Latest news with #SuperCups
Morocco World
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Morocco World
Barça vs Villarreal in Miami? La Liga Approves
Villarreal's upcoming La Liga clash with Barcelona could make football history, with both clubs pushing to stage the December fixture in the United States rather than Spain. The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has given initial approval and will now seek clearance from UEFA and FIFA. If sanctioned, the match would take place on 20 December 2025 at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium, a venue for the 2026 World Cup. The original date was 21 December at Villarreal's Estadio de la Cerámica, but moving it to Miami would bring it forward by one day. The RFEF confirmed the request came jointly from Villarreal and Barcelona. The next step involves UEFA's consent followed by FIFA's. That final hurdle may be difficult since FIFA's current rules prohibit domestic league games from being played outside their home country. However, the organisation is reviewing the regulation through a special working group. While official games abroad are rare, the Spanish and Italian Super Cups have been staged in countries such as Saudi Arabia in recent years. AC Milan are also exploring the possibility of playing a Serie A match in Perth, Australia, next February because the San Siro will host the Winter Olympics opening ceremony. No European league has yet taken a regular-season match overseas. La Liga has tried before. In 2019, Barcelona were set to face Girona in Miami, but the plan collapsed after opposition from the RFEF and the players' union. Last year, the league hoped to stage a Barcelona vs Atlético Madrid fixture there, but time constraints ended the effort. The Premier League floated a similar idea in 2008, proposing an extra '39th game' abroad, but abandoned it after strong backlash from fans and media. Whether the Miami experiment happens this time depends on FIFA's ruling in the coming months. If approved, Villarreal vs Barcelona could open a new chapter for domestic football or become another failed attempt to take the league beyond its borders. Tags: BarcelonaFIFAla ligaVillareal
India Today
a day ago
- Business
- India Today
Kingsley Coman completes Saudi move to Al Nassr from Bayern Munich: Reports
French winger Kingsley Coman is set to leave Bayern Munich for Al-Nassr after agreeing to a deal worth just under 30 million euros, according to several reports, including one from Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano. The 28-year-old has accepted a three-year contract and is expected to complete his medical and sign later this move will see Coman join forces with Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Man, and Joo Flix in what is quickly becoming one of the most star-packed squads in the Saudi Pro League. Under coach Jorge Jesus, Al-Nassr has been busy in the transfer market this summer, aiming to strengthen their push for the league title and continental At Bayern, Coman's role diminished last season, particularly after Luis Daz's arrival from Liverpool. With his contract running until 2027 and significant wages on the books, the transfer gives Bayern room to restructure their squad while giving Coman a fresh start in a more prominent leaves Munich with a glittering record — 339 games, 72 goals, nine Bundesliga titles, three German Cups, six Super Cups, and the 2020 Champions League, where he scored the decisive goal in the final against former club Paris Saint-Germain. Having also lifted league titles with PSG and Juventus, he has won a domestic league in every season of his professional career. Now, his next challenge will be bringing that same winning touch to Saudi Arabia.- Ends
Campaign ME
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Campaign ME
Saudi Tourism on building brand Saudi at the Esports World Cup
Saudi, Welcome to Arabia – the destination brand of the Saudi Tourism Authority – has partnered with the Esports World Cup (EWC) to put the Kingdom's culture, heritage and tourism offering in front of a global gaming audience. Running from 7 July to 24 August, EWC brings together players, clubs and communities from more than 100 countries in Riyadh. Campaign Middle East spoke to Abdullah Aldakhil, spokesperson for the Saudi Tourism Authority (STA), at the event to understand how esports is shaping the Kingdom's brand story and its ambitions to engage younger audiences. 'If you look at Saudi today, around 70 per cent of the population is below 30, so we are enthusiasts for sports, all kinds of sports,' says Aldakhil. 'We view Saudi Arabia as a sports hub – the global hub for sports.' From 2018's Formula E debut to hosting Formula 1, the Spanish and Italian Super Cups, and now the second consecutive EWC, Aldakhil says these events are designed to attract not only young fans but also families and international visitors. 