Football

Doha, Qatar: The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be remembered as the tournament that rewrote the record books – and not only on the pitch. As the first 48-team finals produced the most goals ever scored at a World Cup (308), a record nine African teams in the knockout rounds, and a record eight Arab nations participating, fans across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) set records of their own. beIN Sports, the region’s leading sports broadcaster, recorded a cumulative viewership of 6.2 billion across the 39-day tournament, according to independent audience measurement by Ipsos. Every historic moment on the pitch was matched by one on the screen. When Ferran Torres struck in extra time to crown Spain world champions at the New York New Jersey Stadium, 245.4 million were watching across the region, representing 68.6% of MENA’s total adult population. Similarly, when Egypt took 2022 champions Argentina to the brink in the Round of 16, 192.6 million watched – a record for a match featuring an Arab team. And when the tournament reached its final week, the region simply could not look away: 171.3 million for Argentina’s late semi-final comeback against England; 168.8 million for Spain’s statement victory over France; and 162 million for a third-place play-off in which England beat France 6-4 in a thriller that saw eventual Golden Boot winner Kylian Mbappé become the FIFA World Cup’s all-time leading scorer with 22 goals across three tournaments. In all, 22 matches attracted more than 100 million cumulative viewers on beIN Sports, despite many of them kicking off at 01:00, 04:00 and 06:00 MECCA, proving, night after night, that distance and time zones are no barrier to the region’s passion. From Portugal’s last-16 meeting with eventual champions Spain (152.1 million) to Brazil’s clash with Norway (138.3 million), the biggest World Cup ever staged produced the biggest audiences beIN has ever recorded. It was, above all, a historic tournament for Arab football. As beIN revealed last month, the region’s record eight representatives drew a cumulative 2.1 billion viewers across their 29 matches, as Egypt reached the Round of 16 for the first time and Morocco marched to a second successive quarter-final in front of 151.6 million viewers. Mohammed Al Bader, Managing Director of beIN Channels - MENA, said: “This was a FIFA World Cup of unprecedented records – the most goals, most teams, and now, the biggest broadcast audience in beIN’s history. Reaching 6.2 billion cumulative viewers across 39 days tells a powerful story about what football means to this region. We are honoured to have been the exclusive home of every moment of it, and prouder still that when Arab teams made history on the pitch, the entire region experienced it together on beIN.” The record audiences extended far beyond television. Across beIN’s social media platforms, tournament content generated 16.96 billion impressions, 7.77 billion video views and more than 311 million engagements from over 11,000 posts – while 12.2 million new followers joined beIN Sports’ social media channels across the 39 days. The final alone drew 26 million cumulative viewers on YouTube, peaking at 3.8 million concurrent live views as Spain lifted the trophy, and beIN Connect, the network’s OTT platform, added 9.9 million cumulative views and more than 95 million minutes watched across the tournament. As the exclusive broadcaster across 24 markets in MENA, beIN Sports delivered more than 1,700 hours of live coverage in three languages across eight dedicated channels, ensuring that the most record-breaking FIFA World Cup ever staged was matched by the most comprehensive coverage the region has ever seen.

