News

Faisal Al Zubair Claims First Place in Second Round of GT Challenge in Italy Milan, 2 Jun (ONA) —— Omani driver Faisal Khalid Al Zubair secured first place in the Gold Class during the second round of the 2025 GT World Challenge, part of the AWS Endurance Cup, representing the Omani team Al-Manar Racing at Italy’s Monza Circuit. He also finished fourth overall in a competitive field of 59 cars from various manufacturers. The Al-Manar Racing trio—Faisal, alongside teammates Klingmann and Ben Tuck—delivered an outstanding performance in their BMW M4 GT3 Evo. ...

Omani Driver Abdullah Al Rawahi Secures Second Place in Jordan Rally Amman, 1 Jun (ONA) — Omani rally driver Abdullah Al Rawahi claimed second place in Jordan International Rally, the fourth round of the Middle East Rally Championship, finishing behind Qatari champion Nasser Al Attiyah with a gap of approximately three minutes. Meanwhile, his compatriot Abdullah Al Zubair dominated the MERC 2 category, securing fifth place overall in his Subaru Impreza, followed closely by teammate Zakariya Al Amiri in second place within the same category. The rally, held ...

Inzaghi Coy over Inter Future after Champions League HeartbreakMilan, 1 Jun (ONA) --- Simone Inzaghi refused to confirm if he would be Inter Milan manager at the Club World Cup after he experienced Champions League final disappointment for a second time in three seasons. Inzaghi watched Inter get destroyed in Saturday's showpiece in Munich as Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) ran riot to inflict a 5-0 defeat. Inter were on course for the treble in April 2025, but a Coppa Italia semi-final exit was followed by being pipped to the Serie A title by Napoli and their last chance of silverware ...

OFA Fetes Outstanding Players at Omantel League 2024-2025 Season’s FinaleMuscat, 29 May (ONA) --- Oman Football Association (OFA) today marked the conclusion of Omantel League 2024-2025 sports season’s finale.The ceremony, held under the auspices of OFA Chairman Salim Said Al Wahaibi, took place in the Wilayat of A’SeebThe ceremony included a visual presentation about Omantel League’s most prominent events, the season's statistics, the announcement of winners of the ‘Best’ awards during the 2024-2025 Omantel League season, as well as the candidates for the "Star of the ...

Zubimendi Set for Medical Before Arsenal Move London, 28 May (ONA) --- Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi is set to have a medical before completing a switch to Arsenal. Well-placed sources have confirmed that all the relevant documents in relation to the Spain international's switch to the Emirates have been signed, with the deal entering its closing stages, BBC sport reported. The transfer is subject to a successful medical that Arsenal are in the process of organising. Because the paperwork for Zubimendi's switch has been completed, all ...

Real Madrid Announce Xabi Alonso as New Head Coach Madrid, 25 May (ONA) --- Real Madrid has made official the appointment of Xabi Alonso as the new first team coach for the next three seasons. After several months of conversations and doubts about the future of Carlo Ancelotti, the club has finally opted for a new project and a figure who combines tactical knowledge, international experience and a deep link with the institution. Xabi Alonso arrives in the Santiago Bernabeu dugout after a brilliant spell in charge of Bayer Leverkusen, where he revolutionised the German team with ...

Bellingham to Miss Start of Season after Shoulder Surgery Madrid, 21 May (ONA) --- Real Madrid and England midfielder Jude Bellingham is expected to miss at least the first six weeks of next season when he has shoulder surgery after the Club World Cup. The 21-year-old has struggled with a persistent shoulder problem since 2023 and Real have scheduled the operation when the tournament in the United States is over, BBC sports reported. The former Birmingham City midfielder has worn strapping on his shoulder when playing for England and for his club, having initially missed ...

Royal Cavalry Concludes Participation in Royal Windsor Horse Show London, 20 May (ONA) ——The Royal Cavalry of the Royal Court Affairs (RCA) concluded its participation in the Royal Windsor Horse Show, held at the grounds of the British Royal Windsor Castle, with the involvement of specialized equestrian teams from several countries worldwide. The Royal Cavalry participated under the theme “The Sultanate of Oman: Jewel of Arabia," during which its male and female riders presented diverse displays of traditional Omani equestrian arts, such as “Ardha” galloping ...

