Latest news with #Al-Mountakhab
Arab Times
7 days ago
- Sport
- Arab Times
Uncertainty looms over the 2025 Arab Cup
RABAT, July 16: New reports have surfaced regarding the status of the Arab Cup football tournament, originally scheduled for December next year. According to Moroccan newspaper Al-Mountakhab, the Arab Football Federation is leaning toward postponing the 2025 Arab Cup due to a heavily congested international calendar. The report highlights that the upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, 2026 World Cup qualifiers, and the physical and health toll on players throughout last season may adversely affect their performance and well-being. The local organizing committee had earlier announced that the tournament's prize fund would exceed $36.5 million, setting a new benchmark and positioning the Arab Cup among the world's premier international competitions. The draw, held in Doha last May, placed Kuwait against Mauritania in a playoff match set for late November. The winner will advance to the group stage (Group C), which also features Egypt, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates. The Arab Cup has re-emerged as a significant tournament after a long break since 2009, making a strong comeback in 2021 when Qatar hosted the event under FIFA's supervision. It was subsequently included in the international calendar to be held every four years.
See - Sada Elbalad
08-03-2025
- Sport
- See - Sada Elbalad
Moroccan Media Denies Ziyech's International Football Retirement Reports
Rana Atef Moroccan media reports have confirmed that the rumors about Hakim Ziyech, the Moroccan international and Al-Duhail SC player, retiring from international football are untrue. Recent reports claimed that Ziyech had informed Morocco's head coach, Walid Regragui, of his decision to retire from international duty. However, the Moroccan newspaper Al-Mountakhab dismissed these claims, stating that there is no truth to them. According to the newspaper, Ziyech did not communicate any decision about his international retirement to Regragui during their meeting in Qatar, which took place during the match between Al-Duhail and Al-Sadd. Ziyech joined Qatari club Al-Duhail from Galatasaray during the recent winter transfer window. Meanwhile, the Moroccan national team is preparing for two crucial matches in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. They will face Niger on March 21 in the fifth round and then play against Tanzania on March 25 in the sixth round. Morocco currently leads their qualification group with nine points, three points ahead of Niger.
