Abdullah bin Salem congratulates UAE Pres., Ruler on AFC CL 2 win
His Highness highlighted that this continental victory represents a significant milestone for the UAE and its sports community. He noted that it reflects the ongoing commitment of the nation's leadership to advancing excellence and supporting achievements across regional and international arenas.
Commending the Team
Sheikh Abdullah bin Salem bin Sultan Al Qasimi also extended his congratulations to the chairman, board members, players, coaching staff, and administrators of Sharjah Sports Club. He praised their collective determination and the strong backing of fans across the country, which together led to the team's historic success on the Asian stage.
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Gulf Today
15 hours ago
- Gulf Today
Preparation underway for Badminton WC
With the support of Sheikh Abdullah Bin Salem Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and Deputy Chairman of the Sharjah Executive Council, preparations are underway for the first-ever Badminton World Cup. This event is set to take place in Khorfakkan, Sharjah, from December 11-14, 2025. The organising committee recently held its first meeting at the Sharjah Sports Council headquarters to discuss various topics related to the tournament. The Badminton World Federation has announced that Sharjah will host the first-ever outdoor badminton championship, organised by the UAE Badminton Federation in collaboration with the Sharjah Sports Council. The meeting was led by Abdulmalik Mohammed Jani, Chairman of the Organising Committee, in the presence of Noura Hassan Al Jasmi, the committee's Vice Chairman, and several other committee chairs who are responsible for various aspects of organising the tournament. During the meeting, the team reviewed how to organise the event and divide responsibilities. They discussed the importance of developing local talent and proposed running training workshops for new referees. They also plan to hold promotional events leading up to the tournament to generate excitement and awareness. Khorfakkan Beach has been selected as the venue for the championship, and a press conference will take place after the European and Asian Championships. A total of 72 players from 12 different teams across five continents will compete in the upcoming Badminton World Cup in Sharjah, underscoring the tournament's global reach and significance. The event will bring together teams from every corner of the world, making it a true celebration of international sportsmanship. Each continent will have strong representation, with Asia and Europe each fielding three teams, reflecting their long-standing dominance in the sport. Africa will contribute two teams, highlighting the continent's growing interest and investment in badminton. North and South America will also send two teams, showcasing the sport's expanding presence across the Americas. Oceania will be represented by one team, and the host nation, the UAE, will proudly field a national team for the first time in the event's history. This diverse participation not only reflects badminton's global appeal but also positions Sharjah as a rising hub for international sports, capable of hosting top-tier competitions on the world stage. The tournament is expected to feature defending champions and top-seeded players from traditional powerhouses such as China, Indonesia, Japan, India, Denmark, and South Korea. These countries consistently produce elite talent, and fans can look forward to thrilling performances from some of the sport's most celebrated athletes. Among the stars likely to compete are Viktor Axelsen (Denmark) — Olympic champion and reigning world number one, An Se-young (South Korea) – the dynamic women's singles sensation, PV Sindhu (India) — a two-time Olympic medalist and global fan favorite, Kunlavut Vitidsarn (Thailand) — known for his speed and strategy, Chen Yufei (China) – a consistent force in women's singles and Olympic gold medalist. These world-class players will compete across five official categories: men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles. With so much talent on display, fans both in the arena and tuning in around the world can expect high-stakes, electrifying action throughout the tournament.
Gulf Today
31-07-2025
- Gulf Today
Sarr screamer gives Tottenham victory over Arsenal in Hong Kong
Pape Matar Sarr scored from the halfway line as Tottenham punished a shaky performance by Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya to win the first north London derby staged outside the UK 1-0 on Thursday. Raya, who had already been caught in no-man's land twice as inswinging corners hit the post, was at fault again in the 45th minute when Sarr robbed Myles Lewis-Skelly just inside the Arsenal half. The Spurs midfielder looked up, saw Raya stranded way outside his penalty area and let fly to score in outrageous fashion from 50 yards out. 'It was fantastic, fantastic. Well taken,' said new Tottenham manager Thomas Frank of the goal. 'And all the credit to Papa. He's impressed me, I must admit he's been really good in the last four weeks.' Nominally a pre-season 'friendly', there was no love lost on the pitch between the bitter rivals. Tackles flew in and tempers frayed in a fiercely contested clash in front of a 49,975 sellout crowd under the roof in the air-conditioned Kai Tak Stadium. Sarr's screamer gave Frank the north London bragging rights, at least until the pair clash again in the Premier League on November 22 at the Emirates stadium. 'This was not a friendly,' said Frank. 