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How Al-Qadsiah Esports went from underdogs to contenders in Saudi eLeague

How Al-Qadsiah Esports went from underdogs to contenders in Saudi eLeague
Al-Qadsiah Esports have risen to second in the Saudi eLeague rankings after a strong start to the season. (Supplied)
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Updated 22 May 2025

How Al-Qadsiah Esports went from underdogs to contenders in Saudi eLeague

How Al-Qadsiah Esports went from underdogs to contenders in Saudi eLeague
  • Newcomers clinched 4 titles across 9 tournaments, challenging established giants Twisted Minds and Team Falcons
  • Al-Qadsiah Esports rose to second place in elite rankings after victories in top titles

RIYADH: Al-Qadsiah Esports has made a powerful entrance into the 2025 Saudi eLeague, the Kingdom’s premier esports league organized by the Saudi Esports Federation and hosted at the SEF Arena. With standout performances across multiple titles, Al-Qadsiah has quickly established itself as one of the strongest teams in the league, announcing loud and clear that they are not just taking part, but aiming to dominate.

In a blistering start to the 2025 Saudi eLeague season, which featured nine tournaments, Al-Qadsiah stormed through the field to seize four championship titles, sending a clear message to every club in the league. Their elite roster dominated Major 1 elite tournaments in EA SPORTS FC 25, Overwatch 2 and Valorant, showcasing talent, strategic depth and multi-genre versatility that few teams could match.

Further cementing their dominance, Al-Qadsiah Corals, the organization’s female team, secured their first title in Overwatch 2 Major 1 Female, defeating Twisted Minds Orchid in a dramatic 4–3 final, marking a milestone moment in the club’s growing legacy.

Abdullah Al-Nasser, head of esports products at the Saudi Esports Federation said: “Al-Qadsiah Esports has delivered the kind of breakout performance that captures exactly what the Saudi eLeagues were built to showcase. Their rise isn’t just a win for the club, it’s a signal of how far local talent has come, and how fiercely it’s beginning to compete. The growth we’re witnessing across the league reflects a deeper ecosystem maturing fast. Our vision is to see more Saudi clubs not just show up, but rise, lead, and make their mark on both regional and global stages.”

Al-Qadsiah’s performance places them second on the Saudi eLeague Clubs Cross Game Leaderboard, positioned between two of the most dominant names in Saudi esports, with Twisted Minds holding the top spot and Team Falcons trailing in third. The breakout momentum from Al-Qadsiah signals a clear shift in the competitive balance of the Saudi eLeague, as a new wave of Saudi teams rise through the ranks, challenging the longstanding hierarchy and reshaping the competitive scene within the Kingdom.

With momentum building and eyes on the top spot, all signs point to Al-Qadsiah pushing for the throne.


Ƶ’s brightest e-sports stars to reach greater heights on global stage

Ƶ’s brightest e-sports stars to reach greater heights on global stage
Updated 14 sec ago

Ƶ’s brightest e-sports stars to reach greater heights on global stage

Ƶ’s brightest e-sports stars to reach greater heights on global stage
  • Red Bull will serve as the Falcons’ official performance partner during the 2025 Esports World Cup
  • The collaboration aims to support players at the highest competitive levels

RIYADH: One of the world’s premier electronic sports organizations, the Falcons, signed on Wednesday a landmark partnership with Red Bull, giving Ƶ’s brightest e-sports stars the wings to reach greater heights on the global stage.

The partnership reflects a shared mission to push boundaries in gaming, e-sports, and entertainment by introducing bold, youth-driven ideas that align with Ƶ’s Vision 2030, said a media statement.

Red Bull will serve as the Falcons’ official performance partner during the 2025 Esports World Cup, taking place in Riyadh from Jul. 7 to Aug. 24, added the statement.

The collaboration aims to support players at the highest competitive levels by enhancing physical and mental performance and providing an ideal environment for creativity and professionalism in the gaming arena.

