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Sportlight
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June 06, 2026
FIFA World Cup 2026 preview: Iran hopes to battle it out in knockouts, but will war play spoilsport?
On paper, Iran are best placed of all the Middle Eastern sides to advance to the knockout stages, but the squad will need to overcome the impact of the war that has hampered their preparation
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May 30, 2026
FIFA World Cup 2026 preview: Jordan and Iraq set to fight for group-stage survival
Drawn into tough groups, Jordan and Iraq aim for one result and the football community’s respect
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May 09, 2026
FIFA World Cup 2026 preview: Can Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia turn tenacity into results?
The three sides from the Maghreb share a coastline and a passion for football, but will come to the World Cup with different expectations
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April 11, 2026
Will Saudi league top scorer Ivan Toney’s move cost him a World Cup medal?
The former Premier League star is the world’s second best English striker at the moment, but he is unlikely to be Harry Kane’s backup at the tournament
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March 28, 2026
Why Mohamed Salah's Liverpool exit as Premier League’s greatest right-winger ever is more than just a sporting moment
Where the Arab world’s biggest football icon goes next matters to the Middle East; the Saudi Pro League cannot afford to miss out on him
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March 14, 2026
How Iran getting replaced would hamper the 2026 World Cup’s legitimacy
The World Cup has always been a political event dressed up in a football kit. But, if Iran is replaced this time, especially by the UAE, that would make it tougher to keep pretending
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February 14, 2026
Beyond Real Madrid star Arda Guler: The rise of Middle Eastern football’s golden generation
From Juventus winger to the Saudi Pro League midfielder, a look at the best young players from the region, spread across Turkey, Morocco, Algeria, Israel and Saudi Arabia
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January 31, 2026
UAE T20 World Cup 2026 team: Meet the Indian-origin players
Six players have Indian heritage, ranging from those who moved as kids to those who found a second home in the Emirates as adults
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January 24, 2026
Vini Jr, Mo Salah and Bruno Fernandes: Inside the Saudi Pro League's €2 billion summer plan
A 50-man shortlist of elite-level players is meant to ensure that clubs outside the traditional big clubs also get stronger—a key component of the league’s attempt to create a competitive ecosystem to rival the European domestic leagues
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January 17, 2026
Achraf Hakimi vs Sadio Mane: Can Morocco stop Senegal in the 2025 AFCON final?
Sadio Mane thrives in the space left by attacking fullbacks. So, Achraf Hakimi will have to be careful, but being too cautious will also be a problem
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January 03, 2026
Are Cristiano Ronaldo’s Saudi Pro League title dreams already in trouble after Al-Nassr’s first loss?
Ivan Toney’s Al-Ahli exploited Nassr’s high defensive line, showed Nassr is open to counter-attacks and handed the momentum to Saudi juggernaut Al-Hilal
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December 20, 2025
Can Egypt, other Arab representatives in AFCON 2025 reassert their dominance against rival African challengers
Egypt's star line-up is impressive enough, with Manchester City’s Omar Marmoush and Nantes’s Mostafa Mohamed joining Mohamed Salah
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December 06, 2025
Decoding FIFA’s move to build football infrastructure in West Bank
These outreach projects are as important to FIFA as they are to the beneficiaries
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November 29, 2025
How Middle East is in pole position to challenge Europe’s F1 dominance as Qatar and Abu Dhabi shape the 2025 championship finale
Hosting the final rounds guarantees Qatar and Abu Dhabi global television audiences and a premium position in the F1 season's narrative arc. This leads to substantial economic benefits.
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November 22, 2025
Jordan’s World Cup debut: Bootstrapped by resilience and courage, not fuelled by oil money
As ‘The Chivalrous Ones’ continue preparations for United 2026, here is why they belong on the biggest stage
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November 15, 2025
India vs Pakistan in Doha: How Rising Stars Asia Cup could further the Middle East’s cricket surge
If India A wins the trophy, as expected, it could provide a significant boost to the emergence of Qatar as a cricket destination to add to the UAE’s proven record
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November 08, 2025
How Qatar will benefit from hosting five back-to-back U17 World Cups
The continuity offers predictable minimum gains and could lead to tangible progress in the attempt to diversify away from oil
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November 01, 2025
Saudi snub of Lionel Messi: What it tells us about the Pro League
The strategic objectives of the football project are too important for Saudi Arabia to compromise, even for Lionel Messi
Results 1-18 for Sportlight
