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Gerard Pique introduces new era of football gaming to MENA region

Special Gerard Pique introduces new era of football gaming to MENA region
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Gerard Pique founded Kings League in Spain in 2023 and has since expanded worldwide. (AN Photo/Huda Bashatah)
Special Gerard Pique introduces new era of football gaming to MENA region
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Gerard Pique founded Kings League in Spain in 2023 and has since expanded worldwide. (AN Photo/Huda Bashatah)
Special Gerard Pique introduces new era of football gaming to MENA region
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Gerard Pique founded Kings League in Spain in 2023 and has since expanded worldwide. (AN Photo/Huda Bashatah)
Special Gerard Pique introduces new era of football gaming to MENA region
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Gerard Pique founded Kings League in Spain in 2023 and has since expanded worldwide. (AN Photo/Huda Bashatah)
Special Gerard Pique introduces new era of football gaming to MENA region
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Maher Sultaneh and Hani AlQoublam at the launch of Kings League MENA in Riyadh. (AN Photo/Huda Bashatah)
Special Gerard Pique introduces new era of football gaming to MENA region
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Hani AlQoublam from Jordan will lead team 3BS. (AN Photo/Huda Bashatah)
Special Gerard Pique introduces new era of football gaming to MENA region
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Ilyas Elmaliki from Morocco will lead team Ultra Chmicha. (AN Photo/Huda Bashatah)
Special Gerard Pique introduces new era of football gaming to MENA region
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Ahmed Alqahtani will lead team SXB FC. (AN Photo/Huda Bashatah)
Special Gerard Pique introduces new era of football gaming to MENA region
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Ahmed Alqahtani will lead team SXB FC. (AN Photo/Huda Bashatah)
Special Gerard Pique introduces new era of football gaming to MENA region
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Maher Sultaneh from Jordan will lead team Red Zone. (AN Photo/Huda Bashatah)
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Updated 11 August 2025

Gerard Pique introduces new era of football gaming to MENA region

Gerard Pique introduces new era of football gaming to MENA region
  • Former Spain and Barcelona star inaugurated Kings League MENA at the ongoing Esports World Cup in Riyadh
  • Unconventional seven-a-side football game was designed with younger audiences in mind

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


Alonso sidesteps Yamal鈥檚 鈥榗heating鈥 jibe as El Clasico tensions rise

Alonso sidesteps Yamal鈥檚 鈥榗heating鈥 jibe as El Clasico tensions rise
Updated 56 min 3 sec ago

Alonso sidesteps Yamal鈥檚 鈥榗heating鈥 jibe as El Clasico tensions rise

Alonso sidesteps Yamal鈥檚 鈥榗heating鈥 jibe as El Clasico tensions rise
  • When asked about Yamal鈥檚 statements, Alonso dismissed the topic saying 鈥渋t鈥檚 an important match ... important enough鈥
  • 鈥淚t has many ingredients for us to play well, for us to enjoy it鈥

MADRID: Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso declined to comment on Saturday after Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal suggested the capital club 鈥渃heat鈥 and 鈥渃omplain鈥 in a televised interview on Friday.
Instead, Alonso directed his focus to Sunday鈥檚 El Clasico at the Bernabeu, emphasising the importance of the match for his LaLiga leaders who have 24 points, two ahead of Barca in second.
Alonso faced repeated questions from reporters regarding Yamal鈥檚 remarks, made during an appearance on a Kings League program alongside former Barcelona defender Gerard Pique.
The 18-year-old Barca forward compared Real to Porcinos, a Kings League team, stating: 鈥淥f course! Yes, they cheat, they complain ...鈥 The comments, which Pique supported, stirred debate in the build-up to one of soccer鈥檚 most iconic fixtures.
When asked about Yamal鈥檚 statements, Alonso dismissed the topic. 鈥淚t鈥檚 an important match ... important enough,鈥 he said.
鈥淚t has many ingredients for us to play well, for us to enjoy it. And that鈥檚 what excites us the most, the biggest incentive for tomorrow.鈥
Pressed further, Alonso reiterated his stance.
鈥淣o, I鈥檓 not going to get into that. There have been a lot of statements from people in Barcelona and I can鈥檛 comment on them all. For us, the important thing is the pitch, what happens on the pitch. Where we鈥檝e come from and what lies ahead. That鈥檚 what concerns me most and what we鈥檝e been working on.鈥
Visibly irritated when the question came up a third time, Alonso, who took over from Carlo Ancelotti at Real in June, added: 鈥淎re we going back to that? What I have in my head is that it鈥檚 going to be an intense and competitive match.
鈥淲e have to be prepared because there will be moments for everything. The players have to have the necessary adrenaline. I鈥檓 not thinking about other consequences.鈥
Alonso is determined to use the first Clasico of the season as a chance for Real Madrid to reclaim their dominance in big matches, a quality that has been questioned following heavy defeats by Paris St. Germain in the Club World Cup semifinals and Atletico Madrid in LaLiga earlier in the campaign.
Last season, Barcelona inflicted further damage on their arch-rivals, beating Real four consecutive times across three competitions, including a 4-0 thrashing at the Bernabeu and a 5-2 victory in the Super Cup final.
鈥淭he match has a special flavour and is the most important one right now,鈥 Alonso said when asked about the pressure to perform. 鈥淭here will be similar situations, but it is completely different (from last season). We want to maximize our strengths.
鈥淎n El Clasico is special. The first one in this project. We need the stadium to have the energy of big matches, to push us forward. Looking ahead to tomorrow, we believe we are in good shape, both mentally and in terms of our football.鈥


