football

Top 10 most popular sports in the world 2023

cricket

Most people prefer a particular sport in each country. For example, in the United States, basketball is very popular, and in European countries like Spain and Italy, they prefer soccer. So what are the most popular sports in the world?

The great popularity of sports is due to different reasons; for example, many people play sports to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Others feel great excitement watching their favorite teams play in the company of their friends or family, so much so that they even decide to place sports bets.

Regardless of why they have so many followers, the most popular sports are the ten that we will now list.

  1. Golf: 450 million fans

Golf is prevalent in North America, Western Europe, and East Asia. In golf, players try to get the ball into a hole with as few strokes as possible. The sport receives worldwide sponsorships from brands such as BMW, Cadillac, Rolex, Adidas, Nike, etc.

  1. Rugby: 475 million fans

As a sport inclusive of all genders, rugby is a sport that attracts up to 10 million players worldwide, and it is similar to American soccer. However, while rugby players had little protective equipment, American soccer players had a lot, such as helmets and pads.

It is very fashionable in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and other publics belonging to Commonwealth nations.

Rugby’s most prestigious tournament attracts the best names in the rugby world and top brands that commit significant sponsorship funds. The brands sponsoring the sport are mostly MasterCard, Heineken, Emirates, DHL, and Toshiba.

  1. Baseball – 500 million fans

Baseball is not only a pastime sport in the United States but is also more popular in the Caribbean and East Asia. Finally, baseball attracts sponsorships from brands such as Mastercard, Chevrolet, and Papa John’s.

  1. Basketball – 825 million fans

A trendy sport invented by American-Canadian master James Naismith, basketball is now played worldwide with approximately 825 million fans.

There is no denying the fact that basketball is one of the most talked about sports in the world today. The National Basketball Association is the largest basketball league, commonly known as the NBA. And, as happens with so many other popular sports, people watch league games with friends and family. Usually, a lot of fans also bet on they also bet on Bovada NBA lines or any other specific betting platform. 

Brands worldwide are willing to invest millions of dollars in deals to achieve partnerships with the best basketball stars.

These deals have sometimes continued even after the player’s retirement, as seen in LeBron James and Michael Jordan’s shoe deal with Nike.

  1. Table tennis: 875 million fans.

Ping Pong increased its fan base to 875 million. The sport originated in England in the early 20th century but is now prevalent in Europe, America, Asia, and Africa.

Although table tennis events are less publicized than other sports tournaments, it enjoys a moderate following and fan base on social media worldwide.

  1. Volleyball: 900 million fans

A sport that attracts up to 900 million fans, volleyball receives much attention, mainly in Western Europe, North and South America, Australia, and Asia.

Brands such as Mikasa and Dick’s Sporting Goods support volleyball events.

  1. Tennis: a billion fans

A very strenuous and physically intense sport, tennis is a sport where surprises are not uncommon.

Both men’s and women’s tennis has recently attracted excellent media attention, which has attracted the attention of famous brands like Rolex, Audemars Piguet, and TAG Heuer.

  1. Field hockey: 2 billion fans

Hokey has about 2 billion followers, with India and Pakistan’s most prominent field hockey fans.

Ice hockey is extremely popular in Canada and the United States, which consists of putting a ball into the opposing team’s net. In ice hockey, there is body contact, but in field hockey, there is not.

  1. Cricket: 2.5 billion fans

Cricket matches are played on a circular field. Players use a bat and run around the area as in baseball. The first cricket match was held in 1646.

In total, cricket has approximately 2.5 billion followers, and the countries where it is most prevalent are England, India, Pakistan, and Australia. Cricket also enjoys sponsorship deals from various brands, especially bat manufacturing brands.

  1. Soccer: 4 billion fans

Soccer is known as the king of sports, and there are good reasons for it to receive this title and to be the first of the most popular sports. The sport has some 3.5 billion followers worldwide, and more than 250 million people take part in soccer matches regularly.

Almost everyone watches soccer, for example, during the World Cup. The continents with the highest number of followers are Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America.

Top brands such as Coca-Cola, Qatar Airways, Pepsi, Nike, Puma, and Adidas have signed multi-million dollar deals with soccer governing bodies such as FIFA and UEFA and top soccer clubs and national teams.

VIDEO: Romanian fans curse Hungarians, then beat each other up

romanian football fans brawl

The Andorra-Romania football match on 25 March started with a scuffle. In the first minutes, members of the Romanian ultra-group “Uniti Sub Tricolor” started punching each other in the stands of the Andorran stadium, nemzetisport.hu reports.

According to Gazeta Sporturilor, the Andorran police arrested several fanatics at the 3306-seater venue, which was packed with almost 2,000 Romanians from nearby Spain.

The newspaper also reported that Romanian fans were chanting anti-Hungarian slogans at the start of the match. The Romanian association could face a heavy fine if the European Football Association (UEFA) opens an investigation into the matter, Index writes. In addition to the fine, UEFA could also impose a stadium ban on the Romanian national team.

Read also:

Greater Hungary flags allowed in Hungarian stadiums!

Greater Hungary

The MLSZ allows the use of symbols without racist or political content, and international organisations continue to ban with racist or political messages. As promised by its president Sándor Csányi, MLSZ asked international organisations relevant to the case to clarify the question.

Evaluating the written position of UEFA and FARE and considering the situation, MLSZ made the decision that the outline map of historical Hungary without clear or hidden texts and symbols would not be the subject of disciplinary proceedings, and therefore it will permit the introduction of such flags and banners in accordance with the conditions of the association.

