Saudi Arabia’s Green Falcons latest to join World Cup squad announcement social media frenzy

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The Saudi Arabian Football Federation has become the latest national football association to announce their squad for the 2018 World Cup with a quirky social media video. (Screenshot: Twitter - @SaudiNT)
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The Saudi Arabian Football Federation has become the latest national football association to announce their squad for the 2018 World Cup with a quirky social media video. (Screenshot: Twitter - @SaudiNT)
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The Saudi Arabian Football Federation has become the latest national football association to announce their squad for the 2018 World Cup with a quirky social media video. (Screenshot: Twitter - @SaudiNT)
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The Saudi Arabian Football Federation has become the latest national football association to announce their squad for the 2018 World Cup with a quirky social media video. (Screenshot: Twitter - @SaudiNT)
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The Saudi Arabian Football Federation has become the latest national football association to announce their squad for the 2018 World Cup with a quirky social media video. (Screenshot: Twitter - @SaudiNT)
Updated 04 June 2018
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Saudi Arabia’s Green Falcons latest to join World Cup squad announcement social media frenzy

  • Build-up to 2018 World Cup in Russia has seen several high-profile squad announcements made using social media
  • It was announced on Sunday that Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will be attending the opening ceremony in Moscow

LONDON: The Saudi Arabian Football Federation has become the latest national football association to announce their squad for the 2018 World Cup with a quirky social media video.
Featuring various depictions of the Kingdom’s culture, from date farms to the holy city of Makkah, the video features the excitement of Saudis — young and old — as the names of each Green Falcons player is announced.


The clip joins several popular squad announcement videos made recently in the build-up to the tournament. England produced a high-quality video which has reached more than 3 million views on Twitter.
Not to be outdone, Spain did a mock-up of a WhatsApp group conversation with Julen Lopetegui as administrator. The coach adds players one by one in the group in order to create his final squad.
It has been some 36 years since their last World Cup, and to commemorate that fact, Peru created a video sent directly in local languages to their first opponents in Russia — France, Australia and Denmark.
Saudi Arabia face hosts Russia in the opening game of the showpiece tournament on June 14. The Green Falcons will also face Egypt and Uruguay.
It was announced on Sunday that Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman will be attending the opening ceremony in Moscow.
The squad met the crown prince before they left for a training camp in Switzerland last week.

 


DCO and Arab News partner to combat digital misinformation, explore AI’s impact on media

Updated 06 February 2026
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DCO and Arab News partner to combat digital misinformation, explore AI’s impact on media

KUWAIT CITY: The Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) and the international Saudi newspaper Arab News have signed a Letter of Engagement aimed at strengthening knowledge and expertise exchange on the impact of artificial intelligence in the media sector, as well as leveraging expert insights to develop best practices to combat online misinformation amid accelerating technological advancements.

DCO said this step aligned with its efforts to strengthen collaboration with international media institutions to support responsible dialogue around digital transformation and contribute to building a more reliable, inclusive, and sustainable digital media environment.

Commenting on the agreement, Deemah AlYahya, Secretary-General of the Digital Cooperation Organization, said: “At a moment when AI is reshaping how truth is produced, distributed, and trusted, partnership with credible media institutions is essential.”

She added that “working with Arab News allows us to bridge technology and journalism in a way that protects integrity, strengthens public trust, and elevates responsible innovation. This collaboration is about equipping media ecosystems with the tools, insight, and ethical grounding needed to navigate AI’s impact, while ensuring digital transformation serves people and their prosperity.”

Faisal J. Abbas, Editor-in-Chief of Arab News, emphasized that the partnership enhances media institutions’ ability to keep pace with technological shifts, noting that engagement with representatives of DCO Member States enables deeper understanding of emerging technologies and regulatory developments in the digital space.

He added: “DCO’s commitment to initiatives addressing online content integrity reflects a clear dedication to supporting a responsible digital environment that serves societies and strengthens trust in the digital ecosystem.”

The Letter of agreement was signed on the sidelines of the Fifth DCO General Assembly held in Kuwait City under the theme “Inclusive Prosperity in the Age of AI”, alongside the second edition of the International Digital Cooperation Forum, held from 4–5 February, which brought together ministers, policymakers, business leaders, entrepreneurs, and civil society representatives from more than 60 countries to strengthen international cooperation toward a human-centric, inclusive, and sustainable digital economy.