Saudi Arabia submits letter of intent to host 2034 World Cup
Saudi Arabia announced it took the second step to bid for 2034 World Cup by submitting a letter of intent to host the event to world soccer governing body FIFA on Monday.
Yasser Al-Misehal Sport News
SAFF: Saudi Arabia hosting 2034 World Cup 'is what dreams are made of for all generations'
Hosting the 2034 World Cup will be Saudi Arabia’s “invitation to the world to witness its development experience, welcoming society, culture and heritage and become part of its history”, said the president of the kingdom’s football association.
South Korea thump Thailand 4-0 to reach Asian Games last 16
HANGZHOU, China: Defending Asian Games men’s football champions South Korea became the first team into the last 16 after a 4-0 cruise past Thailand on Thursday. Hosts China and North Korea also registered second successive wins and both need only a point from their final group games on Sunday to guarantee a place in the knockout phase. South Korea raced into a 4-0 lead by half-time at the Jinhua Sports Center stadium via a goal apiece for Hong Hyun-seok, An Jae-jun, Um Wong-san and Lee Jae-ik. It sparked thoughts that the gold medal winners from Jakarta in 2018 might repeat their 9-0 opening game rout of Kuwait on Tuesday, but the Thais were more resolute in the second half. China had a sizeable crowd at the Huanglong Sports Center Stadium rocking by half-time as they also went 4-0 up before the break against Myanmar. Two goals from Long Tan and one apiece from Dai Wenjun and Wang Zhenao put them into cruise control and though they peppered the Myanmar goal in the second half they, like the South Koreans, could not add to their score. Earlier on Thursday, India kept their last-16 hopes alive by edging Bangladesh 1-0 with a goal from 39-year-old striker Sunil Chhetri. “I feel relief that we gave ourselves a chance to stay in the tournament,” said the veteran. India lost their opening game 5-1 to China on Tuesday but can still go through from Group A if they beat Myanmar on Sunday. “It wasn’t easy, playing back-to-back in two days, and in three days we have a game again.
German court orders new assault trial for footballer Boateng
MUNICH, Germany: A German court on Thursday threw out the assault conviction of footballer Jerome Boateng for attacking his ex-girlfriend in 2018 and ordered a new trial. In a legal odyssey now on its third ruling, the superior regional court in Munich decided in favor of Boateng’s appeal, that of his alleged victim as well as state prosecutors’, citing procedural errors. “The responsible tribunal will begin again with the taking of evidence,” the court said in a statement. If it sides with the plaintiff, the new court could level a more severe sentence than the 1.2-million-euro ($1.3-million) fine Boateng was ordered to pay in November 2022. Boateng was found guilty in 2021 of assaulting and insulting his former partner, the mother of his twin daughters, during a Caribbean holiday five years ago. The footballer had always denied the allegations and sought an acquittal on appeal. The district court in Munich confirmed he was guilty last November but reduced the original fine — calculated according to the accused’s net income — to 1.2 million euros from 1.8 million euros. During the initial trial, Boateng’s former partner told the court that Germany’s 2014 World Cup winner had punched her, causing her to lose her breath for a moment during a heated argument. The incident happened in the weeks after the World Cup in Russia, when Boateng was in the Germany squad which was knocked out in the group stage. Boateng’s former partner described how he “pressed against my eye with his thumb, bit me in the head and pulled me to the floor by my hair.” She said the now 35-year-old repeatedly insulted her and hit her on the back with “one strong punch and several light punches.” In the latest appeals, the Munich court agreed with
Pay dispute between England women’s international players and FA appears to be resolved
LONDON: Players from the England women’s team appear to have reached an agreement with the country’s soccer federation regarding a dispute over bonuses and commercial structures. England captain Millie Bright said at a news conference on Thursday that the players “feel really confident moving forward about the structure we now have in place” with the Football Association. Exact details of the agreement have yet to be officially announced. In a statement released before the recent Women’s World Cup in Australia, the England squad expressed disappointment at the dispute having not been resolved before the tournament and said the players had decided to pause talks with the intention of revisiting them. Players from teams at the World Cup were due to receive individual payments directly from FIFA for the first time, ranging from $30,000 to $270,00 depending on what stage of the tournament they reached. England players didn’t receive any payments from the FA, reportedly because the governing body perceived payments coming from FIFA to be enough. There is also believed to be frustration over a commercial strategy which players feel limits their ability to earn extra money from sponsorship. “We’ve had a really good conversation with the FA,” Bright said.
Biggest-ever Asian Games ready for liftoff in China after COVID delay
HANGZHOU: The biggest Asian Games in history, boasting about 12,000 competitors — more than the Olympics — will open on Saturday in the Chinese city of Hangzhou after a year’s delay because of COVID.
Italy rebound to blow out Uruguay at the Rugby World Cup
NICE: Italy rebounded from a 10-point halftime deficit to blow away Uruguay 38-17 on Wednesday and set up a potentially decisive clash against New Zealand at the Rugby World Cup.
Bayern beat Man United as Real Madrid, Arsenal triumph in Champions League
PARIS: Harry Kane was among the scorers as Bayern Munich beat Manchester United 4-3 in their heavyweight Champions League clash on Wednesday, while Jude Bellingham snatched a dramatic late winner for Real Madrid and Arsenal began their campaign with a big victory.