Lebanon’s citizenship offer for FIFA head sparks debate over equal rights Lebanon’s president has announced he will grant citizenship to FIFA President Gianni Infantino, sparking a wave of outrage. Lebanon
Culture Match-fixing probe shakes Turkey's football as referees, executives detained The football scandal expanded after the Turkish Football Federation's suspension of referees and assistants amid a nationwide betting probe. Turkey
NFL star Antonio Brown extradited from Dubai: What to know The US and the UAE do not have an extradition treaty, a factor that affected the proceedings against Binance founder Changpeng Zhao. United Arab Emirates
Maccabi Tel Aviv fans barred from UK soccer game over safety concerns Antisemitic and anti-Israel incidents are on the rise in the UK, with a recent report accusing British authorities of failing to address discrimination. Israel
Abu Dhabi to host Pakistani cricket competition The Emirati city has experience hosting sport events during the pandemic from the Fight Island mixed martial arts series. News Brief
Arab-Israeli soccer players offer symbol of coexistence With tensions between Jews and Arabs in Israel reaching sad records, Israeli-Arab soccer players carry the (perhaps heavy) mission of demonstrating coexistence. Israel
Israeli and Emirati rugby teams to play each other for first time The rugby sevens match in Dubai is the latest example of the strengthening of relations between Israel and the UAE and shows a shift in Israel's sports relations with other regional states. United Arab Emirates
Soccer academy for African refugees in Egypt A South Sudanese man in Egypt recently opened an academy to teach and train African refugees passionate about soccer. Egypt
The Netherlands puts Qatar trade event on hold over foreign workers' deaths The Dutch government postponed a trade mission in Qatar after a report on thousands of workers dying there since the country was awarded the 2022 World Cup. Qatar
Tunisian tennis star Ons Jabeur loses at Australian Open Ons Jabeur is the highest-ranked Arab woman in tennis history. She hopes more women from the region will pick up rackets. Originals
With one leg, this Gazan parkour star crosses besieged enclave Official authorities in the Gaza Strip do not recognize parkour as an official sport, but it has become the only breathing space for many young people in the enclave. Palestine
Meet Egypt’s Christian soccer team As Christian football players continue to be rejected from clubs playing in the Egyptian league, the Je Suis team opened the door for these talents to continue doing what they are passionate about. Egypt
Iraq is planning to host Gulf Cup soccer tournament Adnan Dirjal, Iraq's minister of youth and sports, has gotten the ministry to promote health and fitness and is spearheading the nation's bid to host the 25th Arab Gulf Cup in Basra. Iraq
Can World Cup soccer help heal Gulf wounds? Communities torn apart by a yearslong rift between Gulf rulers may need time to heal the wounds of a crisis that damaged social ties that have historically transcended borders. Saudi Arabia
Egypt’s first female MMA fighter blazes trail for more women Aya Saeid has become Egypt’s first MMA fighter by breaking stereotypes in the patriarchal society. Egypt
Turkey plays role in livestreaming of northern Syria soccer With the support of Turkey, a Syrian soccer tournament is being broadcast live on the internet, pushing many to follow the games, and advancing the sports sector in the area. Syria