Royal Cavalry Participates in Royal Windsor Horse Show London, May 18 (ONA) — The Royal Cavalry of Oman took part in the third day of the 2025 Royal Windsor Horse Show, under the patronage of King Charles III of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Head of the Commonwealth, at the grounds of Windsor Castle. During its participation, the Royal Cavalry showcased Omani music and traditional equestrian arts unique to the Sultanate of Oman. Its riders—both male and female—performed displays of the Ardah gallop and horse calming techniques, ...

Frankfurt Extend Contract with Coach Toppmöller until 2028Frankfurt, 15 May (ONA) --- Regardless of the outcome of this season, Eintracht Frankfurt have extended their contract with coach Dino Toppmöller until 2028, the Bundesliga club said in a statement today. Toppmöller took over in 2023 and his previous deal was due to expire next year. Frankfurt are still in the fight for a first ever UEFA Champions League qualification via the Bundesliga, having previously played in the elite event via their Europa League title in 2022. They are third in the German Bundesliga and will secure ...

Vardy to Make Final Leicester Appearance against IpswichLondon, 15 May (ONA) --- Jamie Vardy will make his 500th and final appearance for Leicester in the English Premier League (EPL) clash with Ipswich this Sunday. The 38-year-old is leaving the Foxes at the end of the season and will not feature in the season finale at Liverpool next Sunday to allow him a King Power Stadium farewell. He will be celebrated before and after kick-off as the club finish their home campaign in a battle between two already relegated clubs. Vardy announced his decision to leave the club several weeks ...

Oman to Host World Sailing Inclusion Championships 2025 Muscat, 14 May (ONA) --- The Sultanate of Oman, represented by Oman Sail has been selected to host the first edition of the World Sailing Inclusion Championships, due to be held from 30 November to 8 December 2025 at the Mussanah Sailing School. The official opening ceremony will coincide with marking the United Nations International Day of Persons with Disabilities. The event will champion the diverse community of sailors with disabilities and provide a unique platform for Para classified athletes to compete alongside ...

Oman Participates in 37th Meeting of Heads of GCC Olympic CommitteesMuscat, 11 May (ONA) --- Represented by Oman Olympic Committee (OOC), the Sultanate of Oman participated in the 37th meeting of heads of GCC Olympic Committees, held in Kuwait today.Oman was represented at the meeting by Dr. Abdullah Khamis Ambusaidi, Deputy Chairman of Oman Olympic Committee, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education for Education.The meeting looked into the report filed by the organizing committee of the 3rd GCC Beach Games (Muscat 2025) held in Muscat Governorate from 5 to 11 April ...

National Olympic Shooting Complex to Be Opened in Muscat Tomorrow Muscat, 11 May (ONA) --- The National Olympic Shooting Complex (NOSC) in Muscat will be opened tomorrow under the auspices of HH Sayyid Shihab bin Tarik Al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for Defence Affairs. The establishment of the NOSC, Muscat, stems from efforts to promote the status of Omani sports at regional, continental and international levels. The facility stands testimony to the Sultanate of Oman’s global accomplishments in the fields of developing and modernizing sports facilities in accordance with ...

Kane Scores in Comfortable Win for Champions Bayern Munich, 11 May (ONA) --- Harry Kane scored and then lifted his first ever trophy as newly crowned Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich beat Borussia Monchengladbach in Thomas Muller's last home game for the club. With 31 minutes played, Michael Olise cut inside before aiming a shot towards the top corner that was headed in by Kane for his 25th Bundesliga goal of the season. Kane was restored to the starting line-up after serving a one-match suspension and proved his worth as he has done consistently throughout the ...

