Added on 24/02/2011
James M. Dorsey
Al Ahli Benghazi , Ali Abdullah Saleh , Colonel , East Africa , Egypt , Football , Hosni Mubarak , Libya , Middle East , Moammar Gadaffi , North Africa , President , Saadi’s association , Soccer , The National , Tunisia , United States , Zine Abedine Ben Ali
JAMES M. DORSEY: Gadaffi’s controversial soccer-playing son, Saadi, offers a study in the use of soccer by authoritarian Arab regimes to distract attention from real issues.
Added on 17/02/2011
James M. Dorsey
2006 World Cup , 2010 World Cup , Algeria , Ali Abdullah Saleh , BBC , Benghazi , Colonel , Confederation of African Football , Egypt , Facebook , FIFA , Fifa World Cup , Football , Germany , Iran , Jordan , Libya , Middle East , Muammar Gaddafi , North Africa , President , Soccer , Tunisia , United States , Yemen
JAMES DORSEY: Gaddafi intends the opening of the Benghazi stadium to be a show of popular support, but activists fear it could become the setting for clashes.
Added on 11/02/2011
James M. Dorsey
Egypt , Football , Green Movement , Hosni Mubarak , Iran , Iranian parliament , Islamic Republic of Iran , Mahmoud Ahmadinejad , President , Ruhollah Khomeini , Soccer , Tehran , Tunisia , Zine Abedine Ben Ali
JAMES DORSEY: Iran’s Football Federation has postponed league matches in Tehran to prevent celebrations of the 32nd anniversary of the Islamic revolution turning into anti-government protests.
Added on 08/02/2011
James M. Dorsey
2022 World Cup , Asian Football Confederation , Australia , BBC , Belgium , FIFA , Fifa World Cup , Football , Japan , Mohamed bin Hammam , Netherlands , Portugal , President , Qatar , Qatar 2022 , Russia , Soccer , South Korea , Spain , The Telegraph , United Kingdom , United States
JAMES DORSEY: If Blatter’s admission is correct, those votes would account for seven of the 12 votes that won Qatar its right to host the world’s biggest sporting event.
Added on 05/02/2011
David Roberts
2022 World Cup , Australia , Brazil , Doha , FIFA , Fifa World Cup , Football , Japan , Manchester , President , Qatar , Qatar 2022 , Sepp Blatter , United Kingdom
DAVID ROBERTS: Huge queues, chronic transportation, empty seats and a less than fulsome welcome for travelling fans – a very long ‘To Do’ list for Qatar 2022.
Added on 04/02/2011
James M. Dorsey
Africa , Al Mohtalet , Al Zamalek , Cairo , Egypt , Egyptian police , Facebook , Football , Gaza , Ghana , Hosni Mubarak , Israel , Italy , President , Social services , The National , United Kingdom , YouTube
JAMES DORSEY: The organizational skills of the ultras, fanatical Cairo soccer fans, are emerging as opponents and supporters of President Mubarak.
Added on 02/02/2011
James M. Dorsey
Abdelaziz Bouteflika , African Cup of Nations , Algeria , Algerian League for the Defence of Human Rights , Algiers , Benghazi , Egypt , Facebook , Football , Hosni Mubarak , Khartoum , Libya , Middle East , Morocco , North Africa , Omar al-Bashir , President , Soccer , Sudan , Tobruk , Tripoli , Tunisia , United States , Zine Abedine Ben Ali
JAMES DORSEY: Oil-rich Libya and gas-rich Algeria have indefinitely extended their suspension of all soccer matches with anti-government demonstrations looming.
Added on 31/01/2011
James M. Dorsey
Africa , Cairo , Department of State , Egypt , Egyptian Football Association , Football , Hosni Mubarak , President , Soccer , U.S embassy , U.S. government , United States
JAMES DORSEY: The USSF’s reluctance to cancel the match contrasts starkly with the Egyptian Football Association’s decision on Thursday to cancel all premier league matches…
Added on 28/01/2011
James M. Dorsey
Al Qaeda , Asia , Bahrain , Dubai , East Africa , Egypt , Football , Jeddah , Middle East , Morocco , New York , North Africa , oil-rich emirate , Oman , President , Qatar , Saudi Arabia , Seattle , Soccer , The Huffington Post , Tunisia , United States , Washington , Zine el Abidine Ben Ali
JAMES M. DORSEY: Mounting criticism of Middle Eastern nations’ failure to nurture soccer talent has created a business opportunity for European clubs.
Added on 27/01/2011
James M. Dorsey
Al Ahly , Al Ahram , Al Zamalek , Algeria , Amr Abdallah Dalsh , Arab government , Assad , BBC , Cairo , Egypt , Egypt Protests , Egyptian police , Football , Gamal , Hosni Mubarak , Italy , Jordan , metal , Middle East , Muslim Brotherhood , National Democratic Party , President , Soccer , The National , Tunisia , Zine el Abidine Ben Ali
JAMES M. DORSEY: The involvement of organized soccer fans in Egypt’s anti-government protests constitutes every Arab government’s worst nightmare.