Kings League MENA kicks off at Riyadh Season with top regional content creators and influencers

Kings League MENA kicks off at Riyadh Season with top regional content creators and influencers
Updated 25 October 2025

Kings League MENA kicks off at Riyadh Season with top regional content creators and influencers

Kings League MENA kicks off at Riyadh Season with top regional content creators and influencers
  • Opening night clashes feature eight teams offering blend of entertainment and competition聽
  • Tournament will continue with weekly rounds until grand final on Nov. 15

RIYADH: The first round of the Kings League MENA tournament kicked off on Friday night as part of Riyadh Season 2025, drawing large crowds and delivering an atmosphere filled with excitement and enthusiasm.

The tournament鈥檚 opening night featured eight teams led by some of the most prominent content creators and influencers in the region, offering fans a unique experience that blended entertainment, competition, and real-time digital engagement.

The evening began with a clash between Team DR7, led by Saudi influencer Drb7h, and Team 3BS, led by Jordanian creator Hani Al-Qablan (Absi). The match showcased strong performances from both sides and ended with a decisive 7鈥2 victory for Team DR7.

In the second match, Team ULC (Ultra Chimicha), led by Moroccan creator Ilyas El-Maliki, faced Team TRB (Turbo FC), led by Egyptian influencer Tarboun. The high-energy encounter featured end-to-end action, with Turbo FC ultimately claiming a 5鈥2 win thanks to sharp attacking play and tactical discipline.

The third matchup saw an all-Kuwaiti showdown between Team FWZ, led by Fwaz, and Team ABO FC, led by AboFlah. The contest drew massive reactions from both stadium fans and online audiences, ending with a commanding 5鈥0 victory for FWZ.

The night concluded with a dramatic face-off between Team SXB, led by Saudi influencer SHoNgxBoNg, and Team RDZ (Red Zone), led by Jordanian Maherco. The intense match was packed with surprises and momentum shifts before SXB sealed a 6-2 victory.

The Kings League MENA matches will continue in Riyadh until mid-November, with weekly rounds leading up to the grand final on Nov. 15, where the winning team will be crowned champion.


Heat and Blazers win their first NBA games since Rozier and Billups arrests

Heat and Blazers win their first NBA games since Rozier and Billups arrests
Updated 25 October 2025

Heat and Blazers win their first NBA games since Rozier and Billups arrests

Heat and Blazers win their first NBA games since Rozier and Billups arrests
  • At Los Angeles, Luka Doncic scored 49 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and passed off eight assists to lead the Los Angeles Lakers over Minnesota 128-110
  • Donovan Mitchell鈥檚 35 points powered Cleveland to a 131-124 victory at Brooklyn

NEW YORK: In their first game since guard Terry Rozier was arrested in an FBI sports gambling probe, his Miami Heat teammates unleashed a scoring barrage in a 146-114 NBA win at Memphis on Friday.

Bam Adebayo scored 24 points and reserve Nikola Jovic added 20 to lead eight double-digit scorers as the Heat (1-1) produced the third-highest one-game point total in team history.