Rally

Doha, Qatar: The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), the global governing body for motor sport and the federation for mobility organisations worldwide, has today announced a landmark long-term commercial rights agreement for the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) and FIA European Rally Championship (ERC). It follows the acquisition of WRC Promoter GmbH by Cosmobilis and Park Square Capital. The biggest deal in the history of these championships, this agreement marks a new chapter for the WRC and ERC. Supporting the FIA’s vision under President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, it will bring significant new investment into the sport, helping to strengthen and grow its world-class motor sport portfolio for years to come. This deal has been designed for the rallying community and developed to deliver real benefits for fans, competitors, event organisers and the FIA’s Member Clubs. Through this agreement, rallying will become more accessible, more competitive, and more commercially successful. As the sport grows, the FIA will continue to focus on the strong governance and regulations that provide the foundations for rallying’s long-term success. Alongside the FIA, the new promoter team of French automotive technology and services platform Cosmobilis and private credit investor Park Square Capital share a commitment to growing the sport’s global audience and deepening fan engagement. The FIA will also benefit from significantly increased visibility of its brand across events and broadcasts around the world. This is a pivotal moment for the WRC, which is preparing for a major regulatory overhaul. Next-generation technical regulations, due to take effect in 2027, have been designed to make the sport safer, more competitive and affordable at the highest level, while the establishment of a new FIA Growth Fund will support projects that drive the success and development of rallying worldwide. Cosmobilis and Park Square Capital have outlined ambitious plans to take the WRC and ERC to the next level, putting fans at the heart of the sport and making rallying more exciting, accessible, and engaging. To deliver this vision, the new promoter has built a team of experts, led by newly-appointed CEO Éric Boullier, a highly experienced motor sport executive with a track record at the highest levels of international motor sport. FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, said: “This is truly the deal of the century for rallying, and I am proud to announce this transformative step forward, and never before seen levels of investment. “Not only will it deliver real benefits to fans, competitors and our member clubs worldwide, but this investment signifies confidence in the future of our sport as its global popularity continues to grow. “The future of our championships is at the heart of every decision we make, and we have ensured that we not only secure the right partner for today, but one who shares our long-term vision. My thanks to FIA Deputy President for Sport, Malcolm Wilson and his dedicated team for delivering this, and I am looking forward to working closely with our new promoter. “Rallying is a huge part of my personal story, it has shaped who I am and how I work, and I am deeply committed to its future. This is an important moment for our sport and as we enter a new era I am proud that we have a new partner in place to help us drive forward the bright future of these championships.” FIA Deputy President for Sport, Malcolm Wilson said: “I have spent my entire professional life in the FIA World Rally Championship, so I know exactly what this sport means to its competitors, its organisers, and above all its fans. In over 40 years in the sport, I have never seen investment on this scale into rallying – this deal really is that significant and I’m full of optimism for what it means for the fans, competitors and organisers."

Football

Doha, Qatar: Qatar SC have completed a productive pre-season training camp in Murcia, Spain, as they continue preparations for the 2026-2027 campaign, while Al Arabi boosted confidence with a victory over Saudi Arabia’s Al Fateh in Marbella. Qatar SC’s overseas camp, which ran from July 15 to July 31, formed a key part of the club’s build-up to the new season, during which they will compete in both domestic and Gulf competitions. Under head coach Marquez Lopez, the squad focused on tactical, technical and physical development through intensive training sessions, while also working on integrating several new signings into the team.Al Arabi players celebrate after scoring a goal during the friendly against Al Fateh. The Kings played four friendly matches during the camp, opening with a commanding 5-0 victory over Futbol Jobs before drawing 2-2 with Malaysia’s Johor FC. They were then held to a goalless draw by Spanish side Club Costa City before concluding the tour with a 3-0 defeat to fellow Spanish club UCAM Murcia. Despite the mixed results, the friendlies provided valuable opportunities to assess combinations, improve match fitness and fine-tune preparations ahead of what promises to be a demanding season. Qatar SC finished sixth in last season’s Qatar Stars League (QSL) standings with 32 points after recording nine wins, five draws and eight defeats. The club has strengthened its squad with the arrivals of Brazilian midfielder Bruno Tabata, Spanish duo Pau Prim and Albert Luque, along with Abdullah Al Marafi, as it looks to challenge more strongly in the new campaign. The Kings will begin their QSL season against Al Wakrah at Lusail Stadium on August 20 before turning their attention to the Gulf Clubs Champions League, where they hope to make a strong impression. Meanwhile, Al Arabi returned to winning ways with a 2-0 victory over Saudi Pro League side Al Fateh in their third pre-season friendly in Marbella, Spain. Spanish duo Rodri Sanchez and Pablo Sarabia were on target as Al Arabi responded positively after a 4-1 defeat to Neom in their previous outing. The team had opened its training camp with a convincing 3-0 win over Gibraltar’s Lions Gibraltar. With two wins from three friendlies, Al Arabi’s preparations remain on track as the coaching staff continue building fitness, tactical cohesion and momentum ahead of the new season.