On 20th March, MLSZ provided detailed and accurate information on the above, but unfortunately the situation was misunderstood and misinterpreted in some cases. Due to the uncertainties and misunderstandings which have appeared in the media, we consider it important to repeat, confirm and supplement our previous announcement with a brief explanation. In the matter of allowing the display of the larger historical outline of the country, MLSZ requested a clear position from UEFA and FARE.

We repeat that this was MLSZ’s decision, i.e. we did not claim and do not claim now that UEFA allowed or specifically prohibited the introduction of the drapery. We declared and still declare that both organisations (and MLSZ) continue to condemn all forms of discrimination and will fight against racist, exclusionary or political messages.

At the same time, the MLSZ considers, in the light of the written declarations of the two organisations, that the federation’s position was neither disputed nor refuted by the organisations, therefore the federation will allow the display of drapery in the stadium for the two matches in accordance with the conditions stipulated, with the conviction that there would be no interpretation of clear or hidden messages which could result in accusations of any offence, and that there will be no justifiable disciplinary procedure regarding the display of draperies which only depict the map. We believe that the above is clear, well-founded and follows the rules, and that FARE, UEFA and MLSZ approached the issue with due care.

To our knowledge, only the Romanian Football Federation (FRF) interpreted the facts from its own point of view unilaterally and presumably with limited information, and attacked the decision of the MLSZ unjustifiably. For its part, the MLSZ considers its cooperation with the Romanian association to be appropriate, and we will continue to strive to maintain good relations in the future, but it is clear that its intervention in the matter is unauthorised and unfounded. This is why we have informed our partner organisation in a letter that in this case it is not within the competence of the Romanian association to assess and communicate the decision made by the MLSZ.

Finally, we reconfirm that MLSZ has evaluated the considered and careful statements of the two international organisations and has made a responsible decision in line with its own authority, with which it wishes to express respect for the unity of the hundreds of thousands of Hungarian fans living in many countries. We will allow draperies that do not contain racist and exclusionary messages into the stadium.

Here is a quote from FARE’s letter sent to MLSZ, in which the head of the organisation clearly confirms the Hungarian position, that the historical map of Hungary is not a discriminatory symbol in itself:

The display of the ‘greater Hungary map’ on banners is not in itself seen as an act of discrimination that would be the subject of a Fare report to an international football governing body – UEFA or FIFA.

“However, the display of the flag with other symbols or chants and behaviour, can lead to a report on the banner. This is specifically the case when the other symbols (or chants and behaviour) could reasonably be defined as xenophobic and ultra-nationalist, intended to deny the internationally-recognised territory of the neighbours of Hungary, or the symbols and chants are associated with far-right groups and symbols of hate”.

Furthermore, here is a quote from UEFA’s General Secretary in his letter addressed to MLSZ on Monday, in which he confirms that the organisation has closed disciplinary proceedings against MLSZ in the case of discrimination without penalty, which was initiated due to the display of a banner with the image on after the Hungary-Italy match, thereby creating a precedent:

“In this respect we note your reference to a recent decision of the UEFA Control Ethics & Disciplinary Body (CEDB) of 2 November 2022 to close proceedings opened against your national association for potential infringement of Article 14 of the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations (DR) for the reported display of such banner in a UEFA Nations League match on 26 September 22 between Hungary and Italy”.

Hungarian Football Federation: Banners depicting Greater Hungary not racist manifestations + Romania’s answer – UPDATE: UEFA

PM Orbán Greater Hungary scarf

The Hungarian Football Federation (Magyar Labdarúgó Szövetség, MLSZ) has allowed the introduction of banners depicting the historical map of Hungary (Greater Hungary) at national team matches under strict conditions.

According to a report on the MLSZ website published on Tuesday, it has requested a clear position from the European association (UEFA) and its anti-discrimination group (FARE) on the issue of allowing the display of the historical symbol, HellóMagyar writes.

Greater Hungary flag and Árpád stripes are not considered racist

“The two organisations, accepting the arguments of the MLSZ, acknowledged that the historical map of Hungary and the colours of the Árpád stripes do not constitute racist behaviour. However, this does not apply to the other symbols and inscriptions on the drapery, nor to the fan slogans,” the statement reads.

The MLSZ informed that the two organisations will continue to fight against exclusion, including racism. It will therefore continue to punish banners with such a message. At the same time, it considers it a significant step forward that a banner containing only a map of historical Hungary and the Hungarian national colours is not a disciplinary offence in itself.

Four conditions must be met

“As a result of the negotiations, the federation will allow the introduction of the drapery into the stadium, which symbolises respect for historic Hungary and solidarity with fans from abroad,” the resolution said, revealing that four conditions must be met. The conditions are the following:

  • can only show a map of historical Hungary;
  • only red, white and green colours are allowed;
  • the banner must be presented in the usual way to check its contents and to check for flame retardancy;
  • the banner in the stadium must not restrict fans from watching the match without disturbance.

However, supporters should be aware that if any racist or political message is displayed on the drapes, or if any racist or political message is attached to the drapes, this will result in disciplinary action. In doing so, the fans are harming themselves, their fellow supporters, the team and the image of Hungarian football.

The Romanian answer

Accoring to Telex.hu, the Romanian Football Federation (RFR) reacted to the statement of the MLSZ by saying that it “misinterpreted the UEFA and FARE position”.

“UEFA has not allowed and will not allow the display of the symbols mentioned by the Hungarian Football Federation in matches played at the European level,” the FRF wrote on its website. According to them, the MLSZ was at fault when interpreting the UEFA’s decision.

The Romanian Football Federation underscores that revisionism is unaccepted in football. It trusts that UEFA will continue to sanction the display of such symbols in stadiums, which can incite hatred and violence in matches at the European level, Telex.hu writes.

