FIFA confirms Infantino will run in presidential election

Paris, France: Gianni Infantino will stand in next March's FIFA presidential election, despite the backlash over his now-abandoned plan to bring private investment into the World Cup, football's global governing body announced Sunday.

"The FIFA President announced in April that he will stand for re-election in 2027," a FIFA spokesperson said. "Of course, nothing has changed. Mr Infantino will be standing for re-election."

The 56-year-old Swiss has taken a pummelling since the announcement in late July of his short-lived FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) plan to bring private investment into FIFA events. sportbet.rodeo

But now for the first time since the plan became public, FIFA has reiterated Infantino's intention to run for a fourth and final term in next year's elections.

Should he be re-elected, he will continue to serve as head of world football until 2031.

Infantino is in Poland for the Women's Under-20 World Cup, but refused to answer queries about his future when questioned by journalists on Saturday.

European body UEFA has accused Infantino of "criminal mismanagement" over the scheme and was the ringleader of the initial fightback to the announcement, including threatening to boycott all FIFA competitions, including the men's and women's World Cups, if it was not shelved.

But it has also found solid support from North American body CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani is widely seen as the likeliest challenger to Infantino -- UEFA boss Aleksander Ceferin has ruled himself out.

Montagliani, a FIFA vice-president, had long been regarded as a close ally of Infantino, but there were signs, even before he distanced himself over the now-scrapped plan to allow private investment into World Cups, that he viewed FIFA's purpose somewhat differently to the Swiss.

However, Infantino is not without friends -- 2034 World Cup hosts Saudi Arabia came out in support last month, with African football's governing body CAF and South America's CONMEBOL also supportive.

As the only declared candidate so far for the election due to take place in March 2027, Infantino will need a simple majority of votes from the 211 federations affiliated to FIFA to extend his term of office, which began in 2016 and was renewed in 2023.

Candidate nominations for next year's election must be submitted by November 18.

Bilbao, Spain: Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid suffered a brutal afternoon in La Liga as Athletic Bilbao stormed to a convincing 3-0 win.

Nico Williams, Robert Navarro and Oihan Sancet's goals gave the Basque hosts a resounding victory at their San Mames stadium.

Athletic secured back-to-back wins under former Borussia Dortmund coach Edin Terzic, after losing their first two matches of the campaign.

Simeone's Atletico fell to their first defeat of the season, putting up little fight in the second half after Athletic made the breakthrough with two quick strikes from Williams and Navarro.
"Their two goals, in the blink of an eye, did us a lot of damage," Atletico's Pablo Barrios told Movistar.

Atletico must pick themselves up for Wednesday's visit to face Liverpool in the Champions League at Anfield.

"(We had) two minutes of inattention and poor decision-making in situations we should have handled better," said Simeone. "Bilbao capitalised on that lapse."

Striker Julian Alvarez, who tried to leave the club to join Barcelona this summer, returned as a substitute after illness in an ineffective second half appearance.

The visitors had the better of the opening period, although they failed to create many clear-cut chances after an early opportunity for Lee Kang-In.

The South Korean international struck a shot against the post in the third minute after the hosts were carved open.

Athletic goalkeeper Unai Simon saved from Alex Baena as Atletico threatened, while Sancet came close at the other end with a blast into the side-netting.

Pablo Barrios hit the post before the break for Atletico, who were sucker-punched early in the second half by Terzic's side.

The Williams brothers combined for Athletic's first, with Inaki's deflected shot headed home by younger sibling Nico after 46 minutes.

Navarro doubled Athletic's lead in the 48th minute, steering home after Inaki Williams played him in.

الأخبارMahrez lands in Doha to seal Al Shamal moveDoha, Qatar: Riyad Mahrez has arrived in Doha as Al Shamal close in on the signing of the experienced Algeria international, with the 35-year-old set to join the Qatar Stars Lea...فتح →

"We were good in the first half but the game got away from us in those (couple of) minutes," said Simeone.

"We lacked in the second half everything that we had in the first."

Simeone rang the changes, including sending on want-away striker Alvarez to little effect.

The Argentina international struggled to get involved in the game, and produced just one shot from the edge of the box, saved comfortably by Simon.

Sancet wrapped up Athletic's victory in the 90th minute when he stroked home a loose ball after a blocked cross.

"It's always good to win games, especially at home," said Terzic.

"Today we are happy and we are going to be very satisfied when we go to bed tonight, and then from tomorrow onwards we'll prepare everything to go for the next (game).