Miami also scored a one-half team record 86 points in the first two quarters in taking a 86-47 halftime lead, the largest in Heat history dating to 1988.

As the scandal swirled around the league on the fourth day of the 2025-26 campaign, Adebayo made it clear Rozier has Heat players鈥 backing him.

鈥淲e stand behind him. Full support,鈥 Adebayo said. 鈥淵ou support him through and through. That鈥檚 our brother at the end of the day.鈥

Rozier and Portland head coach Chauncey Billups were placed on indefinite leave by the NBA after being arrested Thursday in the gambling investigation.

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said the hectic NBA schedule leaves the team no choice but to move ahead quickly without Rozier, who didn鈥檛 play in a season-opening loss on Wednesday.

鈥淭erry is somebody who is very dear to all of us,鈥 Spoelstra said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 had a real positive impact on our locker room... We send our thoughts and our care for him as he goes through this.鈥

Portland routed visiting Golden State 139-119 in the first Trail Blazers contest since Billups was arrested, with Brazilian Tiago Splitter guiding the effort as Portland鈥檚 interim head coach.

鈥淲e all had great experiences with Chauncey and how he coached,鈥 Splitter said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e thinking of him and his family but we have a job to do.鈥

Israeli forward Deni Avdija鈥檚 26 points led eight Trail Blazers scorers in double figures.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a tough moment but I got to do my job,鈥 Splitter said. 鈥淚鈥檓 looking forward to showing my skills and leading a team... I wasn鈥檛 expecting this but I have to be ready.鈥

At Los Angeles, Luka Doncic scored 49 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and passed off eight assists to lead the Los Angeles Lakers over Minnesota 128-110.

Doncic, who scored 43 points in a season-opening loss to Golden State, became the first Laker to open a season with back-to-back 40-point efforts.

The 26-year-old Slovenian guard scored 23 points in the first quarter to match a team record shared by Kobe Bryant and Kyle Kuzma.

鈥淭hey didn鈥檛 have much when I was attacking the paint in the first half,鈥 Doncic said. 鈥淚n the second half, we had energy.鈥

Donovan Mitchell鈥檚 35 points powered Cleveland to a 131-124 victory at Brooklyn.

Greek star Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 31 points, grabbed 20 rebounds and passed off seven assists while Cole Anthony added 23 points off the bench to lead Milwaukee鈥檚 122-116 victory at Toronto.

Jalen Brunson鈥檚 31 points plus 26 points and 13 rebounds from Karl-Anthony Towns led New York over visiting Boston 105-95.

Frenchman Victor Wembanyama scored 29 points, pulled down 11 rebounds and blocked nine shots to spark San Antonio鈥檚 120-116 overtime triumph at New Orleans.

Detroit鈥檚 Cade Cunningham had 21 points and Ausar Thompson added 19 to power the Pistons鈥 115-111 victory at Houston, which had 37 points from Kevin Durant.

鈥楻eal life examples鈥

Kyshawn George had 34 points and 11 rebounds to spark Washington to a 117-107 victory at Dallas, where Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said he hopes the scandal does not diminish attention to players.

鈥淗opefully that doesn鈥檛 overshadow what these young men are doing because it鈥檚 a beautiful game. They鈥檙e playing the game at a high level... Hopefully they can get that fixed.鈥

Kidd said the scandal might reinforce NBA instruction about gambling issues.

鈥淭he league does an incredible job of talking about that. There鈥檚 a lot of literature that goes out,鈥 Kidd said. 鈥淭he league has done a great job of teaching and showing and now we have real life examples. We鈥檒l learn from this and be better.鈥

Domantas Sabonis sank the winning jumper with 6.4 seconds remaining to give Sacramento a 105-104 home win over Utah. Zach LaVine led the Kings with 31 points. Sabonis had 12 points and 12 rebounds.


