"FIFA's reckless decision to award the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia without ensuring adequate human rights protections are in place will put many lives at risk," Steve Cockburn, Amnesty International’s Head of Labour Rights and Sport, said in a statement issued by 21 bodies.

At the same time, a virtual Congress of world football's governing body confirmed that Morocco, Spain and Portugal will be joint hosts of the 2030 World Cup, which will also see three games played in South America.

The Indian Premier League opens its "mega-auction" later Sunday in Saudi Arabia with teams primed to splash out millions of dollars on world-class cricketers for the lucrative Twenty20 tournament.

Indonesia coach Shin Tae-yong believes his team's shock 2-0 win over former Asian champions Saudi Arabia in Jakarta on Tuesday gives them a real chance of reaching the 2026 World Cup.

Herve Renard is negotiating a surprise return as coach of the Saudi Arabia national team, a source close to the federation told AFP on Friday.

Saudi Arabia coach Roberto Mancini has warned his players not to rest on their previous achievements as he seeks to reinvigorate his team's challenge for an automatic berth at the 2026 World Cup.

Real Madrid and Brazil forward Vinicius Jr is open to an offer of more than one billion euros from Saudi Arabia, sources close to the player told Reuters on Monday.

Saudi dignitaries on Sunday hailed the performance of Mashael Alayed, the first female swimmer from the kingdom to compete in an Olympics.

Club captain Nacho Fernandez will leave Real Madrid for a reported move to Saudi Arabia, the 15-time Champions League winners announced on Tuesday.

Saudi Arabia said Sunday that more than 1,300 faithful died during the hajj pilgrimage which took place during intense heat, and that most of the deceased did not have official permits

A second show on Friday was billed as the first to focus on women's swimwear, an envelope-pushing development in a conservative Muslim country that less than a decade ago required women to wear body-covering abaya robes.

Saudi Arabia is set to debut its first participant in Miss Universe 2024, marking a significant shift away from its conservative reputation.

In a tradition supposedly upheld since 1928, Muslims across 40 villages in Chandpur district initiated their Ramadan fasting today, aligning with the commencement of the holy month in Saudi Arabia

Bangladesh national football team will play two practice matches against Sudan -- one tonight and the other on March 14 -- as part of their preparation for this month's World Cup Qualifiers against Palestine.

Goalkeeper Mahfuz Hasan Pritom said the competition among the players of the national team has significantly increased in recent times.

When we think of Saudi Arabia, we often imagine Makkah, Medina, and the annual pilgrimage. But beyond these, there are plenty of amazing spots that have been attracting travellers since the kingdom opened up to foreign visitors in 2019.

Saudi Arabia has told Washington it will not establish ties with Israel until an independent Palestinian state "is recognised", the Gulf kingdom's foreign ministry said in a statement on Wednesday

Roberto Mancini said he "didn't want to disrespect anyone" by disappearing down the tunnel before South Korea took the penalty that eliminated his Saudi Arabia team from the Asian Cup on Tuesday.

"Saudi Arabia is our next one and it will be a battle," Klinsmann said

French forward Karim Benzema has returned to Saudi Arabia 17 days after he was supposed to check back in with his club Al-Ittihad, a source close to the club told AFP on Friday.