Sports

A fan waves a Pride flag before the game between the Seattle Sounders and the Portland Timbers at Lumen Field on June 3, 2023, in Seattle, Washington.

Culture

FIFA rejects Egypt, Iran objections, allows Pride flags at World Cup match

The Egyptian and Iranian football bodies previously raised objections over the match to FIFA.

Germany's forward #26 Deniz Undav (2nd R), an ethnic Kurd, scores his team's first goal during the 2026 World Cup Group E football match between Germany and Ivory Coast at the Toronto Stadium in Toronto on June 20, 2026.

Culture

Amid political setbacks, Kurds shine at the World Cup

Kurdish players and clubs are making rare global gains on football’s biggest stage, offering a brief lift amid ongoing political setbacks across the region.

Hossam Hassan, the head coach of Egypt, celebrates after the 3-1 win during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group G match between New Zealand and Egypt at BC Place Vancouver on June 21, 2026, in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Culture

Egyptians hail first-ever World Cup win as Tunisia, Turkey exit

Egypt had never won a match at the tournament prior to Sunday's victory, despite previously qualifying for the World Cup in 1934, 1990 and 2018.

Achraf Hakimi #2 of Morocco shoots and misses a chance against Gabriel Magalhaes #3 of Brazil during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group C match between Brazil and Morocco at New York New Jersey Stadium on June 13, 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Culture

Morocco, Egypt impress with notable draws despite winless World Cup start for Mideast teams

Several teams from the Middle East and North Africa could advance to the knockout stage under the new format, and Morocco climbed in the rankings despite a tie in its opener.

Latest News

Feature

Turkey’s World Cup return clouded by politics, dawn kickoffs

Yasin AKGUL / AFP via Getty Images

Ezgi Akin

In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO

Culture

World Cup opens amid visa disputes for Iran, Iraq and Somalia

Members of the Iranian national soccer team including midfielder Alireza Jahanbakhsh (R) arrive at Tijuana International Airport on June 7, 2026, in Tijuana, Mexico.

Culture

10 MENA teams at 2026 World Cup: Morocco eyes title, Iran faces visa hurdles

Morocco's midfielder Azzedine Ounahi celebrates scoring with teammates during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group E African qualification football match between Morocco and Niger at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex in Rabat on September 5, 2025. (Photo by Abdel Majid BZIOUAT / AFP)

What LIV Golf’s woes suggest about Saudi Arabia’s economic headwinds

Bryson DeChambeau of Crushers GC plays his shot from the 17th tee prior to LIV Golf Mexico City at Club de Golf Chapultepec on April 15, 2026, in Mexico City.

Gold medalist Feryal Abdelaziz of Team Egypt poses with the gold medal for the Women’s Karate Kumite +61kg on day 15 of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Nippon Budokan, Tokyo, Japan, Aug. 7, 2021.

Egypt’s sports authorities under fire over Tokyo games

Although Egypt received six medals in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics for the first time in years, sports authorities in the country were criticized due to players’ complaints about inappropriate training.

Turkey's Zehra Gunes (C) and Ebrar Karakurt (R) attempt to block a shot in the women's quarter-final volleyball match between South Korea and Turkey during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Ariake Arena in Tokyo on Aug. 4, 2021.

Turks rally around Olympic volleyball star attacked over sexuality

When a member of Turkey's Olympic volleyball team faced online abuse after posting intimate photos of herself with a woman on Instagram, Turks of all stripes spoke up in her defense.

Zachary Weiss #44 of Team Israel pitches in the ninth inning against Team Dominican Republic during the knockout stage of men's baseball on day eleven of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Yokohama Baseball Stadium on Aug. 3, 2021 in Yokohama, Japan.

Despite loss, Israel’s Olympic baseball team wins big in Tokyo

The Israeli baseball team brought home no medals, but still made history by qualifying for the Olympic games and gaining visibility.

Olympic high jump medalists

Qatari, Italian athletes praised for sharing gold medal at Olympics

Entities in both Qatar and Italy praised high jumpers Mutaz Barshim and Gianmarco Tamberi for opting to share an Olympic gold medal, though one commentator said such a deal was unbecoming of elite athletes.

Israel's Raz Hershko (blue) and Saudi Arabia's Tahani Alqahtani compete in the judo women's +78kg elimination round bout during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo on July 30, 2021.

Saudi judoka earns praise for facing Israeli opponent at Tokyo Olympics

Tahani Alqahtani is the first Saudi woman to compete in judo at the Olympics, bucking the trend of Middle Eastern and North African athletes refusing to face Israelis at the games.

Team Turkey celebrates after defeating Team China during the Women's Preliminary - Pool B on day two of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Ariake Arena on July 25, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan.

Controversial cleric’s ‘modesty call’ to Turkish volleyball team bounces back at him

Following a victory by the Turkish women's volleyball team over China at the Tokyo Olympics, the all-too-familiar debate on women’s decency and clothes raised its head when a cleric urged the players to observe modesty in dress and behavior.

Tohar Butbul of Team Israel and Arthur Margelidon of Team Canada compete during the Men’s Judo 73kg Repechage contest on day three of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Nippon Budokan on July 26, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan.

Sudanese judoka refuses to face Israeli opponent

Some athletes in the Middle East and North Africa face domestic pressures to refuse to face Israelis in competition.

Atletico Madrid's French midfielder Thomas Lemar (R) is marked by Beitar's midfielder Dan Einbinder during the friendly soccer match between Beitar Jerusalem and Atletico Madrid at Teddy Stadium, Jerusalem, May 21, 2019.

Israeli soccer club calls off match with Barcelona in Jerusalem

Faced with pressure by pro-Palestinian elements, Barcelona preferred having its soccer game against Beitar Jerusalem canceled, rather than play in Jerusalem.

Medical staff conduct a test for the coronavirus on the passengers who arrived from Rome to Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport on June 15, 2020, in Athens, Greece.

Turkish soccer team flies home from Greece after virus test row

Turkey, which has worked to repair its long-strained relations with Greece this year, summoned the Greek ambassador over the issue on Tuesday.

AL-MONITOR Staff

By AL-MONITOR Staff

Messi at Wailing Wall in 2013

Palestinians criticize FC Barcelona over possible match with Israeli team

Spain's elite soccer club has not confirmed it will play the Israeli team Beitar Jerusalem.

Syrians take part in a horse race for thoroughbred Arabian horses sponsored by Turkish nongovernmental organization IHH, in the southern Aleppo countryside, Syria, May 12, 2017.

Syrian opposition organizes Arabian horse festival

In the areas controlled by the Turkish-backed opposition in the countryside of Aleppo, equestrian sports are alive with the first purebred Arabian horse festival.

Palestinian youths ride their skateboards near the sea port of Gaza City, Gaza Strip, March 20, 2019.

Italians build Gaza’s largest sports park

The Gaza Strip will have a huge recreational sports project, which includes one of the largest skateboard tracks in the Middle East.