UPDATE – UEFA’s reaction

UEFA has denied that it has allowed the use of banners depicting historical Hungary at matches of the Hungarian national football team. It has even imposed sanctions for the display of such props, TransTelex reports. In response to requests from Romanian newspapers, the organisation’s press department sent a clarification of its position to several newspapers.

In its reply, the UEFA states that it is aware of press reports that it has approved the use of flags and banners depicting historical Hungary in UEFA matches. However, this is not the case.

The UEFA has not authorised the use of such flags or banners at any level, and the presence of such flags and banners may therefore lead to disciplinary consequences.

Housing market Rent prices Budapest downtown
Read alsoRental market: wage increase in Hungary drives up prices

Austria did not let Hungarian Fradi fans through, German police searched them

Ferencváros Fradi fans

“You must be kidding me: German police held up the train carrying Ferencváros fans travelling to tonight’s Europa League clash with Bayer Leverkusen for two hours”, the Hungarian government’s international spokesman, said on Twitter. However, it seems the German police found a lot of illegal stuff in the bags and pockets of the fans travelling to German for the Fradi-Leverkusen match.

According to Magyar Narancs, German police seized pyrotechnics, knives and narcotics in the bags and pockets of the fans of Ferencváros, Hungary’s most famous football club, travelling to the club’s stadium in Munich. Their train went through Slovakia and the Czech Republic because the Austrian authorities made it clear before that they would not let it pass.

The inspection:

Based on the information of Sächsische.de, the German police’s action took approximately 1.5 hours. Police officers searched the bags and the carriages and seized a “moderate amount” of pyrotechnics, narcotics, knives, and smoke bombs.

Here is how Zoltán Kovács reacted:

Gergely Gulyás, the prime minister’s chief of staff, said yesterday on the cabinet’s regular briefing that we must be cautious in labelling the German police’s actions. However, he added that German authorities committed “anti-Hungarian” acts. He probably referred to the 2021 European Championships Germany-Hungary match when German police raised charges against Hungarian fans.

“We are the Ferencváros” – in the Leverkusen stadium:

And this is how their train departed:

Otherwise, Ferencváros lost

Leverkusen started the game strongly and took the lead through Demirbay’s cross-shot in the 10th minute, but Fradi refused to buckle, Bálint Vécsei threatening soon after, only for his shot to fly high over the crossbar. The same player then crossed for Zachariassen to head towards goal but the ball cannoned off the bar and away to safety, mlsz.hu wrote.

Although the hosts reasserted their dominance, they weren’t able to make it count again until the 86th minute when Tapsoba doubled his team’s lead following a free-kick. Two-nil was the final result and Endre Botka’s yellow card means he’ll be suspended for next Thursday’s second leg in the Puskás Aréna in Budapest, the same stadium that will host the final on 31st May.

Europa League, Round of 16, first leg:
Bayer Leverkusen (GER) 2-0 Ferencváros (HT: 1-0)

Goalscorers: Demirbay (10.), Tapsoba (86.)

Bayer Leverkusen: Hradecky – Kossounou, Tapsoba, Tah, Hincapie – Frimpong, Amiri, Demirbay – Diaby (Hlozek, 71), Azmun (Adli, 60), Wirtz (Schick, 89)
Ferencváros: Dibusz – Botka (Wingo, 87), Knoester, Abena, Civic – Vécsei, Esiti – Traoré (Frederiksen, 87), Zachariassen, Marquinhos (Gojak, 78) – R. Mmaee.

ryanair
Read alsoIs the Hungarian government ready to scrap excess profit taxes?

Match suspended in Romania due to anti-Hungarian slogans

football match suspended in romania

A football match was suspended in Romania due to the anti-Hungarian slogans of away fans. The match between Sepsi OSK and U Craiova 1948 in the 23rd round of the Romanian Football League was first interrupted for 10 minutes and then suspended due to anti-Hungarian demonstrations by away fans.

In the 26th minute of the match in Sfântu Gheorghe, referee Andrei Chivulete decided to stop the match for 10 minutes due to anti-Hungarian slogans from the visiting fans from Craiova, TransTelex reports. The referee sent both teams to the dressing rooms. The stadium’s loudspeakers warned that the match would only resume if the racist remarks stopped.

After the 10-minute break, the two teams took to the pitch again and the referee restarted the match. A few seconds later, Chivulete decided to suspend the match due to the continuation of anti-Hungarian shouting. It is not the first time that the match of the team from Sfântu Gheorghe had to be interrupted. However, such a drastic step has never been taken before.

The mayor of Sfântu Gheorghe, Árpád Antal, also published a video of the incident, which you can watch below. In his post, he calls it intolerable and unacceptable that “extremist fans are making a mockery of football and sport with their atrocious Hungarian-hating behaviour”. He adds that today, the referee made a very important and good decision “for the first time” by suspending the match.

The case will most likely be referred to the Football League Disciplinary Committee, TransTelex writes. The committee will investigate the circumstances of the match. There is a good chance that Sepsi OSK will be declared the winner.

Viktor Orbán EU member Hungary
Read alsoUkrainian mayor to Viktor Orbán: “We’ll get you, you bastards!”

European Football Association UEFA bans Greater Hungary flags

Greater Hungary

Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó on Friday slammed the anti-discrimination organisation of the European Football Association (UEFA FARE) for its report on the use of flags depicting historic Hungary at a match between Hungary and Italy in September.

Responding to a question at a press conference on a different matter, Szijjártó said the organisation which proposed banning the image had “no idea of Hungarian history”. FARE “is basically a volunteer workers’ militia living for reporting others on inane issues,” Szijjártó said, adding that he hoped the UEFA leadership would “free European football from this militia because they are trouble, and they will continue to cause trouble.”

