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BENGHAZI: Libya’s second-largest city Benghazi on Thursday opened its newly reconstructed international stadium with a high-profile ceremony featuring global football legends.
The event was attended by a packed crowd and eastern Libya’s strongman Khalifa Haftar.
It also featured appearances by former football stars including England’s Ballon d’Or-winning Michael Owen, Brazilians Roberto Carlos and Julio Cesar, and Portugal’s Luis Figo and Nani.
Belgacem Haftar, one of the strongman’s six sons and head of the North African country’s Reconstruction Fund, was also in the stands.
“The Benghazi international stadium belongs to all Libyans,” his father said, describing it as a place of unity as Libya remains a “single nation despite the challenges and difficulties.”
The oil-rich country is still grappling with the aftermath of the armed conflict and political chaos that followed the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that toppled long-time dictator Muammar Qaddafi.
It remains divided between an internationally recognized Tripoli-based government in the west, led by Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah, and a Haftar-backed rival administration in the east.
Without directly referencing eastern authorities, Dbeibah congratulated “Benghazi residents” on the stadium’s reopening in a statement posted on social media.
“Any addition to the country’s sports infrastructure serves Libyan interests,” he wrote.
The stadium is set to host as many as 42,000 spectators, a significant increase from its past 28,000-seat capacity, according to official figures.
For many football-loving Libyans, it also signalled a step toward normality in a city that has endured years of conflict.
Last March, under Dbeibah’s administration, Tripoli International Stadium was also reopened following two years of renovations to meet international standards.

LONDON: Newmarket-based trainer Tom Clover is setting his sights on further international success at the Saudi Cup meeting this weekend, as he prepares Al Nayyir for the Group 2 Red Sea Turf Handicap.

This comes on the back of a major victory for the trainer in Qatar, where his sprinter Rogue Lightning stormed to success in the Dukhan Sprint.

Clover, who operates from the historic Kremlin House Stables, has been enjoying a career-best run, with 2024 marking his most successful year in terms of winners and prize money since he began training eight years ago.

His recent triumphs include victories at the York Ebor Festival and Newmarket’s Cambridgeshire Meeting, adding to his 2023 Group 2 Duke of Cambridge Stakes win at Royal Ascot with Rogue Millennium.

Rogue Lightning, a 5-year-old acquired for £1 million ($1,264,600) by Blandford Bloodstock agent Richard Brown on behalf of the emir of Qatar’s Wathnan Racing, delivered a commanding performance at Al Uqda Racecourse on Sunday.

“Rogue Lightning was always a horse we held in high regard. It was really exciting for the whole team, particularly for Carrie, who has been out there with him,” Clover told Great British Racing International.

“It was important for us to get a win for Wathnan Racing, who have been great supporters, and to deliver a major victory for them on their big day. It was a huge thrill and a day we will always remember.”

Attention now turns to Al Nayyir, who will represent owner Elbashir Elhrari in Saturday’s Red Sea Turf Handicap in the Kingdom.

The 7-year-old gelding, who only joined Clover’s yard in July 2024, has already shown his class, finishing second in a Group 2 at York and securing an emphatic eight-length victory in a Listed race at Newmarket.

A strong performance in Saudi Arabia could set him up for a tilt at the Group 2 Dubai Gold Cup at the Dubai World Cup meeting in April.

Clover is optimistic about his chances, despite the challenge of conceding weight to his rivals.

He said: “I am very pleased with Al Nayyir’s condition. He’s traveled well and improved in his coat with a bit of sun in Saudi Arabia. It’s a big ask giving this weight away to the rest of the field, but he has drawn nicely, he is a high-class horse, and we think he will run a big race.

“He is a 7-year-old now, but he is by Dubawi, and they improve with age. He is just a wonderful horse to deal with, and we hope to see him win a big race this year.”

With momentum firmly on his side, Clover will be hoping Al Nayyir can continue his stable’s upward trajectory and add another prestigious victory to his growing list of achievements.