Al-Qahtani and Al-Saif ready to battle in PFL MENA’s second season

Defending champion Abdullah Al-Qahtani (R) and record-breaking fighter Hattan Al-Saif (L) are among those preparing to showcase their skills on the premier stage. (Supplied/PFL)
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Updated 10 March 2025
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Al-Qahtani and Al-Saif ready to battle in PFL MENA’s second season

  • With training for the season coinciding with Ramadan, fighters are adjusting their regimens

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s mixed martial arts scene is gearing up for an electrifying second season of the Professional Fighters League MENA with top regional fighters intensifying their training ahead of the highly anticipated competition in April.

Defending champion Abdullah Al-Qahtani and record-breaking fighter Hattan Al-Saif are among those preparing to showcase their skills on the premier stage, fine-tuning their conditioning, strategy and discipline as they aim for championship success.

With training for the season coinciding with Ramadan, fighters are adjusting their regimens to maintain peak performance levels while fasting.

Al-Saif highlighted the importance of structure and discipline during this period, emphasizing the need for mental clarity and a strict diet. She personally prepares her own meals during the holy month to ensure she meets the demands of a high-performance athlete.

Al-Qahtani, who captured the title in the league’s inaugural season, remains unfazed by the challenge of training while fasting. His routine remains largely unchanged, with iftar serving as his primary meal before he shifts focus to training. The Saudi fighter is confident in his ability to retain his title.

“All the fighters are watching me, but I’m prepared for every opponent and ready to compete with full strength inside the cage,” he said.

The reigning champion is also looking forward to tough matchups in the upcoming season, expressing a desire to test himself against elite fighters such as Abdulrahman Al-Hayassat, Islam Reda and Taha Bendaoud.

His determination to remain at the top of the division signals another thrilling season of MMA action for PFL MENA fans.


Spain will host 2030 World Cup final, says RFEF president

Updated 28 January 2026
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Spain will host 2030 World Cup final, says RFEF president

  • Louzan did not say whether the match would be played at Santiago Bernabeu or Camp Nou
  • Once completed in late 2028, the new stadium in Morocco is expected to hold 115,000 spectators

MADRID: Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) President Rafael Louzan has said that Spain will stage the final of the 2030 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco.
Morocco wants to stage the game in Casablanca at the Grand Stade Hassan II, a huge stadium currently under construction north of the city.
“Spain has proven its organizational capacity over many years. It will be the leader of the 2030 World Cup and the final of that World Cup will be held here,” Louzan said late on Monday ⁠at an event organized by the Madrid Sports Press Association.
Louzan did not say whether the match would be played at Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu or Barcelona’s Camp Nou, the two leading candidates.
Once completed in late 2028, the new stadium in Morocco is expected to hold 115,000 spectators. Morocco’s Royal Football Federation (FRMF) ⁠President Faouzi Lekjaa last year expressed his wish to see a final against Spain in Casablanca.
Louzan also alluded to the challenges Morocco faced during its hosting of the last Africa Cup of Nations, including the chaotic scenes during the final between Senegal and Morocco this month.
That match, which Senegal won 1-0, was overshadowed by fan disruptions and player protests that temporarily halted play.
“Morocco is really undergoing a transformation in every sense, with magnificent stadiums,” Louzan said. “We must ⁠recognize what has been done well. But in the Africa Cup of Nations, we have seen scenes that damage the image of world football.”
FIFA and the Portuguese and Moroccan football federations have not responded to requests for comment on the final’s location.
FIFA told Reuters last year it was premature to decide the venue for the 2030 final, saying the host city for the 2026 World Cup final was revealed only two years before the tournament. World soccer’s ruling body has the final say on where the match will be played.