Blue Jays stun Dodgers in World Series opener

Blue Jays stun Dodgers in World Series opener
Updated 25 October 2025

Blue Jays stun Dodgers in World Series opener

Blue Jays stun Dodgers in World Series opener
  • 11-4 rout of the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday in Game One of the best-of-seven championship
  • Dodgers, a superteam that includes standout Shohei Ohtani, clear favorites to be MLB鈥檚 first repeat champion in 25 years

TORONTO: The Toronto Blue Jays were made to wait longer than most teams to return to the World Series but made sure to make up for lost time with an 11-4 rout of the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday in Game One of the best-of-seven championship.
Much of the talk in the build-up to the opening pitch was about how the Dodgers, a superteam that includes Japanese two-way standout Shohei Ohtani, were clear favorites to be MLB鈥檚 first repeat champion in 25 years.
But the Blue Jays, who snapped the eighth-longest active streak in MLB between World Series games played, cared little for that narrative and showed they are up for the task as they left the Dodgers wondering what went wrong.
For the Blue Jays, who broke open the game with a nine-run sixth inning that included the first pinch-hit Grand Slam in World Series history, it was about as perfect a start as any team could hope for.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 kind of how we roll,鈥 said Blue Jays manager John Schneider. 鈥淭hose were some pretty terrific at-bats from everyone up and down the order.鈥
The Dodgers struck first as Max Muncy and Enrique Hernandez hit singles to cash in a leadoff walk that put Los Angeles up 1-0 in the second inning. They doubled their lead in the third when an opposite-field single by Will Smith scored Mookie Betts.
But the Blue Jays responded in the fourth where Alejandro Kirk hit a leadoff single before Daulton Varsho sent the very next pitch over the center-field wall for a two-run homer that tied the game.
Toronto opened the floodgates in the sixth with three runs before Barger sent the sellout crowd of 44,353 into delirium with a four-run blast to center-field. Alejandro Kirk then added a two-run blast to put Toronto ahead 11-2.
Ohtani, who is expected to make his World Series pitching debut in Game Four on Tuesday in Los Angeles, swatted his sixth homerun of the post season in the seventh to cut into Toronto鈥檚 lead but it was too little, too late.
鈥淚 think that we can be better, we need to be better,鈥 said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. 鈥淲e just got to continue to take good at-bats and play good baseball and then we鈥檒l be fine.鈥


Composure, experience and precision: Al-Hilal simply too strong for Al-Ittihad

Composure, experience and precision: Al-Hilal simply too strong for Al-Ittihad
Updated 25 October 2025

Composure, experience and precision: Al-Hilal simply too strong for Al-Ittihad

Composure, experience and precision: Al-Hilal simply too strong for Al-Ittihad
  • Neves at the heart of the action as Doumbia and Leonardo grab the goals to give the Riyadh side a 2-0 victory that moves them into 3rd place in the league

JEDDAH: Al-Hilal won 2-0 at Al-Ittihad on Friday to silence the reigning champions, reaffirm their title credentials and move into third place in the Saudi Pro League behind Al-Taawoun and early leaders Al-Nassr.

It was a night that pitted two former coaches of Milan鈥檚 great rivals against each other, with the visitors鈥 ex-Inter boss Simone Inzaghi crossing swords with the home side鈥檚 Sergio Conceicao, formerly of AC Milan.

It was a night of spectacle from the start at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, with every seat filled. Before kick-off, Al-Ittihad鈥檚 fans unfurled a huge tifo to greet their team. The noise was fierce, the tension palpable as for the first half-hour the two giants traded blows, each in search of an opening.

Karim Benzema came close for Al-Ittihad but the breakthrough did not come until five minutes before the interval, when Al-Hilal鈥檚 Ruben Neves swung in a curling corner from the left, the ball dipping dangerously into a packed six-yard box. Amid the chaos, it was Mahamadou Doumbia who got the final touch 鈥 an unfortunate header that flew into his own net.

As Al-Ittihad battled to find a response after the break, Al-Hilal struck again in the 57th minute. Neves, again at the heart of everything, unleashed a fierce, long-range shot that goalkeeper Hamed Al-Shanqiti could only parry. Marcos Leonardo was quickest to react, slotting the rebound into the net from close range and turning the visitors鈥 control into comfort. The damage was done.

A few minutes from the end, Darwin Nunez once again had the ball in the Al-Ittihad net but the former Liverpool forward鈥檚 strike was ruled out for offside.

It didn鈥檛 matter. Al-Hilal鈥檚 composure, experience and precision were simply too much for the home side and the final whistle signaled a statement victory in a high-voltage rivalry that might yet define the course of the season ahead.

For now, though, Al-Hilal take the three points home to Riyadh, and at this early stage the title race is wide open.