Saudi Arabia to host new AFC Champions League Elite finals for initial two years from 2025

01.12.2023 - 10:41 thenationalnews.com

Saudi Arabia has been confirmed as host of the first two editions of the new AFC Champions League Elite finals, a revamp of continent’s premier club competition that the Asian Football Confederation labelled on Friday the “most strategic and game-changing reforms ever to be introduced in the history of the Asian club game”.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said the Saudi Arabian Football Federation won the bid to stage the new tournament ahead of the Iraq Football Association "after evaluating the infrastructure and accommodation requirements”.

The revised competition, which replaces the existing Asian Champions League, will begin in September next year with the continent’s top 24 clubs divided into two leagues of 12 across the East and West regions.

Teams will compete home and away for a spot in the last 16, with the eight winners advancing to a centralised final phase in Saudi Arabia.

Football FIFA awards country stage Saudi Arabia Iraq

LONDON: Pep Guardiola says Erling Haaland is a doubt for the Club World Cup, with the striker set to miss Manchester City’s home game against Crystal Palace on Saturday.

AC Milan beat Newcastle 2-1 but both teams are eliminated from the Champions League

NEWCASTLE, England: AC Milan and Newcastle were eliminated from the Champions League on Wednesday after the Italian team’s 2-1 win at St. James’ Park that ensured Paris Saint-Germain and Kylian Mbappé qualified for the round of 16 instead. Milan at least claimed the consolation prize of dropping into the Europa League playoff round after Samuel Chukwueze’s 84th-minute winner lifted last season’s Champions League semifinalist above Newcastle into third place in Group F. Milan joined PSG on eight points after the six group games, but finished behind the French team courtesy of an inferior head-to-head record. “It’s a massive accomplishment,” said Christian Pulisic, who equalized for Milan in the 59th minute to become the first US international to score for three different teams in the Champions League, after Borussia Dortmund and Chelsea. “We have a chance to win a great competition.

Lluis Cortes unveiled as new Saudi Arabia women’s national team head coach

RIYADH: The Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) has announced the appointment of Lluis Cortes as the new women’s national team head coach. The Spaniard succeeds Rosa Lappi-Seppala on a four-year contract until 2027 and was unveiled at an official ceremony in Riyadh this afternoon.

Shakhtar Donetsk turn to Saudi Arabia for financial boost amid ongoing instability

Shakhtar Donetsk is planning to turn to Saudi Arabia for financial help as the Ukrainian club seeks ways to safeguard its future, according to CEO Serhii Palkin.

Saudi Arabia ready to host 2034 World Cup: Sports minister

LONDON: Saudi Sports Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal has talked up the sporting and economic opportunities of the Kingdom hosting the 2034 FIFA World Cup, saying his country is ready to host the world’s biggest sporting event. In an interview with the BBC, he raised the prospect of the Kingdom hosting the competition in the summer rather than the winter, noted the importance of sport in a country where the majority of citizens are below the age of 30, and discussed the progress made by the Saudi Pro League. The government has invested over £5 billion ($6.26 billion) in sports since 2021 as part of the Vision 2030 strategy to diversify the economy away from dependence on fossil fuels. With the FIFA Club World Cup set to begin in the Kingdom next month, Prince Abdulaziz said Saudi Arabia is more than ready to host the biggest prize in football. “We’ve showcased that — we’ve hosted more than 85 global events and we’ve delivered on the highest level,” he said. “We want to attract the world through sports.

Next Gen Finals just the start for Saudi Arabia’s grand tennis plans

Saudi Tennis Federation President Arij Mutabagani cannot stop smiling as she reflects on the recently concluded Next Gen ATP Finals in Jeddah — the first officially sanctioned tennis tournament to take place in the Kingdom.