Sports Bulletin

Sports Bulletin ReportRiyadh (Saudi Arabia): The Saudi Pro League (SPL) has announced the fixture list for the 2025-26 Roshn Saudi League (RSL), and it promises to be a blockbuster start to what is shaping up to be the league’s most competitive season yet. The new campaign kicks off on Thursday, August 28, and the opening rounds will deliver instant drama, marquee matchups, and fresh storylines across Saudi football.Which are the standout matches in the opening round?Matchday 1 sees reigning champions Al Ittihad begin their title defence away to Al Okhdood, while Cristiano Ronaldo – fresh from signing his new contract – and Al Nassr also hit the road to take on Al Taawoun, one of last season’s surprise packages. Following their superb run to the FIFA Club World Cup quarter-finals, Al Hilal start their campaign with a city derby clash against Al Riyadh.Arguably the match of the round takes place in Jeddah, where AFC Champions League winners Al Ahli host promoted Neom, who dominated the Saudi First Division last season. Neom have since bolstered their squad with the signings of former Arsenal captain Alexandre Lacazette, goalkeeper Marcin Bulka, and highly-rated midfield youngster Amadou Koné as manager Christophe Galtier aims to establish the Tabuk-based club in the top tier.Fast start in store for ‘Big Four’In a clear demonstration of the depth of quality in the RSL, there is no easing into the season for last year’s top three and Asian champions Al Ahli.Al Hilal immediately follow their opening match with a home clash against Al Qadsiah, last season’s fourth-place finishers and King’s Cup finalists, before travelling to Jeddah to take on Al Ahli on Matchday 3. Three rounds later, Al Hilal are back in Jeddah for the first Clasico against rivals Al Ittihad, meaning the Riyadh giants face several early-season tests that could be pivotal to the rest of their campaign.Following their opening trip to Al Taawoun, Al Nassr’s early schedule also includes a massive visit to Jeddah to play Al Ittihad on Matchday 4, followed by a home clash with Neom on Matchday 8. A challenging winter stretch between Matchdays 13 and 16 sees Jorge Jesus’ side face Al Ahli (A), Al Qadsiah (H), Al Hilal (A) in the Capital Derby, and Al Shabab (H).Al Ittihad’s start away to Al Okhdood is followed by home matches against Al Fateh and Al Nassr, either side of a trip to promoted Al Najma, before the blockbuster showdown with Al Hilal in Jeddah on Matchday 6. Their final game of the season will be a rematch of last season’s Kings Cup final in Jeddah against Al Qadsiah, whom they defeated to clinch the domestic double.After welcoming Neom on the opening day, Al Ahli clash with Al Hilal (H) on Matchday 3 and take on Al Ittihad (A) in the Sea Derby on Matchday 8. The reverse derby match is scheduled for Matchday 25.Derby days to mark on the calendarAl Hilal vs Al Nassr (Capital Derby): Matchday 15 (Al Hilal home) and Matchday 32 (Al Nassr home)Al Ittihad vs Al Ahli (Sea Derby): Matchday 8 (Al Ittihad home) and Matchday 25 (Al Ahli home)Al Qadsiah vs Al Ettifaq (Eastern Province derby): Matchday 9 (Al Qadsiah home) and Matchday 26 (Al Ettifaq home)Al Hilal vs Al Ittihad (Saudi Clasico): Matchday 6 (Al Ittihad home) and Matchday 23 (Al Hilal home)Surprise packages and record chasers:Beyond the usual title contenders, there will be many storylines to follow throughout the season as the drama unfolds. Among these could be Al Taawoun following an excellent 2024-25 season when they reached the semi-finals of the AFC Champions League 2 and placed eighth in the RSL.Péricles Chamusca, who was Al Taawoun manager between 2022 and 2024, is back in the dugout having steered Neom to promotion, and with a kind-looking early fixture list – Al Nassr are the only opponents in their first five games to finish in last season’s top six – Al Taawoun have an opportunity to build some early momentum before the first international break.Al Shabab start their season with four of their first six matches at home in Riyadh, which could provide a springboard for Abderrazak Hamdallah to make some monumental history. The Moroccan striker is just five goals shy of equalling the RSL’s all-time scoring record – currently held by Omar Al Somah with 155 goals – and a fast start to the campaign could see the prolific forward become the league’s greatest goalscorer.New season set to build on soaring success:The RSL enters the new campaign aiming to build on the league’s remarkable progress in recent years. The 2024-25 season saw a record 183 broadcast partners worldwide while more than 2.5 million fans attended matches throughout the Kingdom. Global interest in Saudi football has also soared, with a 200% increase in international sponsorship revenue.

