Nearly two-and-a-half years before the first 48-team Fifa World Cup kicks off in the United States, Mexico and Canada, Saudi Arabia start their journey to find out if they can make it three appearances in a row at the global finals.
The opening fixture of their Asian qualifying second round at home against Pakistan on Thursday marks the first stage of the two-year adventure, with two matches each against Group G opponents Pakistan, Jordan and Tajikistan taking them through to June 2024.
The top two teams will book their place in the third round, where Asia’s top 18 sides will compete for eight spots at the 2026 finals. A ninth team also takes part in the inter-confederation play-off which offers a further place.
Heading into the first stage, manager Roberto Mancini has been joined by his new assistant and former player at Manchester City, Yaya Toure. The former Ivory Coast captain and Mancini had embarked on multiple journeys to Saudi Pro League stadiums to identify new talent for the Green Falcons’ set-up.
In doing so, Mancini and Toure have kept an eye on the long term, with some of the names, notably the inclusion of 16-year-old forward Talal Haji, an early step towards building the core of the team that is set to compete in the 2034 World Cup on home soil, with Saudi Arabia the sole candidate for the competition’s hosting rights.
Besides Al Ittihad's Haji, the latest squad also features teenagers Abbas Al Hassan, a winger who has impressed for Al Fateh, and Hamed Youssef, the backup goalkeeper at Al Shabab. There is also no shortage of players born after 2000, with the likes of Abdullah Radif (20) at Al Shabab, Al Taawoun's Muath Faqihi (21) and Faisal Al Ghamdi (22) of Al Ittihad out to stake their claim as mainstays of the national team.
That excitement was on full display on the streets of Al Ahsa in the east of the country, as hundreds of fans lined up to welcome the national team as it set up camp in the oasis city before their opening match at the newly opened Al Fateh Club Stadium.
For all the optimism, there was still the inevitable criticism of the manager’s choices, as is often the case ahead of every international window.
Prominent among the surprise exclusions is Al Ahli forward Firas Al Buraikan. The 23-year-old was the SPL’s highest scoring Saudi player last season with 18 goals, and already has six this season; only recently anointed Asian Player of the Year Salem Al Dawsari (seven) has more.
In what can be yet another sign of focusing on the future, 29-year-old right-back Sultan Al Ghannam missed out on the squad, with Saud Abdulhamid of Al Hilal and Al Taawoun's Waleed Al Ahmed, both 24, preferred in his position.
Likewise, Saleh Al Abbas’ five goals for Al Riyadh this season could not earn him a spot in Mancini's squad, with the 29-year-old omitted in favour of Radif, Haji and Al Nassr's Mohammed Marran, all under the age of 23.
With the prospect of the World Cup coming to Asia for the third time, Saudi fans will be dreaming of seeing their team surpass the achievements of South Korea, joint-hosts alongside Japan for the 2002 World Cup, in going beyond the semi-finals.
The journey of a thousand miles, or 11 years in Saudi Arabia’s case, begins with a single step against 193rd ranked Pakistan on Thursday.
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
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Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
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Company%20Profile
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F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
What went into the film
25 visual effects (VFX) studios
2,150 VFX shots in a film with 2,500 shots
1,000 VFX artists
3,000 technicians
10 Concept artists, 25 3D designers
New sound technology, named 4D SRL
PSG's line up
GK: Alphonse Areola (youth academy)
Defence - RB: Dani Alves (free transfer); CB: Marquinhos (€31.4 million); CB: Thiago Silva (€42m); LB: Layvin Kurzawa (€23m)
Midfield - Angel di Maria (€47m); Adrien Rabiot (youth academy); Marco Verratti (€12m)
Forwards - Neymar (€222m); Edinson Cavani (€63m); Kylian Mbappe (initial: loan; to buy: €180m)
Total cost: €440.4m (€620.4m if Mbappe makes permanent move)
The five pillars of Islam
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Juliot Vinolia’s checklist for adopting alternate-day fasting
- Don’t do it more than once in three days
- Don’t go under 700 calories on fasting days
- Ensure there is sufficient water intake, as the body can go in dehydration mode
- Ensure there is enough roughage (fibre) in the food on fasting days as well
- Do not binge on processed or fatty foods on non-fasting days
- Complement fasting with plant-based foods, fruits, vegetables, seafood. Cut out processed meats and processed carbohydrates
- Manage your sleep
- People with existing gastric or mental health issues should avoid fasting
- Do not fast for prolonged periods without supervision by a qualified expert
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UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
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The biog
Name: Atheja Ali Busaibah
Date of birth: 15 November, 1951
Favourite books: Ihsan Abdel Quddous books, such as “The Sun will Never Set”
Hobbies: Reading and writing poetry
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
How to join and use Abu Dhabi’s public libraries
• There are six libraries in Abu Dhabi emirate run by the Department of Culture and Tourism, including one in Al Ain and Al Dhafra.
• Libraries are free to visit and visitors can consult books, use online resources and study there. Most are open from 8am to 8pm on weekdays, closed on Fridays and have variable hours on Saturdays, except for Qasr Al Watan which is open from 10am to 8pm every day.
• In order to borrow books, visitors must join the service by providing a passport photograph, Emirates ID and a refundable deposit of Dh400. Members can borrow five books for three weeks, all of which are renewable up to two times online.
• If users do not wish to pay the fee, they can still use the library’s electronic resources for free by simply registering on the website. Once registered, a username and password is provided, allowing remote access.
• For more information visit the library network's website.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
WISH
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