Oman Kite Festival 2025 to Begin on 15 July Muscat, 6 May (ONA) --- Oman Tourism Development Company (OMRAN Group), in collaboration with Oman Sail, announced the launch of the Oman Kite Festival 2025. The step will contribute to cementing Oman’s position on the global map of adventure and sports tourism. The event will take place from 15-24 July 2025, starting from Barr Al Hikman and concluding at Ras Al Hadd, traversing some of the most picturesque coastal regions of the Sultanate of Oman. Sultan Sulaiman Al Khudoori, Assets Manager at OMRAN Group emphasized that ...

Odegaard Urges Arsenal to Get Ready for Massive Game Against PSGLondon, 4 May (ONA) --- Martin Odegaard urged everyone associated with Arsenal to stick together after they warmed up for Wednesday's UEFA Champions League semi-final showdown at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) with a home defeat by Bournemouth. Captain Odegaard set up Declan Rice to mark his 100th fixture for the club with a goal after 34 minutes, but Andoni Iraola's Cherries fought back after the break to earn a first win at the Emirates and complete a league double over the Gunners. Successive losses left Arsenal full of ...

Yamal Shines Again for Barcelona in Epic Duel with InterBarcelona, 1 May (ONA) —- Lamine Yamal shone again in Barcelona's UEFA Champions League match against Inter Milan as the 17-year-old was yet again seen as the new Lionel Messi. Inter Milan's Denzel Dumfries may have been named Man of the Match with his two goals and one assist but it was Barcelona youngster Lamine Yamal everybody was talking about again after the teams' 3-3 draw in a Champions League semi-final for the ages. Comparisons to Lionel Messi were aplenty after the 17-year-old had dazzled once more, not only scoring ...

Barcelona Beat Real Madrid in Extra Time to Win Copa del Rey Sevilla, 27 Apr (ONA) --- Barcelona beat Real Madrid 3-2 in extra time to claim a record-extending 32nd Copa del Rey title and launch its bid for a treble. Pedri González scored from long range to give Barcelona the lead in the 28th minute at La Cartuja Stadium. Kylian Mbappé came off the bench at halftime and scored from a free kick for Real Madrid in the 70th. Midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni headed Madrid in front in the 77th.But Ferran Torres levelled in the 84th and forced extra time, the Spanish MARCA ...

Barcelona Increase Spanish League Lead by Beating Mallorca 1-0 Barcelona, 23 Apr (ONA) --- Dani Olmo scored early in the second half as Barcelona defeated Mallorca 1-0 to increase its Spanish league lead. The home win gave the Catalan club a seven-point lead over Real Madrid, which visits Getafe tonight. Barcelona and Madrid will meet in the Copa del Rey final on Saturday in Seville, the Spanish MARCA newspaper reported. Olmo's winner came a minute into the second half at Montjuic stadium, with the playmaker finding the net from inside the area. It ...

HH Sayyid Azzan bin Qais Elected as Chairman of Oman Olympic Committee Muscat, 22 Apr (ONA) —— The General Assembly of Oman Olympic Committee (OOC) endorsed HH Sayyid Azzan bin Qais Al Said as Chairman of the OOC Board of Directors for the electoral term (2024–2028) during its annual meeting held today in Muscat Governorate. The meeting was attended by OOC board members and 17 General Assembly members representing sports federations, sports personalities, athletes, and a representative from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, along with candidates for the ...

Barcelona's Striker Lewandowski Facing Lay-off with Thigh InjuryBarcelona, 20 Apr (ONA) --- Barcelona have revealed Robert Lewandowski suffered an injury to his left thigh during the Catalan club's thrilling come-from-behind win over Celta Vigo on Saturday. The Catalan club rallied from 3-1 down to claim a 4-3 win, courtesy of Raphinha scoring a penalty with almost the last kick of the game, to reinforce their position at the top of the Spanish LaLiga table. However, Lewandowski, the league's top scorer this season with 25 goals, limped off after 78 minutes and Barcelona have not put a ...

Arsenal Reach UCL Semifinals after Defeating Real Madrid Madrid, 17 Apr (ONA) --- Arsenal advanced 5-1 on aggregate after a 3-0 first-leg win at home in London last week, keeping alive its chances of winning Europe's top club competition for the first time. It will face Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the semifinals. Inter Milan advanced past Bayern Munich in the other quarterfinal. It will meet Barcelona in the other semifinal. There was no historic comeback for Madrid this time. No late goals, no high drama, no magic at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium, the Spanish MARCA ...