Lahore (SBR): In a groundbreaking step toward gender equality in sports, the newly elected leadership of the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) has appointed Arooj Butt as the Team Manager of the Pakistan Men’s U-17 National Team. This historic appointment makes her the first woman in the country’s football history to hold such a key position at both national and international levels.Arooj Butt, who has been actively working with PFF since 2022 as Safeguarding Officer, holds multiple certifications in child safeguarding and welfare from FIFA, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF).With this appointment, PFF is sending a strong message: women have a place at every level of the game, from the field to the boardroom.The initiative closely aligns with FIFA’s global objectives, especially its commitment to human rights, anti-discrimination and the inclusion of women in football governance, as outlined in Article 3 of the FIFA Statutes. FIFA’s 2016 reforms also emphasized the importance of women’s full participation in shaping the future of the sport.On the occasion, PFF President Syed Mohsen Gilani said: I am proud to see women taking managerial role in the history of Pakistan football. We believe her presence will inspire more women to take up key roles in football.

Islamabad (Sports Desk): Women’s football has enjoyed an action-packed two months, with continental competitions causing a shake-up in the FIFA/Coca-Cola Women’s World Ranking. England retained their European title by seeing off the challenge of Spain, Brazil successfully defended their South American crown, and the Solomon Islands took full advantage of New Zealand’s absence to lay claim to the Oceania throne.World champions Spain (1st, up 1) had an impressive run to the final of the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 with five back-to-back wins, which was enough to see them reclaim top spot in the ranking, a position they previously held from December 2023 to June 2024. The USA (2nd, down 1) have therefore been knocked off their perch, which they had occupied since August 2024. However, three convincing home wins in friendlies during this period have kept the Stars and Stripes in contention, and they are now sitting less than two points behind La Roja.The top 10 has been shaken up completely since the June edition of the ranking, with France (6th, up 4) performing best among them. Les Bleues completed a flawless group stage at the European Championship before falling to Germany in the quarter-finals.Brazil (7th, down 3) have lost ground despite picking up their ninth continental trophy. They lost to France prior to the tournament, which subsequently saw the Seleção held to two draws by a hard-working Colombia side in the group stage as well as the in final, before prevailing on penalties.Further down the ranking, the Asian qualifiers for the FIFA Women’s World Cup Brazil 2027™ and the OFC Women’s Nations Cup have stirred things up. Bangladesh (104th, up 24) recorded the biggest jump in places and points (+80.51), courtesy of their historic both qualification for the AFC final qualifying tournament for Brazil 2027, following dramatic victories over Myanmar, Bahrain and Turkmenistan.Vanuatu (100th, up 19) have also made considerable progress, as have the Solomon Islands (73rd, up 13), who have hit a new high in the ranking. No fewer than 10 teams are currently higher in the ranking than ever before, including Poland (26th, up 1), Haiti (49th, up 1), and Saudi Arabia (164th, up 1).

Lahore (PR): Under the leadership of President Syed Mohsen Gilani, the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) has made two major international appointments that signal a bold new chapter for Pakistan football.Nolberto Solano, legendary Peruvian international and former Premier League star, has officially been appointed as the Head Coach of Senior Men’s National and U23 Team. Solano brings a wealth of global experience, having played for top clubs including Newcastle United, Aston Villa, and Boca Juniors, and earned 95 caps for Peru. As a coach, he was part of Peru’s historic qualification for the 2018 FIFA World Cup and their runner-up finish at the 2019 Copa América.Joining him is Jorge Castañeira, a globally respected performance and fitness coach, who will serve as Associate Fitness Coach for the Senior Men’s National Team. With over 30 years of elite-level experience, Jorge has worked across continents with top national teams and clubs.Sharing his views, the President PFF Syed Mohsen Gilani said: “Nolberto Solano is a big name in world football while Jorge Castañeira brings top-level fitness training to our team. Together, they will help us build a strong and professional future for football in our country.”With Solano and Castañeira joining us, we will give our players better facilities”, he added.