'We expect this year's event to be even bigger than last year's, which hosted more than 3 million visitors,' he notes. 'With the concerts, boulevard activations, and everything happening on‑site, it's a great attraction.' On the EWC show floor, STA is running a dedicated Saudi Tourism booth. Staff guide visitors through interactive displays and visual showcases of destinations across the Kingdom, from the Red Sea and Asir to Al‑Baha, Jeddah and Taif. The booth is part of a wider activation strategy to encourage esports fans – many of them first‑time visitors – to explore beyond Riyadh. Previously, STA announced that its partnership with the EWC would feature curated cultural programming, combining high‑stakes competition with heritage experiences, anime cafés, retro arcades, cosplay, live music and more. The aim is to turn spectators into explorers. For Aldakhil, esports offers a distinctive entry point for destination marketing. 'Having such global events in Saudi is a big push for brands to create their association with us,' he says. 'You see content creators, event enthusiasts, and even casual visitors coming from all across the world – over 100 nationalities participating this year. It's a testament to the belief they have in what's happening here.' That belief is grounded in scale and visibility. Earlier in the day, event organisers announced that last year's EWC generated more than 7,000 hours of content in over 30 languages. For Aldakhil, that's a powerful showcase opportunity: 'We really care about broadcasting not just our gaming, but our identity and our culture to the rest of the world.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Campaign Middle East (@campaignmiddleeast) Saudi's play is not just about pulling in esports fans – it's about positioning the country as a natural venue for global events. 'In the last couple of years, content creators have had Saudi as one of their main destinations,' says Aldakhil. 'Since opening for tourism in 2019, we've been seeing people flying from all over the world to be here.' The EWC is the latest proof point in that positioning. 'With their belief in us, more brands are coming, more collaborations are happening,' he says. 'And when they do come, they see it's not just about the tournament – it's about the experience, the hospitality, and discovering a hidden gem.'
The Irish Sun
05-08-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Jorge Costa dead at 53: Jose Mourinho's Champions League-winning Porto captain and ex-Premier League star dies
THE captain of Jose Mourinho's Porto Champions League winning team has died at the age of 53. Jorge Costa died of a cardiac arrest on Tuesday while at Porto's training centre in Olival, according to reports in Portugal. 3 Jorge Costa has died at the age of 53 following a cardiac arrest Credit: Reuters 3 Costa captained Jose Mourinho's Porto to the Champions League in 2004 Credit: Andrew Barr - The Sun Glasgow 3 The former defender also won eight league titles with the club Credit: AP:Associated Press Nicknamed "Tanque" (Tank) and "Bicho" (animal) by his team-mates for his aggressive style of defending, the defender spent 15 years with Porto. During that time, Costa won a staggering eight league titles, as well as winning the Uefa Cup, Intercontinental Cup, five Taca de Portugal trophies and eight Super Cups. THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY.. The Sun is your go to destination for the best football, boxing and MMA news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see us on Facebook at and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSunFootball.
Scottish Sun
05-08-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Jorge Costa dead at 53: Jose Mourinho's Champions League-winning Porto captain and ex-Premier League star dies
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE captain of Jose Mourinho's Porto Champions League winning team has died at the age of 53. Jorge Costa died of a cardiac arrest on Tuesday while at Porto's training centre in Olival, according to reports in Portugal. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Jorge Costa has died at the age of 53 following a cardiac arrest Credit: Reuters 3 Costa captained Jose Mourinho's Porto to the Champions League in 2004 Credit: Andrew Barr - The Sun Glasgow 3 The former defender also won eight league titles with the club Credit: AP:Associated Press Nicknamed "Tanque" (Tank) and "Bicho" (animal) by his team-mates for his aggressive style of defending, the defender spent 15 years with Porto. During that time, Costa won a staggering eight league titles, as well as winning the Uefa Cup, Intercontinental Cup, five Taca de Portugal trophies and eight Super Cups. THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY.. The Sun is your go to destination for the best football, boxing and MMA news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see us on Facebook at and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSunFootball.
