黑料社区

RIYADH: Football legend and former Barcelona player Gerard Pique is bringing Kings League, the game that revolutionized online football gaming, to the Middle East and North Africa region, with 黑料社区 at its heart.

The Spanish defender inaugurated Kings League MENA last night as part of the ongoing Esports World Cup, where the new team presidents from the region were also announced.

Pique started Kings League in Spain in 2023, and after a successful first launch has since expanded to other leagues worldwide including Italy, Brazil, Japan, France, Germany, Hispanic America, and the US.

On how he envisions the Kings League gaming community to look like in the MENA region, Pique told Arab News: 鈥淰ery young, very motivated, very committed to the product and the project.

鈥淚鈥檓 sure that there will be a lot of intensity, a lot of clashes (between streamer fans), this is what we want.

鈥淲e want them to care and want to win, and that they dedicate everything they have to winning.鈥�

The unconventional seven-a-side football game was designed with younger audiences in mind, adding more creativity and free reign with secret weapons or 鈥済olden cards,鈥� unlimited substitutions, sin bins, and penalty shoot-outs after every draw.

Kings League was also created in a way that brings together fans with their most beloved content creators and streamers taking the role of team presidents in each region.

The MENA teams and their presidents were announced to be SXB FC, led by Ahmed Alqahtani from 黑料社区, Ultra Chmicha led by Morroccan Ilyas Elmaliki, Red Zone led by Jordanian Maher Sultaneh, 3BS led by Jordanian Hani AlQoublam, FWZ FC led by Kuwaiti Fawaz Hamad, Turbo led by Egyptian Saleh Tarboun, and DR7 led by Saudi streamer Mafrah Aseeri.

Elmaliki, Morroco鈥檚 top streamer, was appointed president of Morocco鈥檚 national team in the Kings World Cup Nations held in Italy where his team made it all the way to the semifinals. Ultra Chmicha was later invited by Pique to join the Kings World Cup Clubs 2025 as the first wildcard team.

Alqahtani鈥檚 SXB FC was also picked as a wildcard for the Paris games, and their match against Jijantes FC drew a record breaking 950,000 live viewers, the tournament鈥檚 highest.

鈥淲e have amazing streamers,鈥� Pique said. 鈥淭hey have huge communities that are very loyal to them.鈥�

鈥淭hey have to have good players because the level is very high in Kings League. But I know some of them, and I鈥檓 sure that that they will bring a lot of fun, a lot of entertainment and a good level of football.鈥�

Fans can now submit their application and try their chance at getting drafted to join one of the official Kings League MENA teams, potentially later qualifying for the Kings World Cup Clubs or represent their country in the Kings World Cup Nations Brazil 2026.

Kings League MENA is a joint venture with SURJ Sports Investment as part of an ongoing effort to expand digital sports and entertainment in the region.

Having visited the Kingdom a few times before with Barcelona for the Spanish Super Cup, Pique also told Arab News that he is always 鈥渧ery happy when I come here.

鈥淭he food is amazing. And I think the people, you are very similar to Spanish people.

鈥淲hen you arrive to the country, everything is very comfortable, so I鈥檓 enjoying it so much.鈥