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Ogier Wins Record-equaling Ninth World Rally Title at Jeddah Finale

French driver Sebastien Ogier and his French co-driver Vincent Landais compete in their Toyota GR Yaris during stage 5 of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) in Jeddah on November 27, 2025. (AFP)
French driver Sebastien Ogier and his French co-driver Vincent Landais compete in their Toyota GR Yaris during stage 5 of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) in Jeddah on November 27, 2025. (AFP)
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Ogier Wins Record-equaling Ninth World Rally Title at Jeddah Finale

French driver Sebastien Ogier and his French co-driver Vincent Landais compete in their Toyota GR Yaris during stage 5 of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) in Jeddah on November 27, 2025. (AFP)
French driver Sebastien Ogier and his French co-driver Vincent Landais compete in their Toyota GR Yaris during stage 5 of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) in Jeddah on November 27, 2025. (AFP)

Toyota's Sebastien Ogier secured a record-equaling ninth world rally title in Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah on Saturday to equal the tally of fellow Frenchman Sebastien Loeb and become the sport's oldest champion at 41. 

Loeb won his nine titles successively between 2004 and 2012 with Citroen. 

Ogier won six titles consecutively from 2013-18 and added two more in 2020 and 2021. He has found success with three different manufacturers -- Volkswagen, Ford and Toyota. 

He had announced his intention to retire from full-time rallying at the end of 2021 but has continued part-time and won his latest title despite being absent from three of the 14 rounds, winning six. 

The Frenchman will be 42 on December 17 and is now the oldest driver to win the world championship. The previous oldest was Finland's Hannu Mikkola at 41 years and 183 days in 1983. 

FIRST TITLE FOR CO-DRIVER LANDAIS 

"What a season, that's for sure," Ogier said after finishing third in Jeddah with Evans sixth. 

"What a fight with Elfyn and (co-driver) Scott (Martin). They have been super strong pushing us to the limit up to the very last stage of the year." 

The title was a first for Ogier's co-driver Vincent Landais, who teamed up with him in 2022. 

Evans, who had hoped to become the first British champion since Richard Burns in 2001 and started the rally three points clear, took five bonus points from the final Power stage but Ogier was second in that to limit the damage. 

"It was a tough event obviously," said the Welshman, championship runner-up for a fifth time in his career. 

"I think we did what we could in reason. A puncture on Saturday morning didn't help but that's the name of the game, everybody's had their fair share of issues." 

The rally was won by Hyundai's outgoing champion Thierry Neuville, with the Belgian finishing 54.7 seconds clear of French teammate Adrien Fourmaux. 

Toyota's double world champion Kalle Rovanpera, who was also mathematically still in title contention at the start of the event, finished seventh. 

The Finn is now leaving rallying to start a new career in single-seater circuit racing, with his eyes on a possible future in endurance or even Formula One. 

Saudi Arabia was making its debut on the world championship calendar as the first round staged in the Middle East since Jordan in 2011. 

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Sports

‘Top-Quality’ Egypt Not at World Cup to Make Up the Numbers, Coach Says

Emam Ashour (R) of Egypt celebrates with teammate Mohamed Salah (L) after scoring the opening goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage match Belgium against Egypt, in Seattle, USA, 15 June 2026. (EPA)
Emam Ashour (R) of Egypt celebrates with teammate Mohamed Salah (L) after scoring the opening goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage match Belgium against Egypt, in Seattle, USA, 15 June 2026. (EPA)
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‘Top-Quality’ Egypt Not at World Cup to Make Up the Numbers, Coach Says

Emam Ashour (R) of Egypt celebrates with teammate Mohamed Salah (L) after scoring the opening goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage match Belgium against Egypt, in Seattle, USA, 15 June 2026. (EPA)
Emam Ashour (R) of Egypt celebrates with teammate Mohamed Salah (L) after scoring the opening goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage match Belgium against Egypt, in Seattle, USA, 15 June 2026. (EPA)

Egypt are not at the World Cup to make up the numbers and showed their potential and quality players in Monday's 1-1 draw with Belgium, coach Hossam Hassan said, after they came agonizingly close to their dream of a first win in the showpiece event.

The Pharaohs went ahead with a brilliant 20th-minute strike from Emam Ashour and were a handful for the Belgians, who levelled in the 66th minute when record scorer Romelu Lukaku, a little over 20 seconds after entering the game, forced an own goal from Mohamed Hany.