Official performance partner for the Esports World Cup
Central to this effort is the Athlete Performance Center, where cutting-edge training, fitness, and recovery programs are tailored specifically for e-sports athletes, as Musaed Al-Dossary, known professionally as Msdossary, personally experienced in 2021 as part of his quest to develop his own outstanding skills.

With two main facilities in Salzburg and Los Angeles, and a global network, the center offers training and performance development opportunities for a wide range of athletes, wherever they are in the world, under the best conditions and supervision of a skilled team of medical experts and coaches.

A center for developing bright talents
Red Bull supports ambitious youth around the world through a series of initiatives, including this facility. Prominent athletes have experienced this center, including Formula 1 World Champion Max Verstappen, Austrian Grand Slam tennis champion Dominic Thiem, Dakar Rally winner Sam Sunderland, as well as Saudi motorsport star Dania Akeel.

A new era of esports excellence
Co-founded by Saudi e-sports icon Msdossary, the Falcons have already carved out a dominant international presence. With major championship titles under their belt, the team has set a new benchmark for Middle Eastern representation in competitive gaming.

Making history
The Falcons made headlines by winning the inaugural Esports World Cup in 2024, hosted in Riyadh. Competing in top titles like “Call of Duty: Warzone” and “Free Fire,” they outperformed nearly 500 teams and 1,500 pro players from across the globe.

Their groundbreaking win in a major “Dota 2” championship marked a milestone, not just for the Falcons, but for the entire Middle East e-sports scene. It showcased the region’s growing talent pool and its ability to compete on the global stage.


Inter to wear gold for Champions League final against PSG

Inter to wear gold for Champions League final against PSG
Updated 28 May 2025

Inter to wear gold for Champions League final against PSG

Inter to wear gold for Champions League final against PSG
  • Inter have played in six Champions League/European Cup finals to date
  • The Parisians are designated as the home team in the final

MILAN: Inter Milan will dress for the occasion by wearing their third, golden yellow kit in Saturday’s Champions League final when they face Paris St. Germain in Munich in the first official meeting between the sides.

Inter have played in six Champions League/European Cup finals to date, the first in 1964, and have never used their third kit in the showpiece match so far.

Since the Parisians are designated as the home team in the final, they will wear their first-choice kit — navy blue shorts and shirts with a white and red stripe in the center — so Inter cannot play in their classic black and blue striped jerseys.

The Italians, however, did not opt for their second strip -white shirts with blue details — choosing to wear the third kit instead, a golden yellow shirt with black details and black shorts.

There may be superstition involved as Simone Inzaghi’s side won both of their games in Europe’s elite club competition when playing in yellow this term, January’s 1-0 win at Sparta Prague and a 2-0 last-16 first-leg victory at Feyenoord in March.

Their only defeat in this season’s Champions League, meanwhile, came at Bayer Leverkusen when they wore white shirts in December.


Al-Ittihad fans attain record-breaking attendance for Roshn Saudi League season

Al-Ittihad fans attain record-breaking attendance for Roshn Saudi League season
Updated 28 May 2025

Al-Ittihad fans attain record-breaking attendance for Roshn Saudi League season

Al-Ittihad fans attain record-breaking attendance for Roshn Saudi League season
  • Al-Ahli fans came in second with 354,019 attendees
  • This year’s champions had their fans passing the half-a-million attendance mark

RIYADH: Al-Ittihad supporters have emerged as the most dedicated fans throughout the Roshn Saudi League 2024/2025 season with a total number of 594,326 attendees.

Al-Ahli fans came in second with 354,019 attendees, according to official data released on Wednesday via Saudi Pro League’s Arabic handle on X.

This year’s champions, Al-Ittihad, were the only club where fans passed the half-a-million attendance mark, out of a total number of 2.5 million supporters who attended the whole RSL.

Meanwhile, Al-Hilal secured third place with 302,028 attendees while Al-Nassr ranked fourth with a total of 277,821attendees.