Mbappe Available for Copa del Rey Final Despite One-game Ban Madrid, 16 Apr (ONA) --- Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappe will be available for the Copa del Rey final against Barcelona later this month after receiving a one-match ban for his sending off against Alaves. The France captain was shown a straight red card during Madrid's 1-0 La Liga win last Sunday for a lunge on Alaves midfielder Antonio Blanco. The referee's report stated Mbappe was sent off for violent conduct, which results in a punishment of between one to three matches. A three-match ban ...

Heroic Villa Comeback Falls Just Short against PSG Birmingham, 16 Apr (ONA) --- Aston Villa threatened to pull off a stunning comeback against Paris St-Germain (PSG) before going out of the UEFA Champions League (UCL) on a dramatic night at Villa Park. Villa were attempting to overturn a 3-1 deficit to reach the semi-final but their hopes looked in tatters when they were two goals down inside the first half-hour, BBC sports reported. Achraf Hakimi cashed in on Villa keeper Emiliano Martinez's mistake to put PSG ahead, then Nuno Mendes doubled the French side's ...

Royal Cavalry Riders Qualify for 2026 FEI World Endurance Championships Muscat, 14 Apr (ONA) —— Two riders from the Royal Cavalry, Mahmoud Marhoon Al Foori on his horse “Electra” and Hisham Saleh Al Farsi on “Plexima”, have qualified for the 2026 FEI World Endurance Championships, set to take place in AlUla, Saudi Arabia. The Royal Cavalry riders secured their spots after successfully completing the first day of the Sumor endurance race in France, organized by the International Equestrian Federation (FEI). The 160 km race featured 86 male and female riders from ...

Royal Camel Corps Makhayil Wins HM The Sultan’s Camel Cup 2025Muscat, 10 Apr (ONA) --- On behalf of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, HH Sayyid Shihab bin Tarik Al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for Defence Affairs, today presided over the closing ceremony of His Majesty the Sultan's Camel Cup Festival 2025. The event was held at the Royal Camel Corps Racecourse in Al Fuleij, Wilayat of Barka. The festival was organised by the Royal Court Affairs, represented by the Royal Camel Corps.The final day of the festival included 6 rounds. "Makhayil" of the Royal Camel Corps won His ...

Oman Hosts Meetings of International Tent Pegging Federation Muscat, 6 Apr (ONA) --- The Sultanate of Oman will host the meetings of the International Tent Pegging Federation (ITPF) which will kick off tomorrow “Monday” with the participation of more than 30 representatives of member states in the federation. The meetings will discuss several topics that serve and develop the tent pegging sport all over the world. It is worth noting that the Sultanate of Oman has been hosting the headquarters of the International Tent Pegging Federation since its inception in 2013. ...

Barcelona Draws with Real Betis, Maintains Top SpotMadrid, Apr 5 (ONA) ---- Barcelona drew 1-1 with visiting Real Betis last night in their 30th match of the Spanish La Liga season.Gavi put Barcelona ahead in the 7th minute, but Real Betis equalized through Natan Bernardo de Souza in the 17th minute.With the draw, Barcelona remains at the top of the La Liga standings with 67 points, while Real Betis moved up to 48 points, holding the 5th position. --- ...

Argentina Rout Brazil to Cap World Cup Qualification PartyBuenos Aires, 26 Mar (ONA) —- Two goals in the first 12 minutes helped propel Argentina to a dominant 4-1 victory over Brazil in their World Cup qualifying clash in Buenos Aires. Having secured their spot in next year's tournament prior to kick-off as a result of Bolivia's 0-0 draw with Uruguay, a Lionel Messi-less Argentina were in control from the opening whistle. Poor defending allowed striker Julian Alvarez to get Argentina on the board in the fourth minute and some slick passing enabled Enzo Fernandez to double the lead ...