Saudi Arabia and Qatar to host football World Cup playoffs
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia and Qatar will host the Asian qualifying playoffs for the 2026 World Cup, the Asian Football Confederation said on Friday.
The third and fourth-placed teams from the qualifiers that ended last week — Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Iraq, Oman, Qatar and the UAE — will form two groups of three teams and play from Oct. 8 to 14. The draw will take place on July 17.
Group winners will take the two remaining automatic places at the World Cup finals in the US, Canada and Mexico. The runners-up from each group will play two matches on Nov. 13 and 18, with the winners qualifying for the inter-confederation playoffs
Meanwhile this year's Saudi Super Cup featuring Al-Ittihad, Al-Qadisiyah, Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr will be held in Hong Kong, football chiefs said on Friday. Matches will take place from Aug. 19-23 at the 40,000-seat Hong Kong Stadium.
'This represents a qualitative shift for the tournament, which has achieved remarkable success,' Saudi Football Federation secretary general Ibrahim Al-Qassim said.
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Arab News
23 minutes ago
- Arab News
Formula 1 turbocharges Saudi economic diversification drive
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This global expansion reflects the sport's soaring popularity, especially among younger audiences and emerging markets. Saudi Arabia has managed to secure a long-term position in that landscape. Yaseen Ghulam, associate professor of economics and director of research at Al-Yamamah University However, the report emphasized that the success of a modern motorsport circuit relies not only on financial investment but also on innovation in fan engagement, race operations, and digital broadcasting to ensure long-term success. With the Kingdom and the wider region increasing their investment in motorsports, new opportunities for economic growth and innovation are unfolding. 'As Saudi Arabia and the broader MENA region invest in motorsports and advanced racing technologies, the opportunity to commercialize and expand these innovations into other industries grows exponentially,' the PwC's report said. 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Arab News
11 hours ago
- Arab News
Nour Al-Fliti looking to hand Hattan Alsaif first MMA loss
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Arab News
21 hours ago
- Arab News
Promotional tour for Alvarez and Crawford's ‘Fight of the Century' gets underway in Riyadh
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