'It felt like a competitive match. I think if you saw it, it was competitive and if you played it was very competitive.' Arsenal started the stronger but it was Tottenham who hit the woodwork three times in a frantic first half and deserved their lead at the break. Arsenal laid siege to the Tottenham goal at the start of the second half, but Frank had his defence well-drilled and the Gunners found it hard to break through. Gabriel Martinelli did manage to find an opening on 58 minutes but shot wastefully over from 14 yards. Arsenal brought on new signing Martin Zubimendi, who almost scored with his first touch when his shot was deflected over the bar. A huge cheer went up when Son Heung-min was introduced by Tottenham in the 75th minute. It was followed by an even bigger ovation when new striker Viktor Gyokeres also came off the bench for his Arsenal debut with 13 minutes to go. The Swedish striker, sporting the number 14 shirt made famous by Arsenal legend Thierry Henry, was signed for $67 million six days ago and has trained only twice with his new teammates. He made some darting runs as Arsenal pressed for a late equaliser, but only managed two touches. Defender Cristhian Mosquera also came on late for his first appearance and Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was pleased with what he saw from his two newest recruits. 'Really happy, obviously, to have them here,' Arteta told reporters. 'They're going to add a lot of energy and quality.' Tottenham now fly on to South Korea to face Newcastle United on Sunday while Arsenal head home after three Asian tour matches. 'Everything that I've seen in the last 10 days gives me a lot of encouragement,' added Arteta, who took positives from the performance despite losing. 'We are ahead of what I was expecting in many areas.' Meanwhile, Gyokeres said he wants to carve out his own place in the club's history and has played down comparisons with Thierry Henry after taking the number 14 jersey. The 27-year-old Sweden international, who bagged 54 goals in all competitions last season, completed his 63.5 million euros ($72.56 million) switch from Sporting on Saturday. Gyokeres took Arsenal's vacant number 14 shirt, which former captain Henry famously wore on the way to becoming the club's record scorer. 'Of course I know about the history,' Gyokeres told British media on Wednesday. 'To be honest, there weren't so many numbers available. There weren't too many to pick from. 'But of course, that one was available. So when I knew that, it was an easy choice to take it. 'It's not really my intention to be compared with what he's achieved in his career. Especially here. I just want to do my own thing and show my qualities. Of course he was an amazing player, but different from me.' Agencies
Al Etihad
27-07-2025
- Al Etihad
UFC mulls regional series for Middle East fighters
27 July 2025 23:33 KUUMAR SHYAM (ABU DHABI)Reinier de Ridder claimed the biggest victory of his MMA career on Saturday night, outpointing former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker in the headline bout of UFC Fight Night at the Etihad Arena. The shock result capped an action-packed 12-fight card and ended with renewed optimism about the sport's growth in the Gulf UFC's Senior Vice-President, David Shaw, confirmed post-event that the promotion is actively exploring the idea of launching a regional feeder programme in some shape or name, like a 'Road to UFC (RTU) or a challenger series of some sorts or anything else.' The concept could open new pathways for aspiring fighters from the Middle East and surrounding countries.'A concept like RTU would make a lot of sense, I think,' Shaw said. 'Even this season, it's the first time we've added non-Asian athletes. We had Kiwis and Aussies in the mix, so opening that up to fighters from the Middle East or Gulf countries is very much in the conversation. But no definitive plans yet.'Shaw suggested that such a move would align with the UFC's broader strategy of expanding its global footprint through off-prime events tailored to regional time zones. 'We've talked about our eight off-prime events – six of which are generally aligned with the UK, Europe, and Middle East time zones. There are a lot of great countries that we've been to before and hope to revisit,' he said. Inside the octagon, Dutchman de Ridder proved a dominant force against the heavily favoured Whittaker, controlling the pace to earn a split decision. The result raised questions about Whittaker's future in the division and boosted de Ridder's case for a title run. It was to be the beginning of the end for Whittaker, but the end seemed to have come at the start of the American's one last-ditch comeback mission to reclaim the middleweight division title. Despite his last match ending in defeat – in ugly fashion with three of his teeth taken out – Whittaker was the sentimental favourite purely on his vast it was the fairly raw Ridder who fought smart against Whittaker. Having appeared in five fights in exactly a year, starting from Abu Dhabi this time last year, De Ridder took a heavy beating in the third round, but pinned down Whittaker in the next two rounds into submission while landing small but consistent jabs with more ground control time.'I will be relaxing for a couple weeks and then we'll see [who could be a possible next rival],' said de Ridder. 'But we will see what happens. There's a lot going on in the middleweight division in the next couple of weeks.'De Ridder acknowledged Abu Dhabi's role in clearing him from the legal battle with his former promotion ONE Championship while notching his fourth successive victory in UFC since his debut. 'Habibi. Abu Dhabi. Shukran. I love you guys,' he said immediately after the fight. 'I'm a top-five fighter in the world, I guess. That's crazy. Who can believe it? And in one year! I think I have a good chance fighting for the title someday soon,' he UAE connection had a bitter-sweet evening as Emirati lightweight Mohammad Yahya lost to Stephen Nguyen, the latter notching up a record six knockdowns and earning the Fight of the Night award as a bonus. Still, Shaw acknowledged the need for structured development platforms in the region to take some shape, like the Road to UFC. The UAE, for instance, held a Showdown Week, which included a dual card 61&62 of the UAE Warriors promotion while introducing an inter-continental title between African and Arab fighters. The UAE's Al Ain region is hosting back-to-back the MMA Youth World Championship and the World Grappling Championship. While talks are ongoing, Shaw confirmed that it is part of the agenda for the UFC team behind an ever-evolving schedule. 'It's reasonable to think it's possible,' he said. 'When we are back to the war room every Tuesday, I'm sure Dana [White, president] and the crew will figure it out.'
