Latest news with #SaudiLeague
Arab News
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Arab News
Twisted Minds top cross-game leaderboard after 19 Saudi eLeague tournaments
RIYADH: Twisted Minds are top of the Saudi eLeagues, the Kingdom's premier esports league, following 19 tournaments in the season so far. Organized by the Saudi Esports Federation and hosted at the SEF Arena in Boulevard Riyadh City, the league brings together Saudi Arabia's top esports clubs competing across multiple games and divisions. So far, more than 40 clubs have competed across a total of 19 tournaments — 14 in the Elite category and five in the Women's division — in the race for points on the coveted Clubs Cross-Game Leaderboard. These points will also determine which teams secure spots in the championship, the league's marquee event where the best teams will clash for the ultimate title and a share of the SR7 million ($1.87 million) prize pool. As the dust settles on the first phase of the season, the leaderboard is beginning to take shape: For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport Each tournament has added its own narrative to the Saudi eLeague, from Overwatch 2, VALORANT and Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 to EA SPORTS FC 25 and battleground drama in PUBG and PUBG MOBILE. Meanwhile, the Women's division has delivered some of the league's most inspiring moments, highlighting the rising skill level and growing depth of talent in Saudi Arabia's esports scene. With the league now at its halfway point, every point earned is a step closer to final success. Twisted Minds may sit top for now, but with Team Falcons and Al-Qadsiah Esports breathing down their necks, the race will continue apace. 'The halfway point of this year's Saudi eLeagues highlights just how extraordinary and competitive this season has been,' said Abdullah Alnasser, head of esports products at the Saudi Esports Federation. 'What sets this year apart from previous seasons is the sheer intensity and depth of competition across all categories. From the Elite tournaments to the Women's division, we've witnessed remarkable growth — not just in the number of clubs participating, but in the level of skill, strategy and determination on display. 'The race for the top is far from over, and every match continues to push the boundaries of what our players and teams can achieve. This season is shaping up to be something truly special, a milestone moment for Saudi esports that reflects the incredible progress of our scene.'
El Chorouk
18-06-2025
- Sport
- El Chorouk
Fennecs' Most Notable Achievements This Season
Algeria's national team stars achieved significant accomplishments during the past season, combining remarkable performances with their various clubs and winning several important titles in multiple championships. Meanwhile, observers anticipate lucrative deals by some of the most prominent names, who are likely to follow in the footsteps of Rayan Ait Nouri, who officially joined Manchester City in a significant deal from both a financial and sporting perspective. Most observers have praised the remarkable prominence of a considerable number of Algerian players in various European and Arab championships, based on their contributions to achieving qualitative results, whether individual or collective, as well as the important offers received by some of the 'Fennec' stars to wear the colors of major clubs in well-known championships, most notably Rayan Ait Nouri, who signed a five-year contract with Manchester City for 35 million euros. Ait Nouri joins the prestigious British club, where former Algeria captain Riyad Mahrez previously excelled before moving to the Saudi League two seasons ago. He becomes the sixth Algerian player to play for Manchester City, following Ali Benarbia, Karim Kerkar, Djamel Belmadi, Djamel Abdoun, and finally Riyad Mahrez. The summer transfer window suggests the possibility of concluding several important deals with Algerian players who have captured the spotlight this season, like Yassine Benzia, who may have moved to the Saudi Pro League, and Ismael Benacer, who is likely to return to the Italian League. Meanwhile, the national championship launched its first export, featuring Paradou AC player and season top scorer Adil Boulbina, who officially joined Qatari club Al-Duhail, which signed the former Algerian team's coach Djamel Belmadi. Nevertheless, several Algerian players crowned champions in various championships during the recent season, reflecting their remarkable prominence, which will open broader horizons for other football talents seeking to impose themselves by excelling at a high level. In this regard, striker Youcef Belaili and defender Mohamed Tougai have excelled with Sportive Esperance of Tunis