Sándor Csányi, the head of Hungary’s football federation, asked football fans not to bring flags depicting Greater Hungary to the international matches of the Hungarian national soccer team because of the UEFA ban. He said it was not patriotic to be fined and punished with matches without spectators due to such flags.

Make Hungary Great Again T-shirt:

Budafoki MTE football
Read alsoHungarian football club financed with embezzled Australian dollar millions

Hungarian football club financed with embezzled Australian dollar millions

Budafoki MTE football

Robert Belteky, the ex-leader of Care Park, an Australian-based company is accused of AUD 10 million fraud. The former boss of Care Park ran the parking management company for more than 10 years. The company is not only known in Australia, as it has several subsidiaries in different countries, including Hungary. The owners of the company filed a report after they dismissed him.

The news of the accusation was spotted by the Hungarian news portal G7.hu in an Australian newspaper Herald Sun. Born in Australia of Hungarian parents, Robert Belteky led the company since 2009 until November 2022, when the company owners dismissed him for “gross and wilful misconduct”. They then filed a report accusing him of embezzling AUD 10 million from the company since 2012.

His connection to Hungarian football

Belteky started patronising the Hungarian football club Budafoki MTE in 2015, and since then they have made significant progress, reaching the Hungarian top league within a few years. As for the team’s financial situation, its revenues have also increased spectacularly. For example, between 2017 and 2021, its revenues increased fourfold, according to the approximately 100 pages long filed report. As G7 notes, the cash flows between Care Park’s Hungarian subsidiaries and the football club can indeed be verified by company documents. The documents show that the the club received AUD 1.9 million from the company in just 3 years.

In fact, Care Park owns the football club since 2019, replacing Belteky. However, it is alleged that the other company heads, apart from Belteky, were not aware of this.

The embezzlement and misuse of company funds

According to the allegations, more than AUD 2.7 million of the embezzled sum went to his former football team. Another AUD 918,000 was transferred to Belteky’s Hungarian private account, most of which was allegedly used to pay the salaries of the football club’s players and other operational costs. However, there is no record of any payment to the players, and the accusers claim that he may have given this money in cash, which is difficult to prove. G7 points out that, at the same time, according to official records, Budafok spent the least on salaries among the Hungarian top-flight teams.

In addition, Care Park owners allege that Belteky transferred more than AUD 1 million to his wife and daughter. They were fictitiously employed by the company. On top of this, he also spent AUD 856 million of the company’s money on airline tickets, jewellery, watches, luxury hotels and cruises for himself and his family.

When contacted by the Herald Sun, Belteky’s daughter responded by saying “we have plenty of evidence to refute these repeated allegations, we are working on it with our lawyers”. Also, G7 contacted the football club, but they did not respond.
The Australian authorities have not yet taken action on the Care Park allegations.

ski resort hungary
Read alsoDo Hungarian ski resorts have a chance for survival?

Famous soccer player in Hungary 2023

szoboszlai

Dominik Szoboszlai is a Hungarian soccer player who has been taking the world by storm since he began his career. He has already made a name for himself as one of the most promising players in the world, and he is set to become even more of a household name in 2023. Szoboszlai is renowned for his incredible skill and impressive playmaking abilities, and it’s clear that he has the potential to be one of the best sports betting players in the world. In this blog post, we will explore why Dominik Szoboszlai is set to take the world by storm in 2023.

Who is Dominik Szoboszlai?

Dominik Szoboszlai is a Hungarian professional footballer who currently plays for German club RB Leipzig. He started his career at the youth academy of Liefering, before moving to Salzburg in 2018. Since then, he has become one of Hungary’s most promising young footballers and is set to take the world by storm in 2023. Szoboszlai has been described as one of the best young midfielders in Europe, due to his impressive technical ability and creativity on the ball. He is also a talented goalscorer, having scored 14 goals in all competitions during the 2019-20 season. His outstanding performances have seen him earn international recognition and an invitation to join the Hungary national team.

What are his accomplishments?

He is an incredibly talented Hungarian soccer player who has been making waves in Europe for the past few years. He has achieved a great deal of success in both domestic and international play, including being named the 2019/2020 Austrian Bundesliga Player of the Year. He also played a key role in RB Salzburg’s UEFA Europa League title run in 2020. In addition to his club achievements, Dominik has also represented his country on the international stage, playing for the Hungarian National Team since 2018. As a result of his talent and skill, he was awarded the ‘Golden Boy’ award in 2020, recognizing him as one of the best young players in Europe.

Why is he so popular?

His skillful technique and exciting style of play have earned him praise from coaches, teammates and fans alike. His potential has been recognized by some of Europe’s top clubs who are reportedly interested in signing him. His impressive performances in international matches have also increased his popularity as he looks set to become one of the best players in Europe over the next few years.

What does the future hold for him?

With an impressive track record of achievements and numerous awards under his belt, there is no doubt that he is on track to become one of the biggest names in Hungarian football. He has been tipped to make a move to one of Europe’s top clubs soon and is considered to be one of the best young players in the world. Szoboszlai will undoubtedly continue to dazzle on the pitch and bring joy to fans across the globe.

Conclusion

Dominik Szoboszlai is one of Hungary’s best soccer players and is set to become one of the world’s greatest players in 2023. His talent and skill has been clear to fans, coaches, and peers alike. With a bright future ahead of him, it’s only a matter of time before he takes the global stage.

IFFHS: Two Hungarian footballers have made the list of the world’s top scorers

martin ádám

Two Hungarian national team footballers have been included in the 2022 list of the world’s most successful players, compiled by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS).

