Saudi Arabia

Players in Thailand's national soccer team will earn $44,000 (B

FIFA and Brazilian television and marketing agency Traffic International have signed a contract guaranteeing soccer's world governing body at least 60 million Swiss Francs ($39.71 million) in broadcasting rights for the first World Club Championship.

Japan and Saudi Arabia will host the round-robin, quarter-final stages of the Asian Club Championship, the Asian Football Confederation announced.

Europe's leading soccer leagues have taken on world governing body FIFA about releasing players for the controversial Confederations' Cup in January.

FIFA are looking into the possibility of rescheduling the Confederations Cup from January to August 1999 after world champions France withdrew last month.

Saudi Arabia has withdrawn from next month's Asian Games in Bangkok because the event clashes with religious and national festivals at home, Thai officials have said.

Manchester United will take another step towards global brand status by opening a chain of retail shops in the Middle East.

Egypt's national soccer manager Mahmoud el-Gohary and the board of the Egyptian Football Association have resigned following the national team's defeat last week in the Confederations Cup Championship in Mexico.

Al-Dahshouri Harb has been appointed the new head of the Egypt Football Association (EFA) following the resignation of the EFA board.

The Thailand Football Association has written to FIFA to request a change of venue for their Asian World Cup qualifying match scheduled for Baghdad on Friday, a Thai official said on Tuesday.

Players in Thailand's national soccer team will earn $44,000 (?50,000) between them for each away game they win during the second phase of Asia's World Cup qualifying tournament.

The Extreme Sports Channel has extended its coverage beyond Europe after it signed a deal with pay-TV platform Showtime in the Middle East and Africa.

The postponement of this year's FIFA World Club Championship in Spain could damage soccer?s credibility in Japan, according to the president of J. League club Jubilo Iwata.

More than a dozen countries have declared an interest in hosting either of the next two editions of the World Club Championship, FIFA said on Thursday.

Martina Hingis and Mary Pierce did not exactly blaze a trail for feminism when they played in the first women's tennis tournament in the Gulf region this week. But they were part of a quiet revolution taking place in the area.

UEFA Cup and European Super Cup winners Galatasaray and European champions Real Madrid will represent Europe at the second World Club Championship from July 29 to August 12 in Spain, FIFA said on Thursday.