"We have six points from the last two games, but this won't help us to reach all our targets by the end of the season."

On Sunday La Liga leaders Barcelona visit Valencia looking to move clear of Real Madrid, who lost 1-0 at Real Betis on Friday, among other fixtures.

أعلن الاتحاد القطري لكرة السلة برنامج مباريات الدوري العام للرجال للموسم الرياضي الجديد 2026-2027، حيث تفتتح مباريات البطولة يوم السبت 10 أكتوبر 2026، بمشاركة تسعة أندية، هي الخور، الريان، قطر، السد، الغرافة، الأهلي، الشمال، الوكرة والعربي، وتستمر منافسات الدور الأول حتى الاثنين 9 نوفمبر المقبل.
تبدأ مسابقة الدوري العام للرجال بالدور الأول الذي يقام بنظام الدوري من دور واحد، قبل أن تنتقل الفرق إلى الدور الثاني الذي يعتمد نظام الأدوار الإقصائية، وصولًا إلى تحديد بطل المسابقة.
ويشهد الدور الأول إقامة 36 مباراة موزعة على تسع جولات، وفق البرنامج الذي اعتمده الاتحاد، وتقام المواجهات على صالتي الغرافة والريان.
ويخوض النادي العربي منافسات الموسم الجديد بصفته حامل لقب النسخ الثلاث الأخيرة، بعدما رفع رصيده إلى 11 لقبًا في تاريخ الدوري العام لكرة السلة، فيما يتصدر الريان السجل الذهبي للبطولة برصيد 18 لقبًا، ويأتي نادي قطر بـ7 ألقاب، بينما يملك كل من السد والغرافة والشمال ونادي الجيش (سابقًا) لقبين لكل منهم، مقابل لقب واحد للأهلي، الذي توج به في موسم 2000-2001.
وتنطلق الجولة الأولى يوم السبت 10 أكتوبر بإقامة مباراتين في صالة الغرافة، حيث يلتقي الريان مع الخور في الساعة السادسة مساءً، فيما يواجه السد فريق قطر في الثامنة مساءً، وتتواصل الجولة يوم الاثنين 12 أكتوبر بمواجهتي الغرافة والأهلي عند السادسة مساءً، والوكرة والشمال عند الثامنة مساءً، في الصالة نفسها، بينما يحصل النادي العربي على راحة في الجولة الأولى.
وتقام الجولة الثانية يومي الأربعاء والخميس 14 و15 أكتوبر.

نظم الاتحاد القطري للرياضة للجميع بالتنسيق مع مركز تمكين ورعاية كبار السن «إحسان»، جولة جديدة من التدريبات لكبار القدر، صباح الإثنين الماضي، بالتعاون مع مركز إحسان الهلال، بمشاركة حوالى 20 من كبار القدر، وتضمنت تقديم النصائح بضرورة الاستمرار في القيام بالنشاط البدني، والاستفادة من التمارين الحركية، التي قدمت لهم خلال الجولة ولقيت صدى طيبا، مشيدين بما يقدم لهم من تمارين عضلية خفيفة.
وعلى صعيد كبيرات القدر، فقد نظمت لهن جولة تدريبية أخرى، صباح الثلاثاء الماضي، بمركز إحسان إزغوى، بمشاركة 32 من كبيرات القدر، واشتملت على التمرينات الحركية البسيطة، التي تساعد على المرونة، وتمنح القدرة على القيام بالنشاط الرياضي والبدني البسيط.

Monza, Italy: The Italian Grand Prix at Monza was halted after just two laps in Sunday after Ferrari's Charles Leclerc slid off the track and smashed into barriers.

The Monegasque, who is a two-time winner at Monza, lost control on the exit of the parabolica at the end of lap two, going straight into the gravel and flying side on into the barriers.

Leclerc stepped out of the car, looking winded but otherwise unhurt.

The race was red-flagged with Mercedes' George Russell in the lead, having overtaken pole-sitter Pierre Gasly of Alpine.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen was third ahead of Franco Colapinto in the second Alpine.

Lewis Hamilton, who started fourth, lost ground when he was forced off the track by teammate Leclerc at the first chicane, and was running eighth.

Championship leader Kimi Antonelli began at the back of the field after exceeding the permitted number of power unit changes but had already moved his way up to 12th in his Mercedes by the time the race was suspended.

The race will resume once the tyre barrier has been repaired.