"I'm not the one ‌to talk ‌about Egypt's stature. The players are top quality, and we ‌have ⁠two of the ⁠best players in the world with us. They give us motivation," he said of captain Mohamed Salah and striker Omar Marmoush.

"We are definitely not here just to make up the numbers. The win was in our hands today."

Playing in their fourth World Cup, Egypt are chasing their best-ever showing and got their campaign off to an impressive start in Seattle, registering 14 goal attempts and going toe-to-toe with one ⁠of the top-ranked sides.

"This was our priority, our number one ‌focus. We were not thinking about anything else," ‌Hassan said.

"But the draw is a win actually, a draw against such a rival, ‌a big rival. They have big, big players."

SALAH, MARMOUSH 'FEROCIOUS' FOR PHARAOHS

Hassan defended his ‌decision to substitute captain and goal machine Salah when the scores were level and praised him and Marmoush for what he called excellent performances.

"We do not rely on a single player but on a collective 26," he said. "Salah, Marmoush, they give it their all, they ‌were really, really giving everything with their ferocious transitions."

Egypt's best run at the World Cup was in 1990, where ⁠they came away ⁠with two draws and a defeat, with coach Hassan himself in the side.

Egypt's participation in this World Cup went beyond the tournament, he said, and was part of a drive to reinvent the national team and make them believe they can be contenders in world football.

"We are 120 million people in Egypt so of course we need to have a strong squad, of course we have ambition, of course we need to represent all of these people," he said.

"I told them that we have to have a new national identity for our national squad ... we try to work on the mindset of the players, prepare our players and try to build their confidence that they are a strong team."

Egypt face New Zealand and Iran in their other Group G matches.

Sports

Iran Draw 2-2 with New Zealand in Politically Charged World Cup Clash in LA

Iran forward Mohammad Mohebi celebrates after scoring a goal in the second half during the FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage match Iran against New Zealand, in Los Angeles, USA, 15 June 2026. (EPA)
Iran forward Mohammad Mohebi celebrates after scoring a goal in the second half during the FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage match Iran against New Zealand, in Los Angeles, USA, 15 June 2026. (EPA)
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Iran Draw 2-2 with New Zealand in Politically Charged World Cup Clash in LA

Iran forward Mohammad Mohebi celebrates after scoring a goal in the second half during the FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage match Iran against New Zealand, in Los Angeles, USA, 15 June 2026. (EPA)
Iran forward Mohammad Mohebi celebrates after scoring a goal in the second half during the FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage match Iran against New Zealand, in Los Angeles, USA, 15 June 2026. (EPA)

Iran twice came from behind to draw 2-2 with New Zealand in an exciting World Cup clash at Los Angeles Stadium on Monday, as protests against Tehran's government and a tentative agreement to end the US-Iran war formed a charged backdrop to the match.

New Zealand took an early lead when Elijah Just volleyed home from inside the box after being set up by Chris Wood.

The goal was celebrated by some fans critical of the Iranian government, many of whom carried Iran's pre-revolutionary Lion and Sun flag. Some also booed Iran's national anthem before kickoff.

But most of the crowd of more than 70,000 appeared ‌firmly behind Team ‌Melli, chanting "Ir-ran! Ir-ran!" and erupting when Ramin Rezaeian equalized shortly after ‌the ⁠half-hour mark.

Rezaeian, one ⁠of several Iran players who had not played club football since February after the domestic league was suspended amid US and Israeli airstrikes, reacted quickest to a shot blocked by a defender and poked the ball past the advancing goalkeeper.

Wood and Just combined again early in the second half, the New Zealand captain sliding a precise pass into the 26-year-old forward's path before Just hammered home to restore the All Whites' lead.

Iran responded 10 minutes later with a super goal from Mohammad Mohebbi, ⁠who headed Rezaeian's perfect cross in off the far post to make ‌it 2-2.

Iran created better chances leading up to the ‌final whistle but were unable to find a winner as the sun set over Southern California.

GROUP G ALL ‌SQUARE

The stalemate means all the teams in Group G have one point after Belgium drew ‌1-1 with Egypt earlier on Monday.

New Zealand, making their third appearance at the finals, remain without a win at a World Cup after seven matches. Iran are looking to reach the knockout round for the first time.