by winning the Tunisian League twice (championship and cup) and reaching the semi-finals of the CAF Champions League. They are participating in their club in the Club World Cup, alongside two other Algerians: Ramy Bensebaini (Borussia Dortmund) and Rayan Ait Nouri, who recently joined Manchester City. While Riyad Mahrez contributed to the victory of his Saudi club Al-Ahli in the AFC Champions League, Amin Chiakha also won the Danish League and the Cup with his club Copenhagen in his first pro season. Al-Sadd SC won the Qatari Championship, achieving this victory thanks to the significant contributions of three Algerian players: Youcef Atal, Adam Ounas, and Abdessamad Bounacer. Houssem Aouar won two Saudi League titles: the Pro League championship and the King's Cup with his club Al-Ittihad of Jeddah. Yacine Brahimi won the Emir's Cup with his Qatari club Al-Gharafa, while Yassine Benzia won the Azerbaijani Cup with his club Qarabag FK. These significant achievements, according to sports documentation researcher Adel Haddad, have increased the number of Algerian internationals' titles this season to 14, including 11 Arab championships. He explained that the individual prowess of several Fennecs in terms of their scoring instincts, such as Bounedjah in the Saudi League with 19 goals, Belaili in the Tunisian championship (18 goals), and Mahrez in the Saudi League with 17 goals. Not to forget the amazing performance of Algerian players who have each made over 40 appearances for their respective clubs, such as Benzia, Hadjam, Mahrez, Bensebaini, Hadj Moussa, Ait Nouri, and Zerkane. Many observers believe that such numbers and titles will boost the Algerian players' stock in various Arab and European championships, especially since this will open wider horizons for players seeking to establish themselves at a high level, to follow in the footsteps of many of the 'Fennecs' stars, such as Mahrez, Aouar, Ait Nouri, Belaili and others. This makes it an important opportunity to trade the names of many Algerian football stars in the summer transfer market to conclude quality deals that allow them to shine with well-known and prominent clubs and championships.
Miami Herald
18-06-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Underdog Al Hilal secures surprising 1-1 draw against Real Madrid in Club World Cup
Al Hilal's soccer history in Saudi Arabia doesn't sound like the club should be considered an underdog. But on the world stage of the FIFA Club World Cup, and against global powerhouse Real Madrid, the 19-time Saudi League champions had the odds stacked against them. Add to that a raucous Hard Rock Stadium crowd of 62,415, most of which were Real Madrid supporters. None of it fazed Al Hilal, which went toe-to-toe with the Spanish soccer giants all afternoon on Wednesday, and came away with a surprising 1-1 draw in each team's opening match in the Club World Cup. Al Hilal surrendered a first-half goal, but would later convert a penalty kick and stop one of Real Madrid's in the closing moments of the match to secure a valuable point in the Group H standings. The quartet in that group also includes Mexican club, CF Pachuca, and Austrian side, FC Salzburg, who were set to square off on Wednesday night in their opening contest. Al Hilal, which matched up against Real Madrid for the first time since losing to them, 5-3, in the 2023 Club World Cup Final, dueled for nearly 90 minutes to the one goal apiece stalemate before nearly seeing its efforts go to waste. As they tried to clear the ball out of their own penalty area, Al Hilal winger Mohammed Al-Qahtani swung his arm out and elbowed Real Madrid's Fran Garcia just inside the box in the 88th minute. After video-assisted review, Real Madrid was awarded a penalty kick. Al-Qahtani and Ruben Neves were each dealt yellow cards with the latter issued one for arguing with the referee. But Al Hilal's Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Buonou guessed correctly and dove to his right to smother the shot from Real midfielder Federico Valverde two minutes later just as seven minutes of stoppage time began. The sides would end up dueling for over nine minutes of stoppage time before the final whistle blew. Real Madrid played the game shorthanded without French superstar forward Kylian Mbappe, who has been dealing with an illness in recent days. But English midfielder Trent Alexander-Arnold, who was recently signed to a six-year deal after leaving Liverpool, made his team debut. Real Madrid paid Liverpool an $11.4 million transfer fee so he could join the team in time to play in this tournament. Alexander-Arnold started and played the first 65 minutes of the match. Al Hilal was also a bit shorthanded without top scorer Aleksander Mitrovic, who sat out the match with a muscle