Top scorers

Germán Cano, an Argentine from Brazil’s Fluminense, topped the IFFHS list with 33 goals, ahead of France’s Kylian Mbappe, who scored 32 times for Paris Saint-Germain, and another Argentine, Nicolás Ibánez of Pachuca, Mexico, who scored 31 league goals last season.

Boris Kopitovic was the absolute top-scorer last calendar year with 35 goals, but his club Tampines Rovers in the Singapore league, which is not included in the IFFHS top 100, so the Montenegrin footballer was not ranked, MTI reported.

Martin Ádám

Martin Ádám scored a total of 25 goals for Paks and then his new club Ulsan in South Korea, which puts him 16th in the standings. He scored nine times in Korea.

Dániel Gazdag

Dániel Gazdag, who plays for the Philadelphia Union in the United States, is 22nd with 24 goals.

The top scorers in the top leagues in 2022:

1. Germán Cano (Argentina), Fluminense, 33 goals
2. Kylian Mbappé (French), Paris Saint-Germain, 32
3. Nicolás Ibánez (Argentina), Pachuca, 31
4. Erling Haaland (Norwegian), Borussia Dortmund and Manchester City 30
5. Robert Lewandowski (Poland), Bayern Munich and Barcelona 29
…16th Ádám Martin, Paks and Ulszan 25
…22nd Dániel Greichag, Philadelphia Union 24

Hungary vs Italy UEFA Nations League
Read alsoUEFA NL: Hungary finished in second place, ahead of Germany and England – PHOTOS

Orbán: Hungary will not be able to organise any major sports events in 2023 and 2024

infantino fifa orbán hungary football

Hungarian football is on course to redeem its old glory, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said in an interview to Nemzeti Sport online, adding that by 2030 the national eleven would be great again.

In the interview in Qatar, Orbán said:

“Lionel Messi is the greatest; literally the smallest boy that has grown to be the greatest hero.”

He called the competition “unique” for being organised in an Arab country for the first time. “Arab football flashed its real strength through the Moroccan team,” he added.

The prime minister said the Western world had had to learn how to behave according to different rules. “This time they weren’t hosts but guests, yet they tried to force their habits on their hosts…” The Western world, with its “colonial instincts”, has forgotten the adage: “When in Rome, do as the Romans do,” he added.

Qatar could have spent their money “on anything” other than the World Cup, but “it is good that they spent it on football,” Orbán said.

He said bilateral ties with Qatar were excellent the country was “a friend of Hungary” with a number of large investments here.

Orban praised Hungary’s Sándor Csányi, FIFA’s vice president, for his initiative to allow players to be in their home countries’ teams even if they had played in the junior teams of other countries. That is why, he said, there were many players in the Moroccan and other African teams who had played, for example, in France as youngsters.

Viktor Orbán MOL excess profits
Read alsoPM Orbán on Qatar World Cup: Good when cultures meet

Orban said the “Golden” Hungarian team of the 1950s had been “no doubt one of the best” but “we were not there in Qatar this time because we could not win when we should have.” But Hungarian soccer was improving, he noted. In the 20 years after 1989, Hungarian football descended into darkness, “and it has taken another twenty years to emerge”, but by 2030 it will have “regained its old glory”, he said.

Referring to “spectacular games” in soccer club leagues, Orbán said that ultimately national teams unsullied by corruption were of the greatest value.

Discussing sport more broadly, Orban said it would take another year before changes in the government’s sports management could be assessed. Seven-year development programmes the government launched for sports associations are being completed, he said. Those schemes will be evaluated individually, while new agreements with the associations for the next two Olympic cycles are being signed, he added.

Pointing to the war in Ukraine, the prime minister noted difficulties in running sports facilities and high energy costs. These problems will “stay with us” and

Hungary will not be able to organise any major sports events in 2023 and 2024, Orbán said.

The Hungarian government has “built and organised everything possible” in the area of sports in the past 12 years, he said, referring to Budapest’s new athletics stadium and the athletics world championships as “the crown” of those efforts. “We have organised all events possible that are worth organising — apart from the Olympics,” Orbán said.

Qatar Abdulla Falah Abdulla Al Dosari
Read alsoQatar Ambassador to Budapest: Hungary is very rich in human wealth

PM Orbán on Qatar World Cup: Good when cultures meet

Viktor Orbán MOL excess profits

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán arrived in Qatar on Tuesday evening, where he held talks with Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani, his Qatari counterpart, the PM’s press chief said.

Orbán will then attend the FIFA World Cup semifinal between Argentina and Croatia at the invitation of the soccer governing body, Bertalan Havasi told MTI.

The prime minister gave interviews to several Qatari news outlets and is scheduled to fly to Brussels on Wednesday night to attend a summit of European Union and ASEAN leaders, Havasi said.

Good when cultures meet

Orbán has praised the idea of cultures meeting and competing “under the same rules of the game in the same sport”.

Orbán told Qatari journalists on Tuesday that the World Cup in Qatar had not only been spectacular but exciting too. Qatar, he added, spent money “to host the whole world”, and he praised the way the event had been organised.

The prime minister noted the significance of the World Cup being held in an Arab country. “If in Rome, do as the Romans do,” he said, and it was good that guests were expected to respect the local customs and way of thinking. This, he added, was important both in the context of football and in terms of obtaining a different outlook on life.

No future without teachers
Read alsoHungarian govt official: Teachers to receive 75 percent wage increase in the next three years

PM Orbán changed his favourite personal accessory – can you spot it on the photo?

PM Viktor Orbán

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán travelled to Slovenia today to celebrate the linking of the two countries’ electricity grids with his Slovenian counterpart. The photo he posted of his departure shows that something important changed in his outfit. Can you spot it?