"We're disappointed to not win," New Zealand coach Darren Bazeley said.

"When you're leading twice in a game ‌you come away with that what if. We were probably as close as we've ever been to winning a game at the World ⁠Cup and we couldn't ⁠quite do that today.

"But we're in the World Cup, we didn't lose, we stayed in the game, scored goals and created chances, so it was a really strong performance I'm really proud of."

PROTESTERS CALL OUT IRANIAN GOVERNMENT

The match laid bare divisions among Iranian American fans, many of whom said they felt torn between pride at seeing Iran on the sport's biggest stage, anger over Tehran's crackdown on protesters and concern over Washington's bombing campaign.

Los Angeles is home to the world's largest Iranian diaspora and before kickoff, about 300 to 500 protesters gathered outside the stadium, waving anti-government signs and flags.

Some Iranian Americans said attending the match would imply support for Iran's government, while others said they wanted to set politics aside and support the players.

Iran, who moved their base camp from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana, Mexico, where they have been warmly received, will return to Los Angeles to face Belgium on Sunday when New Zealand take on Egypt in Vancouver.

Sports

Saudi Coach Donis Laments Lack of Time with Squad After Uruguay Fightback

Saudi Arabia's Greek head coach Giorgos Donis talks to his forward #09 Feras Al-Brikan at the end of the 2026 World Cup Group H football match between Saudi Arabia and Uruguay at the Miami Stadium in Miami Gardens on June 15, 2026. (AFP)
Saudi Arabia's Greek head coach Giorgos Donis talks to his forward #09 Feras Al-Brikan at the end of the 2026 World Cup Group H football match between Saudi Arabia and Uruguay at the Miami Stadium in Miami Gardens on June 15, 2026. (AFP)
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Saudi Coach Donis Laments Lack of Time with Squad After Uruguay Fightback

Saudi Arabia's Greek head coach Giorgos Donis talks to his forward #09 Feras Al-Brikan at the end of the 2026 World Cup Group H football match between Saudi Arabia and Uruguay at the Miami Stadium in Miami Gardens on June 15, 2026. (AFP)
Saudi Arabia's Greek head coach Giorgos Donis talks to his forward #09 Feras Al-Brikan at the end of the 2026 World Cup Group H football match between Saudi Arabia and Uruguay at the Miami Stadium in Miami Gardens on June 15, 2026. (AFP)

Saudi Arabia coach Georgios Donis said ‌he had not been in charge long enough to ensure the squad have the tactical flexibility needed to deal with an experienced Uruguay side after their 1-1 draw with the South Americans at the World Cup on Monday.

Donis replaced Herve Renard in late April and their Group H opener at Miami Stadium was his first competitive game with the team after three pre-tournament friendlies.

"For us, within three weeks we've been trying to set up our game, build up our game and have a better spirit," said Donis.

"When we're faced with certain opponents, getting one point ‌is a positive ‌event and this is a booster for our ‌psychology.

"Currently ⁠I'm trying to ⁠learn my team, I'm trying to learn my players and get to know them. I see how they react and behave and what I've seen is that, due to the lack of time, we cannot be flexible during the match.

"We know how to play 4-4-2 or 4-3-2-1, but we must be able to play with three midfielders or with five ⁠defenders. At the moment, unfortunately, we're not that flexible. ‌It takes time to get to ‌know how to do it."

The Saudis were on top for much of the ‌first half and took the lead in the 41st minute when Abdulelah ‌Alamri capitalized on an error by Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera.

Uruguay dominated after the interval and forced the Saudis to defend deep. With 10 minutes remaining, Maxi Araujo slid in to score a deserved equalizer.

"We can say in the ‌first half we had good control over the play and we had opportunities to score without being very ⁠decisive," said ⁠Donis.

"In the second half, if someone analyses it, one can say that a possible scenario was that we had the lead and we thought mostly defensive. We had already scored and we wanted to keep that.

"Were we, perhaps, tired in the second half? It appeared to be that in the second half we didn't have the same intensity. Our opponent was able to go deeper into our half.

"We didn't show enough self-confidence to keep possession of the ball in order to change their tempo, so that meant that we had pressure near our box. Thankfully, we had an excellent goalkeeper and an excellent defense today.

"I'm trying to learn my team better and to see how we think."