Iran face a challenging second game against Wales, who had managed to hold off the USA to a draw on the sixth day of the Qatar World Cup. Team Melli will desperately need to secure a win after their 6-2 defeat to England earlier this week, but face a c…
Arab fan support key for Tunisia vs. Australia at World Cup
Expect “TUN-is, TUN-is, TUN-is” chants to reverberete around the Al Janoub stadium as Tunisia enjoys overwhelming home-like support when it takes on Australia in each team’s second match at the World Cup on Saturday. One of the four Arab teams at the f…
Iran reporter attacks ‘hypocrisy’ at England press event
An Iranian reporter hit back at Western ‘hypocrisy’ surrounding the World Cup in a question posed to the coach of England’s national team, Gareth Southgate. The reporter told Southgate during a press conference ahead of England’s Group B opener match a…
Algeria increases military spending in biggest budget ever
Algerian lawmakers passed the country’s biggest-ever annual budget on Tuesday, which included increased defence spending. A majority of lawmakers voted to pass the 13.786 trillion Algerian Dinar (US$99 billion) budget for 2023. About 3.186 trillion Din…
Iran team could be punished for not singing national anthem
Iran’s football team could face repercussions for not singing the national anthem during a World Cup opening game against England with one lawmaker saying the government should “never allow anyone to insult our anthem”. The footballers stayed silent du…
Palestinians, Israelis react to 2022 World Cup coverage
The 2022 World Cup in Qatar is more than a super football event. In addition to the talk about the beautiful game, issues of world importance are raised and discussed—the perception of the Middle East in the eyes of different nationalities, media cover…
Manchester United owners consider sale as Ronaldo exits
Manchester United’s owners said Tuesday they were ready to sell the club, potentially bringing down the curtain on an acrimonious 17 years under the Glazer family. On a tumultuous day for the English giants, it was earlier revealed that star player Cri…
Saudi Arabia’s Renard not dwelling on ‘crazy’ World Cup win
Saudi Arabia’s French coach Herve Renard warned his players not to celebrate for too long after their “totally crazy” 2-1 win against Argentina in their World Cup opener on Tuesday. The Saudis bounced back from conceding an early Lionel Messi penalty t…
Qatar 2022 World Cup: Fan Villages and Floating Hotels
More than 1.2 million people from around the world are visiting Qatar for the 2022 World Cup, which kicked off on November 20. Providing accommodation for these fans initially presented a major logistical challenge, but one that the Supreme Committee f…
Yusra Mardini on swimming through prejudice and exploitation
Have you ever had a nightmare so horrific that you felt relief when you woke up? When you’re about to die but your body jumps and suddenly, you’re home and safe? What if it wasn’t a dream? What if you found yourself in the middle of unforgiving, perilo…