The Hungarian prime minister has a new black backpack, the official one of the 2022 Qatar Football World Cup. Mr Orbán has always been a football fan and regularly used the official backpacks of the world cups. He has used that bag of the 2006 world cup (organised by Germany) for years. In July 2014, he bought the Brazilian version and donated the previous one to the Hungarian National Museum.

Orbán shared a post on the first day of the 2022 Qatar World Cup saying that Serbia would win the tournament. Serbia is currently last in group G but still has a chance to advance from the group stage if they defeat Switzerland this evening.

PM Orbán scarf scandal
Read alsoPM Orbán’s scarf scandal extends: Austria jokes, Slovakia horrified, Orbán reacted

Bertalan Havasi, the prime minister’s press chief, said when Orbán’s timetable allows him, he will watch the matches in the stadium as an official guest of FIFA. However, he did not tell whether Orbán had already been to Qatar for the world cup. Telex.hu asked who gave the prime minister his new backpack, but they have not received an answer yet.

Orbán: Hungary-Slovenia relations free of problems

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán met with Slovenian counterpart Robert Golob for a working lunch in Maribor on Friday, Orbán’s press chief said. The meeting was attended by Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó, and the talks focused on the challenges affecting energy security in Europe, Bertalan Havasi said. The two sides were in agreement that the linking of the two countries’ electricity grids was a great success, with work already completed and a ceremonial event to be held in the presence of the two prime ministers in Cirkovce later in the day, he added.

Orbán and Golob also stated that bilateral relations between Hungary and Slovenia were free of any problems and they expressed support for further economic development in border regions.

Centre for Hungarian children Slovenia
Read also PHOTOS: Centre for Hungarian children opened in Slovenia

Hungary-Slovenia energy link ‘symbol of hope for the future’

The linking of Hungary and Slovenia’s energy infrastructures is a symbol of the two peoples’ hope for the future, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said at a ceremony marking completion of the construction of the cross-border Cirkovce-Pince electrical transmission line, in Slovenia’s Cirkovce on Friday. Hungarians and the peoples living on the territory of the former Yugoslavia used to be cut off from each other, the prime minister said. Hungarians therefore built all of their links in an East-West context, whether it be gas, oil or electricity, he added. This separation remained after the breakup of Yugoslavia, making Slovenia the only one of Hungary’s neighbours with whom it had not had its gas, oil or electrical grids linked, Orbán added.

PM Orbán’s scarf scandal extends: Austria jokes, Slovakia horrified, Orbán reacted

PM Orbán scarf scandal

As we reported yesterday, PM Viktor Orbán wore a Greater Hungary scarf on Sunday’s Hungary-Greece friendly football match. The scarf depicts the silhouette of the borders of the Hungarian Kingdom, and neighbouring countries reacted harshly to what happened. Here is what the Slovaks and the Austrians said.

But why did Orbán wear such a provoking scarf? We do not know. But the fact is that he uploaded a video on his official Facebook page of the meeting with Balázs Dzsudzsák (whose last professional match was on Sunday against Greece) in the VIP lounge after the match wearing the scarf is questionable.

Of course, some neighbouring countries reacted quickly. First was the Romanian foreign ministry condemning the act. The second was Croatia, where the president said it was laughable and Hungary was the best neighbour of his country. Meanwhile, Ukraine summoned the Hungarian ambassador to Kyiv. Furthermore, Ukraine is waiting for an official apology from Hungary, Dmytro Kuleba, the country’s foreign minister, added.

PM Orbán Greater Hungary scarf
Read alsoPM Orbán in Greater Hungary scarf: Romanian government outraged

The Slovak and Austrian reactions came later yesterday. A spokesperson from the Austrian foreign ministry shrugged the issue off with a joke. “A quick glance at historical maps in the Viennese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed initial suspicions, according to which Transleithania (the Kingdom of Hungary) ceased to exist around 100 years ago,” politico.eu quoted him. “We will inform our Hungarian neighbours of this development at the earliest opportunity” he added.

However, the Slovaks were not in a humorous mood. Rastislav Káčer, the Slovak foreign minister, said the Hungarians living in Slovakia were at home and were citizens of the country. But irredentism and revisionism had no place in Slovak-Hungarian relations. He referred to the ongoing war in Ukraine and highlighted where such feelings might lead. He said the prime minister’s behaviour was disgusting, 444.hu said.

Andrej Stančík (OľaNO), Slovakia’s foreign secretary, also referred to Russia’s war in Ukraine and talked about the independence of Slovakia. He added he could not imagine why Orbán picked this particular neckwear. The Slovak vice president of the European Parliament, Michal Šimečka, said such scarves deny the existence of Slovakia. Therefore, they were dangerous symbols.

PM Orbán scarf scandal
Read alsoPM Orbán’s scarf scandal extends: Austria jokes, Slovakia horrified, Orbán reacted

The Czech foreign secretary, Jan Lipovsky, talked about provocation and expressed their understanding towards their Slovak friends in the issue.

Viktor Orbán tried to cut the story short with three short sentences he wrote on his Facebook page. He said that football was not politics and that the national team was the team of all Hungarians living all around the world. The prime minister will travel to Kassa (Kosice, Slovakia) on Thursday for a Visegrád Four summit, where he will probably have to explain the issue.

Interestingly, Serbia has not reacted yet on the issue despite having a Hungarian community of more than 200 thousand souls thanks to the Trianon and Paris treaties. Orbán said on Sunday that their football team would win the UEFA championships in Qatar. Maybe that is why Belgrade chose to remain silent on the matter.

trianon
Read alsoWhy is Trianon still so devastating for Hungarians even after 100 years?

