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UEFA to Boycott FIFA Competitions Over World Cup Stake Plan
UEFA and its 55 member associations will boycott FIFA competitions over a proposal to sell part of the World Cup’s commercial operations.
European football’s governing body announced the decision after an emergency virtual meeting on Thursday, escalating its dispute with FIFA over the proposed creation of a $20 billion commercial subsidiary. chickenroad.qpon
“No UEFA national teams will participate in any FIFA competition for so long as these proposals remain alive,” UEFA said in a statement.
UEFA said it would only reverse its position if FIFA abandoned the proposal completely and provided binding assurances that its governance and competitions would never be opened to private ownership.
“The World Cup is not for sale,” the statement added.
The English Football Association supported the decision, saying it stood alongside the other European associations and that they “oppose FIFA’s plans – the FIFA World Cup belongs to football and always will.”
The boycott could initially affect FIFA’s inaugural Under-15 World Cup in Azerbaijan in October. Brazil will also host the Women’s World Cup next year.
The decisions came after FIFA announced on Tuesday that it wanted to establish “FIFA Forward Enterprise,” a new subsidiary consolidating its commercial and event operations.
The company would handle commercial activities connected to the World Cup and other FIFA competitions, including broadcasting, sponsorship, ticketing, licensing and hospitality rights.
FIFA plans to sell non-controlling stakes of up to 20% to outside investors, potentially raising $4.2 billion based on an initial company valuation of $20 billion.
The governing body said it would retain sole control of the company and exclusive authority over tournament formats, regulations, the international match calendar and all sporting decisions.
Joshua Kushner’s Thrive Eternal is expected to lead the proposed investor group. FIFA is working with JPMorgan on the project, while former Liberty Media chief executive Greg Maffei has acted as a commercial adviser.
The plan still requires the support of a majority of the 211 member associations and approval from the FIFA Council.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino described the plan as an opportunity to generate over $10 billion for “football development worldwide.”
He later said the proposal was part of a consultation process and “not an obligation” after several confederations complained that FIFA had developed it without their involvement.
The Asian Football Confederation and Concacaf have joined UEFA in criticising FIFA’s consultation process.
The global players’ union FIFPRO has also warned that private ownership could permanently change the financial incentives behind FIFA competitions.
CAF has taken a more cautious position. The African governing body confirmed that it had received FIFA’s proposal and said that president Patrice Motsepe, who is an ally of Infantino, would convene an Executive Committee meeting next week to evaluate it.
Under the proposed funding structure, the Egyptian Football Association could receive up to $40 million if the plan is approved and it meets the conditions for accessing both funding programmes.
The EFA has not publicly declared its position on the proposal. CAF’s decision next week could prove influential as FIFA attempts to secure the majority required to proceed with the share sale.
The post UEFA to Boycott FIFA Competitions Over World Cup Stake Plan appeared first on KingFut.
Saudi Arabia to host next three ACL finals
Doha: Saudi Arabia has been confirmed as the host of the next three editions of the AFC Champions League Elite (ACL) finals after the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Executive Committee approved the country’s provisional hosting rights yesterday.
Saudi Arabia has staged the first two editions of the revamped finals format, in which the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final are played at a centralised venue, following the restructuring of Asia’s premier club competition ahead of the 2024-25 season.
Jeddah club Al Ahli lifted the title on both occasions the city hosted the finals.
The Saudi side defeated Japan’s Kawasaki Frontale in the 2025 final before overcoming Machida Zelvia in May to successfully defend the crown.
The upcoming edition of the AFC Champions League Elite will feature an expanded league phase, with the number of participating teams increasing from 24 to 32.
The qualifying rounds are scheduled to begin on August 11, while the league phase draw will be held in Kuala Lumpur on August 18.
The expanded competition will kick off on September 14, bringing together league champions and leading clubs from across Asia.
The AFC also announce that Japan will host the 2028 AFC U23 Asian Cup, which will also serve as Asia’s qualifying tournament for the men’s football competition at the 2028 Olympic Games.
The top two finishers will qualify directly for the 2028 Olympic men’s football tournament.
AFC also confirmed that Uzbekistan will host the 2027 AFC U17 Asian Cup, while Saudi Arabia will stage the 2029 edition.
صيفي «العربي» يسلط الضوء على خطورة آفات اللسان
نظّمت اللجنة الشبابية بالنادي العربي الرياضي محاضرة جماهيرية وتوعوية حملت عنوان «ترك الشماتة».
وجاءت هذه الفعالية المهمة ثمرة التعاون المشترك والمثمر مع إدارة الدعوة والإرشاد الديني بوزارة الأوقاف والشؤون الإسلامية، وتحت مظلة وزارة الرياضة والشباب، وذلك ضمن خطط الجهات المنظمة الرامية إلى إثراء الحصانة الفكرية والأخلاقية للشباب والنشء.