injury. Mitrovic scored 28 goals in 36 games this season for Al Hilal in the Saudi Pro League. Alexander-Arnold made an immediate impact for Madrid on the right side of their formation alongside Brazilian forward Rodrygo as the two helped produce the first goal and give Real Madrid its only edge, 1-0. In the 34th minute and after getting outplayed for large chunks of the first half by Al Hilal, Madrid struck first when Gonzalo Garcia, who started in place of Mbappe took a perfectly-timed cross from Rodrygo following a strong drive down the middle of the field by Valverde. But when Real Madrid's Raul Asencio fouled Marcos Leonardo inside the penalty area in the 40th minute, Al Hilal drew a chance at the equalizer. Neves made it count as he shot it high and into the upper right corner past Real Madrid keeper Thibaut Courtois to tie the match. 'To make a debut for Real Madrid is something every player dreams of so that was huge for me,' Alexander-Arnold said in a postgame interview with DAZN. 'Of course, there's some disappointment to have not won the game. It's the mentality you need to have is to want and expect to win every game we play in, but there were a lot of positives in the second half.' Al Hilal appeared to score in the 19th minute as Renan Lodi appeared to deliver the match's first goal. But the assistant referee ruled that the former standout for Atletico Madrid was offside. Al Hilal had slightly more possession (45 percent) than Real Madrid (43 percent) even though Madrid outshot Al Hilal 20-13 overall, and 8-2 on shots on target. Al Hilal played with a very diverse roster as only three of its starters are from Saudi Arabia. The other eight come from Brazil, Portugal, Serbia, Canada and Senegal. The game also represented a potentially fresh start for each club with their head coaches directing their respective teams for the first time. Former Spanish national team standout Xabi Alonso directed Real Madrid for the first time in a match since being hired on May 25 after former coach Carlo Ancelotti left to coach the Brazilian national team. Alonso, who once played for Real Madrid, is back with the club after a successful stint with German club, Bayer Leverkusen, which included a Bundesliga title after the 2023-24 season. Al Hilal coach Simone Inzaghi made his club debut after being hired recently as well. Inzaghi led Inter Milan to the Champions League final this season before losing 5-0 to Paris St.-Germain.
Associated Press
10-06-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Jon Rahm: Smaller fields make top 10s easier at LIV Golf
Updated [hour]:[minute] [AMPM] [timezone], [monthFull] [day], [year] OAKMONT, Pa. (AP) — Two-time major champion Jon Rahm comes into the U.S. Open off another top 10 at LIV Golf, which is nothing new. The Spaniard has never come in lower in the 20 events he has finished since joining the Saudi-backed league at the start of last year. Is that a big deal? 'I would happily trade a bunch of them for more wins, that's for sure,' said Rahm, who has two LIV victories but has yet to win this year. 'But I keep putting myself in good position.' One of the criticism of LIV is the 54-man fields over 54 holes, especially with a half-dozen or more considered past their prime and several unproven young players. Rahm delivered some context on his streak. 'Listen, I'm a realist in this case,' he said. 'I've been playing really good golf, yes, but I'd be lying if I said that it wasn't easier to have top 10s with a smaller field. That's just the truth, right? Had I been playing full-field events, would I have top 10 every single week? No. But I've been playing good enough to say that I would most likely have been inside the top 30 every single time and maybe even top 25.' He considered that impressive, and he figures most of those would be top 10s. Rahm tied for eighth last week in Virginia without ever having a serious chance of winning over the final few holes. He said against a full field, he doubts that would have been a top 10. 'I think winning is equally as hard, but you can take advantage of a smaller field to finish higher,' he said. 'As much as I want to give it credit personally for having that many top 10s, I wouldn't always give it as the full amount just knowing that it's a smaller field.' DeChambeau and LIV Bryson DeChambeau says the contract he signed to join Saudi-funded LIV Golf is up next year and he's already looking ahead to a new one. 'We're looking to negotiate end of this year, and I'm very excited. They see the value in me. I see the value in what they can provide, and I believe we'll come to some sort of resolution on that,' DeChambeau said Tuesday. 