Call for Saudi, Spanish Super Cups to be played on consecutive days in the Kingdom

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Updated 17 August 2021
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Call for Saudi, Spanish Super Cups to be played on consecutive days in the Kingdom

  • No date set yet for clash between SPL champions Al-Hilal and King’s Cup winners Al-Faisaly

DUBAI: Al-Faisaly Club President Fahd Al-Madlaj has told the Arabic sports daily Arriyadiyah that the Saudi Super Cup should be played the day before the Spanish equivalent, scheduled to take place in the Kingdom in mid-January.

As the winner of the 2020-21 The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup, or King’s Cup, Al-Faisaly are set to face reigning Saudi Pro League (SPL) champions Al-Hilal in the annual showpiece match, but no date has been confirmed for the latest edition.

The 2020 Saudi Super Cup was held on Jan. 30, 2021, and saw then cup winners Al-Nassr beat league champions Al-Hilal 3-0 at King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh.

Meanwhile the Spanish Supercopa de Espana is set to return to Saudi Arabia after a year’s absence.

The competition was first held in the Kingdom in January 2020 and included La Liga champions Barcelona, runner-up Atletico Madrid, Copa del Rey winner Valencia (who had beaten Barcelona in the final) and Real Madrid.

The 2020-21 edition of the four-team tournament was not held in Saudi Arabia due to the COVID-19 pandemic, though the organizers in the Kingdom continued to be one of its sponsors.

Now, keeping with the same format, the Spanish Super Cup looks set to welcome back the winner and runner-up of La Liga, Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid, and the two Copa del Rey finalists — winner Barcelona and runner-up Athletic Bilbao.

The Spanish Super Cup in its most recent incarnation began in 1982 as a showdown between the winners of La Liga and the Copa del Rey. Until 2017 it was contested over two legs, and then, in 2018, Barcelona beat Sevilla 2-1 in a one-off match played at the Stade Ibn Batouta in Tangier.

Following the first-ever hosting in the Kingdom, the 2020-21 tournament returned to Spain and saw Athletic Bilbao beat Barcelona 3-2 after extra time in Seville, a match in which Lionel Messi received his first red card at club level.


Mohammed Ben Sulayem re-elected as president of FIA

Updated 16 min 53 sec ago
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Mohammed Ben Sulayem re-elected as president of FIA

  • He starts his second 4-year term following the election of his presidential list by the General Assembly in Tashkent

DUBAI: FIA, the global governing body for motor sport and the federation for mobility organizations worldwide, today confirmed that Mohammed Ben Sulayem has been re-elected as its president, following the election of his presidential list by the General Assembly in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.  

Ben Sulayem now begins his second four-year term, having overseen a period of significant renewal and stabilization for the organization since his initial election in 2021. 

Over the past four years, FIA has undergone a wide-ranging transformation, improving governance and operations and restoring the financial health of the federation. These changes have strengthened FIA’s position as the world’s governing body for motorsport and the leading authority on safe, sustainable, and affordable mobility. 

Under Ben Sulayem’s leadership, FIA reversed a $28 million loss in 2021 to a robust operating result of $5.5 million in 2024, the strongest financial result the federation has seen in almost 10 years. 

At the FIA Annual General Assemblies, the organization announced a 2025 operating result forecast of $5.1 million, showing continued momentum and sustained financial improvement. This renewed stability has enabled increased long-term investment in member clubs and strategic programs worldwide. 

Underpinning this momentum is wider institutional reform over the last four years, with strengthened budgetary discipline, enhanced external audit processes and modernized governance structures, resulting in greater transparency, accountability and professional standards across the organization.   

In addition to these reforms, FIA has established a commercial function and strengthened its global institutional identity across both motorsport and mobility, expanding regional development activity, supporting grassroots participation, and deepening engagement with international partners on safety, sustainable mobility and the future of transport. 

Ben Sulayem said: “Thank you to all our FIA members for voting in remarkable numbers and placing your trust in me once again. We have overcome many obstacles, but here today, together, we are stronger than ever.  

“It is truly an honor to be FIA president, and I am committed to continuing to deliver for the FIA, for motorsport, for mobility, and for our member clubs in every region around the world.”