Added on 26/01/2011
James M. Dorsey
Abu Dhabi , Demographics , Dubai , Energy , Federal National Council , FIFA , Football , Kuwait , Qatar , The Guardian , The National , UAE’s Federal National Council , United Arab Emirates
JAMES M. DORSEY: Just 13% of the UAE’s population has citizenship. In Qatar it’s 26% and Kuwait 34%. And those percentages are dropping.
Added on 25/01/2011
James M. Dorsey
2022 World Cup , Alex Horne , Asian Football Confederation , Australia , England Football Association , FIFA , Fifa World Cup , Football , Germany , Japan , Michel Platini , Middle East , Mohamed bin Hammam , oil-rich emirate , Premier League , President , Qatar , Sepp Blatter , Soccer , South Korea , the Associated Press , UEFA , United States
JAMES M. DORSEY: Mohamed bin Hammam lashed out on Monday, charging that Blatter had served too long as head of soccer’s world governing body.
Added on 24/01/2011
James M. Dorsey
Asia , Doha , Fifa World Cup , Football , Japan , Middle East , President , Qatar , Saudi Arabia , Soccer , Tunisia , UAE , United Arab Emirates
JAMES M. DORSEY: In a soccer-crazy world of authoritarian regimes, football offers one of society’s few release valves.
Added on 23/01/2011
James M. Dorsey
Ali Khamenei , Football , Iran , Islamic Republic of Iran , Mahmoud Ahmadinejad , Media organizations , President , Qatar , Soccer , South Korea , Sport , Tehran , United Arab Emirates
JAMES M. DORSEY: Khamenei and other hard-line government officials and clerics argue that the presence of women at men’s sporting events violates Islamic law.
Added on 22/01/2011
James M. Dorsey
Abdullah , Facebook , Fifa World Cup , Football , France , Jeddah , Paris , President , Qatar , Saudi Arabia , Soccer , South Africa , Sport , Syria
JAMES M. DORSEY: A three-time Asian champion and finalist in six of the last seven Asian Cup tournaments, Saudi Arabia failed to advance in Qatar, losing all three matches it played.
Added on 20/01/2011
James M. Dorsey
2014 World Cup , 2022 World Cup , Abu Dhabi , Chile , Costa Rica , Dubai , Europe , FIFA , Fifa World Cup , Football , Ghana , Golf , Macedonia , Middle East , New Zealand , Peru , President , Qatar , Russia , Soccer , Tunisia , Turkey , UEFA , United Arab Emirates , Wales , Zine el Abidine Ben Ali
JAMES M. DORSEY: Middle Eastern nations are competing to stack up successful bids to host major soccer events in an effort to position themselves as regional hubs for sport.
Added on 17/01/2011
James M. Dorsey
Algeria , Ali Bin Al Hussein , Asian Football Federation , Crown Prince , East Africa , FIFA , Football , Football riots , Iraq , James M. Dorsey , Jordan , Jordanian Football Association , Levant , Libya , Middle East , Morocco , North Africa , Palestinians , police officer , President , Prime Minister , Qatar , Rania , Samir Rifai , Saudi Arabia , Soccer , Syria , The Maghreb , Tunisia , United States , US embassy in Amman , Zine el Abidine Ben Ali
JAMES M. DORSEY: Mounting tension in Jordan is unlikely to produce the same result as protests in Tunisia, but promises to make soccer an increasing flashpoint…
Added on 15/01/2011
James M. Dorsey
2022 World Cup , Alex Horne , Ali Bin Al Hussein , Asian Football Confederation , CNN , England Football Association , Europe , FIFA , Fifa World Cup , Football , James M. Dorsey , Jordan , Kuwait , Michel Platini , Middle East , Mohammed bin Hammam , oil-rich emirate , Olympics 2020 , Premier League , President , Qatar , Qatar 2022 , Sepp Blatter , Soccer , UEFA
JAMES M. DORSEY: Qatar is flexing its muscle, rejecting calls by Sepp Blatter to move the tournament to winter or co-host it with other Gulf states.
Added on 14/01/2011
James M. Dorsey
2010 World Cup , 2022 World Cup , Africa , Argentina , Asia , Australia , Barcelona , Costa Rica , Energy , FIFA , Fifa World Cup , Finance , Finmeccanica , Football , Italy , James M. Dorsey , Latin America , Libya , Middle East , Nigeria , Oil , Paraguay , Portugal , Qatar , Qatar 2022 , Qatar Investment Authority , Real Estate , Senegal , Soccer , South Africa , Spain , Thailand , The Wall Street Journal , Turkey , Unicredit , United States , Worawi Makudi
JAMES M. DORSEY: Flush with cash, Qatar spared no cost in its campaign to win the bid the World Cup. But are there ethical questions here?
Added on 09/01/2011
David Roberts
FIFA , Fifa World Cup , Football , Germany , Italy , Japan , Mexico , New Year's Day , President , Qatar , Qatar 2022 , Russia , Sepp Blatter , South Africa , United Kingdom
DAVID ROBERTS: So Sepp Blatter has begun the softening up for the first ever Winter World Cup. It makes sense, you know….