وقد أُقيمت المحاضرة بقاعة الفعاليات الكبرى بمقر النادي العربي الرياضي، وسط حضور كبير من أعضاء ومنتسبي النشاط الصيفي بالنادي، والشباب المهتمين، وجمع من رواد الفعاليات الثقافية والشرعية بالنادي.
وقدّم المحاضرة فضيلة الشيخ محمد غانم الداعية المكلف من إدارة الدعوة والإرشاد الديني بوزارة الأوقاف، حيث تميز الطرح بالعمق والشمول متناولاً عدداً من المحاور الحيوية التي تلامس واقع الحياة اليومية للمجتمع. وقد تركزت أبرز المضامين والمحاور على التحذير من آفات اللسان ومخاطرها المجتمعية، حيث سلط المحاضر الضوء على خطورة آفات اللسان وتأثيرها المدمر على تماسك النسيج المجتمعي من منظور إسلامي بحت، مبيناً الأثر السلبي المباشر للشماتة والتنابز بالألقاب في إشاعة الفرقة والبغضاء.
كما دعا إلى التحلي بالأخلاق الفاضلة ووجّه عدة رسائل تربوية عميقة تحث الحضور على ترك الشماتة نهائياً، والابتعاد عن كل ما من شأنه الإساءة للآخرين أو التنمر اللفظي والتنابز بالألقاب، واستشهد بالهدي النبوي الشريف مستعرضاً باقة من الأحاديث النبوية الشريفة التي تحذر من هذه السلوكيات الذميمة، داعياً إلى الاقتداء بالهدي النبوي الشريف في التعاملات اليومية، كما أكد ضرورة وأهمية التواصل بالأرحام وتوطيد أواصر المحبة والتراحم بين أفراد الأسرة الواحدة والمجتمع ككل، باعتبارها حصناً منيعاً ضد التفكك الاجتماعي.
جدير بالذكر أنه تأتي هذه المحاضرة ضمن سلسلة من الأنشطة والبرامج المتنوعة التي تنظمها اللجنة الشبابية بالنادي العربي الرياضي، والتي لا تقتصر على الجوانب الرياضية فحسب، بل تمتد لتشمل الجوانب الثقافية، والدينية، والتربوية، سعياً منها لتحقيق التنمية الشاملة للشباب، وغرس المبادئ الإسلامية والوطنية السامية في نفوسهم، وقد أعرب الحضور عن شكرهم وتقديرهم للجهات المنظمة على اختيارهم الموفق لهذا الموضوع الحيوي، آملين استمرار مثل هذه المبادرات الهادفة التي تسهم في بناء مجتمع إيجابي، واعٍ، ومترابط.
Padel & Pickleball are Booming in Dubai. So are the Injuries
If it feels like every second conversation in Dubai this year has somehow turned into a debate about padel versus pickleball, you are not imagining it. What was a niche pastime just a few years ago has turned into one of the most talked-about ways to stay active in the city, with new courts opening from Business Bay to Dubai Hills to the Palm. Search interest in padel alone has climbed dramatically over the past few years, and pickleball is now following the same trajectory with its own dedicated clubs opening across Dubai.
We are genuinely glad to see it. Racket sports are social, competitive, and a great way to stay fit without it feeling like a chore. But we are also starting to see the other side of this boom walk through our doors: players who picked up a paddle for the first time this year and are now dealing with elbow pain, sore shoulders, tight backs, or an ankle that gave way mid-rally.
This is not a reason to stop playing. It is a reason to understand what your body is actually being asked to do out there, and how to prepare for it properly.
WHY THESE SPORTS ARE HARDER ON THE BODY THAN THEY LOOK
gentler, and you can be playing a competitive rally within your first session. That accessibility is exactly why so many people are picking them up in their thirties, forties, and fifties, often after years of a more sedentary routine.
The catch is that both sports demand a lot in a short space of time: quick lateral movement, sudden stops and changes of direction, repeated overhead and underarm swinging motions, and long periods on a hard court. If your body has not done much of that recently, it is easy to ask more of a joint or tendon than it is ready for.
THE INJURIES WE SEE MOST OFTEN
Padel elbow and pickleball elbow. This is essentially the same overuse pattern as tennis elbow, caused by repeated gripping and swinging, and it is one of the most common complaints we hear from new players. It tends to show up as a dull ache on the outside of the elbow that gets worse with racket use and, left unaddressed, can become a persistent problem rather than a passing niggle.
Shoulder strain. Overhead shots and smashes place real load on the shoulder, particularly for players who have not done any shoulder-specific conditioning in years.
Ankle sprains. The quick side-to-side movement and sudden stops on both padel and pickleball courts are a common cause of rolled ankles, especially for players wearing the wrong footwear for the surface.
Lower back tightness. The rotational movement involved in both sports, combined with long periods standing and bending on a hard court, often brings out an existing lower back issue that had been quietly manageable until now.
