republic's Marie Bouzkova (R) and team captain Barbora Strycova celebrate winning their Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers round between Switzerland and Czech Republic in Biel, Switzerland, 11 April 2026. EPA/PETER SCHNEIDER
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Belgium Shock United States to Reach Billie Jean King Cup Finals

Czech Republic's Marie Bouzkova (R) and team captain Barbora Strycova celebrate winning their Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers round between Switzerland and Czech Republic in Biel, Switzerland, 11 April 2026. EPA/PETER SCHNEIDER
Czech Republic's Marie Bouzkova (R) and team captain Barbora Strycova celebrate winning their Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers round between Switzerland and Czech Republic in Biel, Switzerland, 11 April 2026. EPA/PETER SCHNEIDER

Belgium knocked out 18-times champions the US to qualify for the Billie Jean King Cup Finals on Saturday, as Britain, Italy, Kazakhstan, Spain, Ukraine and Czech Republic also secured places in the season-ending team event alongside hosts China.

Belgium sealed qualification in Ostend, where world number 149 Greet Minnen completed the upset with a 7-5 6-3 victory over Iva Jovic, sending her team back to the finals for the first time since 2022.

Britain booked their spot with a 3-1 win against Australia in Melbourne, wrapping up the tie with victory in the doubles after taking a commanding 2-0 lead from ⁠Friday’s singles matches.

Harriet ⁠Dart and Jodie Burrage sealed the contest with a 6-3 6-4 win over Storm Hunter and Ellen Perez, ending the Australian pair’s unbeaten doubles run in the Billie Jean King Cup dating back to November 2022.

Champions Italy also progressed after a 3-1 home win over Japan on clay in Velletri. Holding a 2-0 advantage overnight, Jasmine ⁠Paolini and Sara Errani clinched the tie by defeating Shuko Aoyama and Eri Hozumi 6-2 7-5 in the doubles, Reuters reported.

Ukraine booked a return to the finals for a second straight year with a dominant 4-0 victory over Poland in Gliwice.

Lyudmyla Kichenok and Nadiia Kichenok secured the decisive point with a 7-5 6-7(4) 6-3 win over Maja Chwalinska and Martyna Kubka, and then Oleksandra Oliynykova completed a perfect couple of days for Ukraine with a 6-4 6-1 win over Linda Klimovicova.

Spain took an unassailable 3-1 lead against Slovenia in Portoroz, with Aliona Bolsova ⁠and Sara ⁠Sorribes Tormo sealing qualification thanks to a 6-4 6-3 doubles win over Veronika Erjavec and Nika Radisic.

Kazakhstan advanced after Yulia Putintseva outlasted Canada’s Bianca Andreescu in a three-hour and 39-minute singles marathon in Astana.

Putintseva’s 7-6(5) 3-6 7-6(4) victory gave her side an unassailable 3-1 lead in the best-of-five tie.

Elsewhere, Czech Republic defeated Switzerland 3-2, with Marie Bouzkova sealing victory by defeating Viktorija Golubic 7-6(4) 6-3 in the deciding singles.

The Czechs forced a decider after Linda Noskova saved three match points to beat Belinda Bencic 6-3 3-6 7-6(9), before Bouzkova returned to the court to clinch the tie.

The Finals will be held in Shenzhen from September 22-27.


Al-Nassr Break Club Record with 14th Consecutive League Victory

It was Al-Nassr’s 14th straight victory. Photo: Al-Nassr website
It was Al-Nassr’s 14th straight victory. Photo: Al-Nassr website
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Al-Nassr Break Club Record with 14th Consecutive League Victory

It was Al-Nassr’s 14th straight victory. Photo: Al-Nassr website
It was Al-Nassr’s 14th straight victory. Photo: Al-Nassr website

Leaders Al-Nassr claimed their longest-ever Saudi Pro League winning streak with a 2-0 victory at Al-Akhdoud thanks to goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and Joao Felix on Saturday.

Al-Nassr top the standings with 73 points from 28 ⁠games, five ahead ⁠of second-placed Al-Hilal with six games to go.

It was Al-Nassr’s 14th straight victory, which broke their previous ⁠record posted in the 2013-2014 season, the Pro League said on its website.

Ronaldo opened the scoring in the 15th minute with a close-range strike for his 24th goal of the season, three ⁠shy ⁠of Al-Ahli’s league top scorer Ivan Toney.

Joao Felix doubled their advantage two minutes into the second half from close range, capitalizing on a rebound after Kingsley Coman’s header hit the post.