'Super excited for the future.' LIV contracts are confidential and there has been ample speculation whether the Public Investment Fund will shell out the kind of signing bonuses that helped lure players away from the PGA Tour in 2022. Meanwhile, unification with the PGA Tour and LIV Golf appears at a standstill as PIF officials want any future to include team golf. 'I think that LIV is not going anywhere,' DeChambeau said. He said Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the PIF governor behind the rival league, 'has been steadfast in his belief on team golf, and whether everybody believes in it or not, I think it's a viable option.' DeChambeau believes LIV is going in the right direction and referenced the indoor tech-infused TGL as having teams making money. 'I believe there is a sustainable model out there,' he said. 'How it all works with the game of golf, who knows? But I know my worth.' Xander and YouTube Xander Schauffele might spend less time on his phone than anyone, usually only scrolling through the news. A few weeks ago at the Memorial, during a rapid-fire series of random questions, he was asked who he would take with him on 'The Amazing Race' reality show. 'What's 'The Amazing Race,'' he asked. So when he was told about Tommy Fleetwood's latest venture with YouTube and asked if he would considering doing something like that, Schauffele replied, 'Is that like a serious question?' But he has spent time on YouTube for a reason. Schauffele made his U.S. Open debut in 2017, the year after the Open at Oakmont. What better way to check out the course than watching a U.S. Open at Oakmont? 'I watched some of the '16 coverage on YouTube. I would have watched it on any platform that would have been provided, but I watched some of that coverage there just to see sort of how guys were hitting shots and how the ball was reacting,' Schauffele said. Turns out that wasn't his first experience on YouTube. 'I've been in dark places where I've looked up swing tip things on YouTube as well, trying to make sense of it, just like every golfer has. I'll confess to it,' he said. 'I'm luckily not there anymore, which is probably healthy for myself and my family. 'Yeah, there's a lot on there, I can tell you that much.' Rory and his driver Rory McIlroy expressed concern about his driver after badly missing the cut in the Canadian Open, his last tournament ahead of the U.S. Open. He said he worked at home over the weekend and realized he was using the wrong driver. And he was coy about which one he was using, suggesting that people could always go to the range to find out for themselves. McIlroy got plenty of attention with his driver when it was leaked at the PGA Championship that his driver did not pass inspection. It's a common occurrence, and testing takes place randomly at every major. Scottie Scheffler also had to change drivers after his didn't pass the test. He wound up winning by five shots. So was that a problem for McIlroy at the PGA Championship? 'It wasn't a big deal for Scottie,' McIlroy said. 'So it shouldn't have been a big deal for me.' The best honorary member Dustin Johnson had not played Oakmont since the won the U.S. Open in 2016. That's not to say he hasn't been back to the fabled club. Oakmont Country Club honors its major champions by offering them honorary membership. Johnson went back a few years later for the honor, going to a dinner and getting his green jacket (he got the more famous green jacket a few years later at the Masters). Honorary membership has its privileges that Johnson doesn't use. 'I'm probably their favorite member because I never come,' he said. Oakmont need not to be offended. Johnson was asked how many clubs he had honorary membership and he didn't bother counting. 'Quite a few,' he said. 'And I don't use very many, either.' ___ AP golf:
Arab News
10-06-2025
- Sport
- Arab News
Jon Rahm: Smaller fields make top 10s easier at LIV Golf
OAKMONT, Pennsylvania: Two-time major champion Jon Rahm comes into the US Open off another top 10 at LIV Golf, which is nothing new. The Spaniard has never come in lower in the 20 events he has finished since joining the Saudi-backed league at the start of last year. Is that a big deal? 'I would happily trade a bunch of them for more wins, that's for sure,' said Rahm, who has two LIV victories but has yet to win this year. 'But I keep putting myself in good position.' One of the criticism of LIV is the 54-man fields over 54 holes, especially with a half-dozen or more considered past their prime and several unproven young players. Rahm delivered some context on his streak. 'Listen, I'm a realist in this case,' he said. 