Culture Iran war hits Saudi gaming drive as Esports Nations Cup pushed to 2027 The postponement is a blow for the kingdom, which has made growing its esports sector one of the main priorities under its Vision 2030. Saudi Arabia
Culture How Argentina-Spain World Cup final became debate over Israel, Palestine Governments and fans alike have turned teams and players into symbols of political division. Palestine
Culture What a Zidane pick to coach France means in post-Deschamps era After the loss in the semifinals, French-Algerian football star Zinedine Zidane will replace the retiring Didier Deschamps as coach of Les Bleus. Algeria
France ends Morocco’s World Cup run as last Arab and African team standing Following the loss, no Arab or African teams remain in the tournament. Morocco
Iraq's PMU militia wants its own soccer club The Popular Mobilization Units, an Iraqi military organization, seek to enter the world of sports by establishing a club to compete in official soccer events. Iraq
New coach pledges facelift to Egypt's national soccer team Javier Aguirre tells Al-Monitor that his main challenge is to raise the morale of his team after their defeat in the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Egypt
Backlash in Iraq over chants glamorizing Saddam in Algeria Praising former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein during a soccer match between Iraq and Algeria has angered Iraqis and is affecting the diplomatic relations between the two countries. Iraq
Who is this 20-year-old that Gaza sports fans love to hear? Award-winning sports commentator Hesham Muammar has been considered a “boy wonder” ever since he won the Watar talent competition at the age of 14. Now he has taken over management of a radio station. Palestine
Gaza girls take plunge in male-dominated sport After her father's death by Israeli shelling, a teenager from Gaza decided to realize his dream — having an international swimmer in the family. Palestine
FIFA red cards Palestinian soccer leader The latest FIFA decision to ban Palestinian Football Association president Jibril Rajoub points to the world soccer association’s possible shift in its actions toward Israel and Palestine. Palestine
Tiny fish powers Gaza bodybuilders After a bodybuilder in Gaza City started searching for an affordable protein-rich diet, he found the answer in UNRWA's standard food aid packages. Palestine
The Sabbath revolution shakes Israeli sports New regulations that condition government funding for sports associations on not holding competitions on the Sabbath threaten to financially destroy entire organizations. Israel
Egyptians brace for disappointment as Cairo makes play for 2030 World Cup Cairo hopes that more professional lobbying and a possible joint bid with Morocco and Tunisia could make Egypt a host of the 2030 World Cup, but many citizens are wary of public embarrassment. Egypt
Iran's national team sees popularity boost, but not just because of World Cup The siege mentality that is re-emerging with the return of US sanctions appears to have acted to rally Iranians around the national soccer squad. Iran
Amid economic woes, soccer team performance rallies Iranians around flag Iran’s national soccer team made history in the World Cup by tying Portugal and defeating Morocco, injecting hope and reviving pride in the midst of economic turmoil. Iran
Egyptian artist portrays soccer stars as saints Proud Egyptians have been putting the faces of their soccer team on everything from T-shirts to Ramadan lanterns, but when an artist decided to paint them as saints, all hell broke loose. Egypt