Jakarta(SBR): Pakistan women’s football team concluded their maiden appearance in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Qualifiers on a high note, defeating Kyrgyzstan 2-1 in their final group match and finishing second among four teams. Despite the impressive win and finishing second in the group, Pakistan could not advance to the next round, with Chinese Taipei securing qualification. In Group standings, Chinese Taipei led the table with a commanding 9 points, having secured victory in all their matches. Pakistan follow in second place with 6 points, showcasing solid performances and winning two out of three games. Indonesia secured third position with 3 points while Kyrgyzstan were at the bottom of the group without a point. In the crucial encounter, star forward Mariam Mahmood emerged as the hero, scoring both goals for Pakistan. She opened the scoring in the 4th minute and calmly converted a penalty in the 26th minute to give her side a 2-0 lead. Though Kyrgyzstan managed to pull one back, the Pakistani defense held firm to secure the victory. President of the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF), Syed Mohsen Gilani, praised the national team for their commendable performance throughout the tournament. "Our national women’s team displayed great character and fighting spirit during their debut campaign at the AFC Qualifiers.” “Despite winning two matches and finishing second, we were unfortunate not to progress to the next round. But this is just the beginning,” said Gilani and added: “With continued support and sincere efforts, I am confident that our team will perform even better in future international events."

Sport Bulletin ReportIslamabad: President of the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF), Syed Mohsen Gilani visited the training camp of the Pakistan women’s national football team in Islamabad ahead of their participation in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Qualifiers.During his visit, President Gilani interacted with the players and coaching staff, expressing his best wishes and confidence in the team’s performance. He also discussed training progress and preparations with the team.The training camp, led by Head Coach Adeel Rizki, concluded today after several days of preparation. The team is set to depart for Indonesia tonight via a private airline, transiting through Karachi and Bangkok before reaching Jakarta.Pakistan are placed in Group E alongside Chinese Taipei, host nation Indonesia and Kyrgyzstan. The team will play its first group match on June 29 against Chinese Taipei, followed by the second match on July 2 against Indonesia, and the final group game on July 5 against Kyrgyzstan.

Yangon(SBR): The head coach of the Pakistan Men’s National Football Team, Stephen Constantine, addressed the media in a pre-match press conference today, ahead of Pakistan’s crucial AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifier against Myanmar.Opening his remarks, Constantine expressed gratitude to the hosts, stating: "Firstly, thank you very much to the Myanmar Football Association for the hospitality."He acknowledged the tough challenge ahead but maintained confidence in his players' efforts and attitude. "I think for us it will be a very difficult game. For Pakistan, all of the games are difficult. I think everyone knows our situation, but we have a good group of players. They have worked hard over the last few days and we will come here to try to win the game."The coach highlighted the team's focus and adaptability in preparation for the match. "We come here to play football. I think the boys have adapted well to the training. We just have to get on with it. Every single game you play for Pakistan is important – even friendlies."Reflecting on the previous fixture against Syria, Constantine shared: "We prepared, we played with Syria in the last game. We lost 2-0, but I think we played quite well."Responding to a question he said: "Myanmar won their last game, so of course they're playing at home, they will be favourites for this game. But we will fight like we do in every game and we will try to get the result that we want, which is to win. We didn't come here to lose."Pakistan will face Myanmar tomorrow in Yangon in their second Group E fixture of the AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers. The match will take place at the Thuwunna Stadium, Yangon, with kickoff scheduled for 03:30 PM Pakistan Standard Time.

Sports Bulletin ReportColombo (Sri Lanka): The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) delegation participated in the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Extraordinary Congress 2025, held in Colombo, Sri Lanka.A two-member PFF delegation, led by President Saud Azim Hashimi and Acting General Secretary Mohammad Shahid Niaz Khokhar, actively represented Pakistan in the high-level gathering. The event was presided over by Kazi Salahuddin, President of SAFF. Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, President of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), attended the event as a special guest. During the congress, Purushottam Kattel, a former AFC official, was appointed as the new General Secretary of SAFF, marking a significant administrative development for the South Asian football. One of the key highlights of the event was a dedicated meeting between the PFF leadership and AFC President Shaikh Salman, accompanied by Vahid Kardany, Deputy General Secretary of the AFC, who played a crucial role in the recent PFF Congress settlement, ensuring alignment of the PFF Statutes with AFC and FIFA.During the discussion, the focus remained on the ongoing normalization process in Pakistan football and the upcoming PFF elections, both considered crucial milestones in revitalizing the country’s footballing landscape. PFF President and NC Chairman Saud Azim Hashimi briefed the AFC President on the progress of the PFF elections and outlined the steps ahead in the electoral process.Expressing optimism, Shaikh Salman shared his hopeful expectations for a new era of leadership to emerge from the upcoming PFF elections. He emphasised that strong, stable leadership is essential for the sport’s growth in Pakistan and pledged all-out AFC support to assist the country in its journey toward football development and excellence. The PFF delegation also held productive sideline discussions with leaders of other SAFF member nations, where they explored avenues for regional collaboration, joint ventures, and strategies to advance shared goals in South Asian football.