'I've been playing really good golf, yes, but I'd be lying if I said that it wasn't easier to have top 10s with a smaller field. That's just the truth, right? Had I been playing full-field events, would I have top 10 every single week? No. But I've been playing good enough to say that I would most likely have been inside the top 30 every single time and maybe even top 25.' He considered that impressive, and he figures most of those would be top 10s. Rahm tied for eighth last week in Virginia without ever having a serious chance of winning over the final few holes. He said against a full field, he doubts that would have been a top 10. 'I think winning is equally as hard, but you can take advantage of a smaller field to finish higher,' he said. 'As much as I want to give it credit personally for having that many top 10s, I wouldn't always give it as the full amount just knowing that it's a smaller field.' DeChambeau and LIV Bryson DeChambeau says the contract he signed to join Saudi-funded LIV Golf is up next year and he's already looking ahead to a new one. 'We're looking to negotiate end of this year, and I'm very excited. They see the value in me. I see the value in what they can provide, and I believe we'll come to some sort of resolution on that,' DeChambeau said Tuesday. 'Super excited for the future.' LIV contracts are confidential and there has been ample speculation whether the Public Investment Fund will shell out the kind of signing bonuses that helped lure players away from the PGA Tour in 2022. Meanwhile, unification with the PGA Tour and LIV Golf appears at a standstill as PIF officials want any future to include team golf. 'I think that LIV is not going anywhere,' DeChambeau said. He said Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the PIF governor behind the rival league, 'has been steadfast in his belief on team golf, and whether everybody believes in it or not, I think it's a viable option.' DeChambeau believes LIV is going in the right direction and referenced the indoor tech-infused TGL as having teams making money. 'I believe there is a sustainable model out there,' he said. 'How it all works with the game of golf, who knows? But I know my worth.' Xander and YouTube Xander Schauffele might spend less time on his phone than anyone, usually only scrolling through the news. A few weeks ago at the Memorial, during a rapid-fire series of random questions, he was asked who he would take with him on 'The Amazing Race' reality show. 'What's 'The Amazing Race,'' he asked. So when he was told about Tommy Fleetwood's latest venture with YouTube and asked if he would considering doing something like that, Schauffele replied, 'Is that like a serious question?' But he has spent time on YouTube for a reason. Schauffele made his US Open debut in 2017, the year after the Open at Oakmont. What better way to check out the course than watching a US Open at Oakmont? 'I watched some of the '16 coverage on YouTube. I would have watched it on any platform that would have been provided, but I watched some of that coverage there just to see sort of how guys were hitting shots and how the ball was reacting,' Schauffele said. Turns out that wasn't his first experience on YouTube. 'I've been in dark places where I've looked up swing tip things on YouTube as well, trying to make sense of it, just like every golfer has. I'll confess to it,' he said. 'I'm luckily not there anymore, which is probably healthy for myself and my family. 'Yeah, there's a lot on there, I can tell you that much.' Rory and his driver Rory McIlroy expressed concern about his driver after badly missing the cut in the Canadian Open, his last tournament ahead of the US Open. He said he worked at home over the weekend and realized he was using the wrong driver. And he was coy about which one he was using, suggesting that people could always go to the range to find out for themselves. McIlroy got plenty of attention with his driver when it was leaked at the PGA Championship that his driver did not pass inspection. It's a common occurrence, and testing takes place randomly at every major. Scottie Scheffler also had to change drivers after his didn't pass the test. He wound up winning by five shots. So was that a problem for McIlroy at the PGA Championship? 'It wasn't a big deal for Scottie,' McIlroy said. 'So it shouldn't have been a big deal for me.' The best honorary member Dustin Johnson had not played Oakmont since the won the US Open in 2016. That's not to say he hasn't been back to the fabled club. Oakmont Country Club honors its major champions by offering them honorary membership. Johnson went back a few years later for the honor, going to a dinner and getting his green jacket . Honorary membership has its privileges that Johnson doesn't use. 'I'm probably their favorite member because I never come,' he said. Oakmont need not to be offended. Johnson was asked how many clubs he had honorary membership and he didn't bother counting. 'Quite a few,' he said. 'And I don't use very many, either.'