PM Orbán in Greater Hungary scarf: Romanian government outraged

PM Orbán Greater Hungary scarf

Hungary played a friendly match with Greece in Budapest on Sunday evening. PM Viktor Orbán has always been a great football fan, so he watched the duel in the stadium. The game was also Balázs Dzsudzsák’s last one. Therefore, Mr Dzsudzsák met the prime minister in the VIP lounge to give the T-shirt he wore in the first half to the prime minister and the T-shirt he wore the second half to Péter Szijjártó, Hungary’s foreign minister. However, the fan scarf PM Orbán had around his neck shocked the Romanian government.

The Romanian foreign ministry expressed their disapproval of PM Viktor Orbán’s gesture of wearing a fan scarf having the map of Greater Hungary on it, transtelex.ro, the Romanian partner news website of telex.hu, wrote yesterday evening. PM Orbán wore the scarf after the friendly contest between the Hungarian and Greek football teams in Budapest last Sunday, a video uploaded on the prime minister’s official Facebook page shows.

In the video, Balázs Dzsudzsák arrives at the VIP lounge after the Hungarian victory and distributes his T-shirts to the prime minister and Hungary’s foreign minister. The match marked Dzsdzsák’s 109th in the national team and the last in the Hungarian footballer’s professional career.

One cannot be mistaken if he watches the video: PM Orbán wears a scarf on which the borders of Greater Hungary (the Kingdom of Hungary) are depictable easily. Otherwise, the scarf is quite regular. The inscription on it is the first line of the national anthem: “Isten áldd meg a magyart…” (the poetic English translation from Wikipedia goes as “O, my God, the Magyar bless”).

péter szijjártó bogdan aurescu
Read alsoForeign minister: we are maintaining the Hungarian-Romanian strategic partnership

However, Romania was outraged, and its foreign ministry sent a “determined disapproval” to Hungary’s ambassador in Bucharest. They said the gesture of the Hungarian prime minister contradicted the openness he and the foreign minister showed during the Romanian foreign minister’s official visit to Budapest. The talks then aimed to restart bilateral discussions, transtelex.hu wrote.

Romania’s diplomacy highlighted all forms of revisionism were unacceptable because they contradict reality. That is a consolidated language meaning Transylvania, Partium, and other former Hungarian territories are inseparable parts of Romania. Nobody should ever question that, the political leadership of Romania believes regardless their party affiliation.

The Ukrainian foreign spokesman, Oleg Nikolenko, posted on Facebook that they would summon Hungary’s ambassador in Kyiv because of Orbán’s scarf. He added promoting revisionism does not support the development of the Hungarian-Ukrainian relationship, 24.hu wrote.

Interestingly, the Croatian president was not outraged after watching the video. “I can only laugh at that. Among the neighbouring countries, Hungary is still the best”, Zoran Milanovic told journalists about the incident.

The Croatian prime minister has not even watched the video yet. He cleared he did not want to deal with other people’s scarves. Concerning territorial claims against Croatia, he called them unacceptable and not an option, index.hu said.

Here you may check out the video:

Read alsoRomania: Hungarian inscriptions will be mandatory on public buildings and works of art

All you need to know about the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022

world cup

The Middle East will be hosting its first FIFA world cup. FIFA awarded this honor to Qatar on 2nd December 2010, when Qatar won the bid among four other countries. For the first time in 92 years of FIFA history, the most prestigious sports league is taking place in this region.

Qatar’s bid was also highlighted as the most compact World Cup ever because all the venues are within sixty kilometers. In addition, the architectural brilliance of the new stadiums is unparalleled, as these venues are built with a vision of controlling temperature and countering the region’s warm climate.

The campaign will kick off with the host going against Ecuador on 20th November 2022 at the Al Bayt Stadium and will continue till 18th December 2022. The opening ceremony will take place before the first match, and the artist lineup includes a member of the famous South Korean band BTS Jung Kook. However, the list has yet to be finalized as of today.

How many stadiums will host the matches?

It is a 32 days tournament with a total of 64 games scheduled to be played. On top of that, there will be back-to-back matches for eleven consecutive days. The schedule is intense, and a total of eight stadiums will be used to facilitate all the anticipated matches.

  • Lusail Iconic Stadium in Lusail: it has the highest capacity of 80,000 among all the stadiums, and it will be the busiest venue hosting a total of ten matches, including the final, one quarter-final, and one semifinal, and a closing ceremony.
  • Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor: it has a capacity of 60,000 and will host nine matches, including the opening ceremony, one quarter-final, and a semifinal.
  • Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah: it will host seven matches and has a capacity of 40,000.
  • Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium: it will host seven matches and can accommodate 40,000 fans.
  • Khalifa International Stadium: it will host eight matches, including the third play-off match, with a capacity of 40,000 people.
  • Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan: it will also host eight matches, including a quarter-final, and has a capacity of 40,000.
  • Stadium 974: it will host seven matches and also has the same capacity of 40,000.
  • Al Thumama Stadium in Doha: it will host eight matches, including a quarter-final, and has a capacity of 40,000.

Formation of groups

There are 32 teams divided into eight groups, each comprising four teams. The top two from each group will qualify for the Round of 16. Afterward, only eight teams will proceed to the quarter-finals. The FIFA world cup odds favor South American teams because of the hot weather, although it is still any team’s cup.