Sports Bulletin ReportRiyadh (Saudi Arabia): Sergio Conceicao wants to make an excellent first impression on fans in Riyadh for his opening match as AC Milan manager in the EA Sports FC Italian Supercup semi-final versus Juventus.The Portuguese, who replaced compatriot Paulo Fonseca in charge at the beginning of the week, is in the unique situation of spending his debut competing against son Francisco Conceicao, who plays as a winger for Juventus.However, speaking at the pre-match press conference for the semi-final at Al Awwal Park in Riyadh on Friday at 10pm, Conceicao says family feelings will stop for 90 minutes with full focus on reaching Monday’s final.Conceicao said: “We have a huge responsibility which is defending the colours of one of the most historical clubs in football. We have a strong fan base, not only here but also elsewhere globally and we will do our best to make our supporters happy and proud. We have to play aggressively against Juventus. Our goal is to penetrate Juventus’ defence as a complete team, not by relying on individual players. Having my son on the opposing team won’t affect me. My goal is clear: to win like I do in any other match. There is no place for feelings on the field. There are many Portuguese players and coaches here in Saudi. It’s a league that is growing a lot and quickly. We can literally feel the passion for football and the will to grow. Many important players are contributing to this evolution.”Motta said: “Thank you very much for the hospitality. We are in a very pleasant environment to do our job and give our best. We must be able to not let the change in AC Milan leadership influence us. We are ready for everything; we must be the main character. Juventus midfielder Manuel Locatelli added: “It has been great hospitality; we have been hosted in a very pleasant way. Juventus is supported around the world, and this motivates us to win. The Saudi league is developing, it has improved a lot. They invested very well, and it will grow even more internationally.”Maignan said: “It’s a very important game for us as players, management, and as a fan base. Me and my team-mates made a pact that moving forward we will do our best. We have high ambitions, will keep doing our best and need to be cautious and follow the coach’s instructions.”

Riyadh (Saudi Arabia): Te Saudi Pro League (SPL) has announced its preparations for the upcoming 2024/25 winter transfer window, which will run from January 1 to January 30, 2025. These preparations highlight the league’s commitment to supporting clubs by facilitating player transfers, improving governance and planning, ensuring player welfare, and enhancing financial sustainability.The SPL held a series of intensive workshops with its member clubs to assess their specific needs and objectives for the winter transfer window. These workshops aim to provide tailored support to clubs, enabling them to continue achieving success on and off the pitch. This includes facilitating transfers between clubs within the league.During the 2024 summer transfer window, clubs utilised 16 of the 36 available slots for foreign players under the age of 21. Thirteen clubs signed at least one U21 foreign player, while five clubs did not make any signings in this category. The remaining slots provide opportunities for further reinforcements during the winter window.Additionally, all 18 clubs reached the maximum allowance of eight foreign players over the age of 21 per squad by the end of the summer transfer window. Consequently, new signings in this category during the winter window will require clubs to terminate contracts, sell players, or deregister squad members. The SPL will work closely with clubs and the Financial Sustainability Committee to ensure compliance with league policies and regulations.Key outcomes from the 2024/25 summer transfer window include:Average player age decrease: The average player age in the league dropped from 27.6 years to 26.2 years, reflecting a focus on younger talent acquisition.Player movements: A total of 115 domestic players were registered, while 132 departed due to end of contracts, sales, or contract terminations. Meanwhile, 101 foreign players joined the league, and 32 foreign players departed due to end of contracts, sales, or contract terminations.The SPL reiterated that it remains dedicated to fostering transparency and collaboration with clubs while continuing to enhance the league’s competitiveness and organizational excellence.As part of its transformation strategy, the SPL aims to position the Saudi Pro League among the world’s leading football leagues. This strategy focuses on five main pillars:•                    Developing & attracting elite talent•                    Build genuine connections with fans and communities•                    Elevate all clubs•                    Expand reach and revenue•                    Drive economic and societal impact