In a notable rise, newly promoted Al-Qadsiah, returning from the Yelo League (First Division), claimed fifth spot with 168,331 fans.

Rounding out the list were Al-Fateh in sixth, followed by Al-Ettifaq, Al-Shabab, Al-Taawoun, Damac, Al-Khaleej, Al-Raed, Al-Wehda, Al-Kholood, Al-Orobah, Al-Riyadh, Al-Okhdood and Al-Fayha.


Ex-Turkiye international Turan appointed Shakhtar boss

Ex-Turkiye international Turan appointed Shakhtar boss
Updated 28 May 2025

Ex-Turkiye international Turan appointed Shakhtar boss

Ex-Turkiye international Turan appointed Shakhtar boss
  • Turan, 38, has signed a contract until 2027
  • “I’m proud to have joined Shakhtar,” Turan said

ISTANBUL: Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk have announced former Turkiye midfielder Arda Turan as their new head coach, replacing Marino Pusic.

Turan, 38, has signed a contract until 2027 after taking unfancied Eyupspor to a sixth-place finish in the Turkish top flight.

Next season, 15-time Ukrainian champions Shakhtar will feature in the Europa League first qualifying round having won the domestic cup earlier this month.


“I’m proud to have joined Shakhtar — a great club with a rich history and great traditions,” Turan said in a Shakhtar statement.

“We are deeply motivated to win trophies — both in Ukraine and in European competitions.”

Shakhtar were forced to leave their home ground, the Donbass Arena in Donetsk, eastern Ukraine, after Russian-backed separatists seized control of the region in 2014.

Their home league games take place in the western city of Lviv.

They held their Champions League games this term in Gelsenkirchen, Germany.

Turan retired from playing in 2022 after spells with Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Galatasaray. He also won 100 caps for his country.


Top team to be crowned at ESL Saudi Challenge grand final

Esports World Cup is scheduled to return to Riyadh from July 7 through Aug. 24. supplied
Esports World Cup is scheduled to return to Riyadh from July 7 through Aug. 24. supplied
Updated 28 May 2025

Top team to be crowned at ESL Saudi Challenge grand final

Esports World Cup is scheduled to return to Riyadh from July 7 through Aug. 24. supplied

RIYADH: The ESL Saudi Challenge 2025 reaches a thrilling climax this Friday at VOV Gaming in Riyadh, where Ƶ’s top Overwatch 2 teams are set to battle for regional supremacy and a place on the global stage.

The high-stakes tournament will see Team Vision take on Al-Qadsiah in a best-of-five showdown, with the winner advancing to face reigning champions Twisted Minds in a best-of-seven grand final. 

With qualification for the Overwatch Champions Series and the Esports World Cup at stake, the event is being hailed as a defining moment for the Kingdom’s esports scene.

This year’s ESL Saudi Challenge is playing a crucial role in Ƶ’s evolving esports ecosystem. More than just a tournament, it serves as a direct pathway to international competition while highlighting the rising caliber of local talent.

Organized by ESL FACEIT Group, the world’s leading esports and video game entertainment company, the tournament reflects the Kingdom’s broader ambitions to become a global gaming hub.

EFG was acquired in 2022 by Savvy Games Group, a wholly owned subsidiary of Ƶ’s Public Investment Fund, in a $1.5 billion deal aimed at accelerating the growth of esports in the region.

The ESL Saudi Challenge is a key pillar in that strategy, with EFG also serving as the main operating partner for the Esports World Cup over the next five years. The group’s involvement marks a long-term vision to build a world-class esports infrastructure in Ƶ and provide new opportunities for players, fans and creators alike.

Viewers can tune in to the action live on ESL Arabia’s official channels across X, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram. As anticipation builds for Friday’s final, the event promises not only elite-level Overwatch 2 gameplay, but a powerful statement of intent from a nation rapidly becoming a leader in global esports.