The teams in:

In group A:

  1. Qatar
  2. Ecuador
  3. Senegal
  4. Netherlands

In group B:

  1. England
  2. Wales
  3. Iran
  4. United States

In group C:

  1. Argentina
  2. Mexico
  3. Saudi Arabia
  4. Poland

In group D:

  1. France
  2. Australia
  3. Denmark
  4. Tunisia

In group E:

  1. Spain
  2. Germany
  3. Costa Rica
  4. Japan

In group F:

  1. Belgium
  2. Canada
  3. Morocco
  4. Croatia

In group G:

  1. Brazil
  2. Serbia
  3. Switzerland
  4. Cameroon

In group H:

  1. Portugal
  2. Ghana
  3. Uruguay
  4. South Korea

Squad restrictions

For the first time, FIFA has approved increasing the number of maximum players in a squad to 26 from 23 players to counter the timing of the world cup and COVID. In addition, each squad must have three goalkeepers, with no restrictions on the maximum number of midfielders, forwards, and defenders.

Each team must arrive five days before the start of their opening match, and every club must release the list of players selected for the national team by 14 November as per the FIFA guidelines. 26 team members will be allowed on the bench, comprising 15 players and 11 team officials.

Another new rule incorporated into this year’s world cup is that coaches can make up to five substitutions compared to the standard three.

Euro 2024: Previewing Hungary’s qualifying chances for the big tournament in Germany 

football

Sponsored content

The Hungarian national football team finds itself in the best position it’s been in since the days of Ferenc Puskás almost 70 years ago. The former Real Madrid man famously led Hungary’s golden generation to the World Cup final in 1954, where they would lose out 3-2 to West Germany despite being overwhelming favourites. Admittedly, the current crop aren’t of the level of Puscas and co., but they have certainly given the country a team they can be proud of. 

Back in 2016, The Magyars ended their 30-year wait to appear at a major tournament when they qualified for the European Championships in France. And the tournament was a huge success. A 2-0 victory over Austria and back-to-back draws against Iceland and eventual champions Portugal sealed the top spot in Group F and a date with Belgium in the second round. The Red Devils would eventually win out, but there could be no denying how far Hungary had come.

Five years later, The Hungarians qualified for back-to-back European Championships for the first time in their history. However, after once again being drawn alongside Portugal, as well as Germany and reigning world champions France, there was only ever an outside chance of progressing to the knockout rounds. They did give all three of them a scare, however, drawing with France and Germany, as well as keeping Cristiano Ronaldo and co. quiet for 80 minutes before slipping to a late defeat.

They will be hoping to make it a hat trick in 2024, and we wouldn’t bet against them.

stadium
Photo: Unsplash

An Incredible UEFA Nations League Campaign 

Hungary’s recent Nations League campaign was the stuff of fairytales. The Magyars were once again handed a difficult group, just as they were last year in the European Championships. They were drawn against Italy and England – the teams who contested the final of Euro 2020 – as well as Germany once again. Online bookmakers such as FanDuel, which provide free bets on European football, didn’t expect trees to be pulled up, and relegation back to League B was considered a distinct possibility.

But no one told Marco Rossi that. Hungary’s Italian manager has revolutionised the national team since his arrival in 2018 and he ensured that his side was ready to take on the big boys.

Their campaign got underway with a deserved 1-0 victory over England in Budapest thanks to Dominik Szoboszlai’s second-half penalty. However, it was the return fixture at Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Molineux that took everyone’s breath away.

Rossi took his side to England quietly optimistic, but no one could have predicted what they were about to see. Rolland Salai gave the visitors a shock halftime lead and in the second half, Rossi’s men put on a counterattacking masterclass. Three goals in the final 20 minutes secured a 4-0 over the Three Lions in perhaps the finest performance of a Hungarian team for generations.

Another victory on the road, this time in Leipzig, was to follow. Ádám Szalai’s first-half goal was enough to seal a 1-0 victory over Germany and, despite losing their final game to Italy and missing out on a place in the finals, Hungary had still done themselves more than proud.

Group G – An All-Eastern European showdown 

In qualifying for Euro 2024, Hungary have been drawn alongside four other Eastern European nations. Serbia look like they will provide the sternest test. They beat Portugal away from home to seal a place at the upcoming World Cup, and they will be the favourites to top the group.

The other nations alongside the Magyars competing for the right to represent their country in Germany are Montenegro, Bulgaria, and Lithuania, and Hungary will fancy their chances at defeating all three of them.

The top two will qualify automatically for the tournament and, with Marco Rossi at the helm, as well as the talented Szoboszlai being the creator-in-chief, it’s very possible that they will make it three from three in 18 months’ time.

Hungarian Speaker and Qatar’s ambassador agree on rejecting “double standards”

Speaker László Kövér

Speaker of Parliament László Kövér met Abdulla Falah Abdulla Nasser Al-Dosari, Qatar’s Ambassador to Hungary, in his office on Thursday at the diplomat’s request, the parliament’s press office told MTI.

The two sides praised bilateral economic, political and cultural relations. The ambassador expressed appreciation for Hungary’s support strengthening Qatar’s ties with the European Union, and Hungary’s advocacy for peace and the negotiated settlement of the Middle East and the Russia-Ukraine conflicts, it said in a statement.

The Emir of Qatar is scheduled to visit Hungary next year, it said, adding that Kövér has invited the president of the Shura Council, the legislative body of Qatar, for a visit.

Concerning international criticism of Qatar before the forthcoming soccer World Cup, the two sides agreed that “double standards” and “ideological pressure” were “unacceptable”. Kövér said politics should not be brought to bear on sports, and athletes should not be forced to make political statements. The speaker expressed appreciation for Qatar’s efforts to host the world’s second biggest sports event successfully.

Industry Eurocircuits worker
Read alsoThe United Arab Emirates and Hungarian Trade and Industry Joint Council meets in Budapest