Knee and Achilles overload. Lateral lunging and rapid direction changes put real strain through the knee and the Achilles tendon, particularly in players who have skipped a proper warm-up.
If any of that sounds familiar, you are far from alone, and none of it means you need to give up the sport you have just started to enjoy.
PREVENTION STARTS BEFORE YOU EVER STEP ON COURT
A few genuinely useful habits go a long way:
- Warm up properly. Five minutes of dynamic movement, footwork drills, and light swinging before you play prepares the muscles and joints for what is coming, rather than asking them to switch on cold.
- Wear the right shoes. Court shoes built for lateral movement provide the support that running shoes simply are not designed for.
- Build in strength work between sessions. A small amount of targeted conditioning for the shoulder, forearm, and lower body each week meaningfully reduces the load on those areas during play.
- Progress gradually. If you are new to the sport, resist the urge to play three sessions in your first week. Let your body adapt.
- Listen to soreness versus pain. General muscle fatigue after a match is normal. Sharp pain, swelling, or anything that lingers for more than a couple of days is worth having looked at.
THE BRACE: THE HARDEST PART OF THE JOURNEY
I want to be honest about this, because I have seen it from both sides, as a parent and as someone who works in healthcare. And because what I am about to share is not the standard clinical advice. It is what we actually did.
The standard recommendation for bracing is typically 18 hours a day. For many children and teenagers, that is the clinical gold standard. But for my daughter, it was not going to work. She was not willing to wear a brace to school, and I had to make a decision: fight that battle every single day and risk it consuming her mental health and our relationship, or find another way.
We went against the doctor’s recommendation. We had two custom braces made, an overcorrective night-time brace designed to work harder while she slept, and a daytime brace for the hours outside school when we could be consistent without the social pressure and distress that school would have created. We were vigilant and strict with the night time brace. We maximised the daytime hours where we could. And we were honest with ourselves that protecting her mental health was part of the treatment plan, not in conflict with it.
I am not saying this is the right approach for every child. It may not be right for yours. What I am saying is that there is sometimes more flexibility in how you meet the clinical goal than a single protocol suggests, and that the conversation with your clinical team about what is actually sustainable for your family is one worth having openly.
Adolescents are acutely aware of their bodies and acutely aware of being different. A brace affects what they can wear, how they feel about themselves, and how they move through the world. The emotional adjustment takes time, for your child and for you. There will be days when they refuse. There will be days when they are distressed. That is real and it is valid, and it does not mean the process is failing.
What I can tell you is that time genuinely helps. The brace that feels impossible in week two becomes routine by month three. The body adapts. The child adapts. And when the results come, when the numbers hold or improve, that is when they begin to trust the process.
WHEN IT IS TIME TO SEE SOMEONE
This is something our team sees every week, and getting to the bottom of it usually does not take long. A proper assessment can identify exactly what is going on, whether that is an overloaded tendon, a joint that needs some hands-on treatment, or a movement pattern that is quietly putting you at risk of a bigger problem down the line.
At UPANDRUNNING, our physiotherapy, osteopathy, and podiatry teams work with padel and pickleball players across all five of our Dubai locations, including our team based at Studio Republik and Emirates Golf Club. Whether it is a stubborn case of padel elbow, a rolled ankle, or a gait issue that a custom orthotic could resolve, we will give you a clear picture of what is going on and a plan to get you back on court.
If something has been nagging at you since your last match, it is worth getting looked at now rather than waiting for it to become a bigger problem.
Call 04 518 5400, WhatsApp 04 343 9391, or visit upandrunningdubai.com.
Not Sure Where to Start?
Book an appointment with our doctors. We will create a personalized treatment plan for you.
Qatar handed tough 3×3 basketball draw at Asian Games
Doha, Qatar: Qatar were handed challenging groups in the men’s and women’s 3×3 basketball competitions following the draw for the 20th Asian Games Aichi–Nagoya 2026, with the men’s team set for a Gulf derby against Bahrain.
The Asian Games will take place from September 19 to October 4.
In the men’s event, Qatar were drawn in Group C with Indonesia, Chinese Taipei and Bahrain. Group A includes Mongolia, the Philippines, Kazakhstan and Sri Lanka, while Group B features China, Iran, Malaysia and Hong Kong. Hosts Japan head Group D alongside Singapore, Korea and Thailand.
Qatar’s women were placed in Group A with China, Kazakhstan and Sri Lanka.
Group B consists of Japan, Chinese Taipei, Iran and Uzbekistan, Group C features Mongolia, the Philippines, Malaysia and Macau (China), while Group D includes Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand and Korea.
Qatar head into the Games with strong credentials after winning silver at the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games, gold at the Doha 2026 Gulf Games and the Sanya 2026 Asian Beach Games. The men’s team are also former FIBA 3×3 World Cup (2014) and U18 World Cup (2016) champions.
The women’s team will also look to build on its recent success after claiming a historic bronze medal at the Doha 2026 Gulf Games, the country’s first podium finish in the event.