From Trump’s World Cup to wars, revolutions and fairy tales – the football stories that shaped 2025 in the Middle East and beyond.
BabaGol 2025 football review
Iraq’s Last-Minute Triumph Keeps 2026 Dream Alive
A dramatic 107th-minute penalty sends Iraq to the intercontinental playoff—now just one game from a first World Cup since 1986.
UEFA Pressure Mounts: Ireland Leads Push to Suspend Israel
Ireland and other European FAs are joining efforts to push UEFA to suspend Israel over settlement clubs and racism allegations.
Villa Beat Maccabi 2–0 Amid Fan Ban and Political Protests
Aston Villa overcame Maccabi Tel Aviv 2–0 in a Europa League night marked by police protests, fan bans, and off-field political tension.
Politics cloud Maccabi Tel Aviv’s Villa clash
Maccabi Tel Aviv arrive in Birmingham under political tension, facing Aston Villa without fans in a key Europa League test.