https://www.arabnews.com/cat/5/rss.xml en https://www.arabnews.com/node/2619786/sport DUBAI: The 2025–26 NBA season tipped off last night with international stars once again taking center stage, highlighting the league’s growing global reach and balance of power. In Oklahoma City, Canadian MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the defending champions to a dramatic 125-124 double-overtime win over the Houston Rockets on ring night, scoring 35 points and delivering the decisive free throws. Wed, 22 Oct 2025 12:10:42 +03 Arbee 2619786 at https://www.arabnews.com https://www.arabnews.com/node/2619772/sport DUBAI: FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, founder of the MENA Karting Championship Nations Cup, says the competition will bring new opportunities for karting talent in the region as this year’s event prepares to get underway in Qatar. The Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation brings the region’s karting scene into the spotlight again as it hosts the 2025 edition of the event, with Thursday night’s opening ceremony following two days of practice sessions before racing on Friday and Saturday. Wed, 22 Oct 2025 10:10:16 +03 Khaled Alkhawaldeh 2619772 at https://www.arabnews.com https://www.arabnews.com/node/2619764/sport ABU DHABI: Egypt’s Hamdy Abdelwahab and Palestine’s Abdul-Kareem Al-Selwady will bring power, passion and more than a little regional pride to the Etihad Arena at “UFC 321: Aspinall vs. Gane” on Oct. 25. Abdelwahab, a former Olympic wrestler who represented Egypt at the Tokyo 2020 Games, made history as his country’s first UFC fighter. He returns to action in Abu Dhabi against American Chris Barnett. “It feels great because it feels like I’m home, fighting in my hometown,” said Abdelwahab, who was born in Cairo. Wed, 22 Oct 2025 09:10:29 +03 Khaled Alkhawaldeh 2619764 at https://www.arabnews.com https://www.arabnews.com/node/2619763/sport DUBAI: Ryder Cup hero Rory McIlroy has confirmed he will return for the 2026 Dubai Invitational, taking place from Jan. 15 to 18. The five-time Major champion will tee it up in the second edition following a history-making 2025 season. He played a starring role in Europe’s Ryder Cup victory at Bethpage Black — their first win on American soil in 13 years. Wed, 22 Oct 2025 09:10:41 +03 Arbee 2619763 at https://www.arabnews.com https://www.arabnews.com/node/2619756/sport Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 35 points, including two from the free-throw line with 2.3 seconds remaining in double overtime, lifting the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 125-124 home win over the Houston Rockets on Tuesday in the season opener. Before the game, Oklahoma City’s championship banner was raised into the rafters and the players were presented with their championship rings for last year’s title run. Wed, 22 Oct 2025 07:10:08 +03 rbksa 2619756 at https://www.arabnews.com https://www.arabnews.com/node/2619755/sport A six-person jury in Palm Beach County found Monday that the Nicklaus Companies had damaged the 18-time major champion’s reputation and exposed him to ridicule, hatred, mistrust, distrust or contempt According to the lawsuit, Nicklaus, 85, claimed Milstein, O’Brien and others at the company spread false stories that Nicklaus considered a $750 million deal to join the Saudi Arabia-backed LIV Golf League and that he was suffering from dementia Wed, 22 Oct 2025 07:10:32 +03 Arbee 2619755 at https://www.arabnews.com https://www.arabnews.com/node/2619749/sport MANCHESTER, England: Paris Saint-Germain scored seven, Barcelona hit six and Erling Haaland struck his 24th goal of the season on an action-packed night in the Champions League on Tuesday. In all, there were 43 goals in nine games, with six teams scoring four or more. PSV Eindhoven routed Italian champion Napoli 6-2, while Arsenal and Inter Milan also had big wins to maintain their perfect starts in Europe. Wed, 22 Oct 2025 04:10:35 +03 Sajjadkk 2619749 at https://www.arabnews.com https://www.arabnews.com/node/2619743/sport RIYADH: Al-Hilal remain top of Group B in the AFC Champions League Elite after a 3-1 home victory over Al-Sadd of Qatar at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh on Tuesday night. The result means they are the only club in the 24-team competition with a 100 percent record of nine points from their opening three matches. Wed, 22 Oct 2025 12:10:42 +03 Sajjadkk 2619743 at https://www.arabnews.com https://www.arabnews.com/node/2619731/sport BARCELONA: A Fermin Lopez hat-trick and two goals from Marcus Rashford powered Barcelona to a crushing 6-1 Champions League victory over Olympiacos on Tuesday, with the Greek side left fuming over a controversial red card early in the second half. The match got off to a flying start when Fermin opened the scoring from a rebound in the seventh minute. The 22-year-old pounced on a loose ball after Lamine Yamal’s shot was parried by the Olympiacos goalkeeper. Tue, 21 Oct 2025 11:10:48 +03 rbksa 2619731 at https://www.arabnews.com https://www.arabnews.com/node/2619728/sport BARCELONA: La Liga’s plan to hold a Barcelona match in Miami in December has been called off because of “uncertainty” about the game within Spain, the Spanish top flight said in a statement Tuesday. Champions Barca were set to face Villarreal in the United States on December 20, which would have been the first European league fixture to be played abroad. La Liga said their promoter for the match decided to cancel the organization of the event because of “uncertainty generated in Spain in recent weeks.” Tue, 21 Oct 2025 11:10:00 +03 rbksa 2619728 at https://www.arabnews.com