UEFA Nations League, Asian Games 2026, Azerbaijan GP: The big Gulf News weekend sports preview

From Saturday to Sunday, sports enthusiasts have a wealth of events to anticipate. Cricket takes center stage at the Asian Games in Japan, with the men's preliminary round concluding on Saturday. Japan faces Nepal while Malaysia takes on Oman later in the day. With the results influencing the quarterfinal line-up, India and Pakistan enter the competition in the knockout stage, with their quarterfinals scheduled for Monday.

Meanwhile, Australia and South Africa continue their three-match ODI series, with the second match taking place on Sunday. For athletics, the Asian Games feature major individual storylines, including India's Rohit Yadav and Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem competing in the men's javelin throw qualification. In tennis, the Laver Cup takes place in London's O2 Arena from Friday to Sunday, with Team Europe facing Team World.

Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev, Taylor Fritz, and Alex de Minaur are among the stars expected to participate. The race is on for the ultimate trophy, with points accumulating throughout the competition. Formula 1 heads to Baku for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, with the race occurring on Saturday instead of the customary Sunday. Leading into the race, Kimi Antonelli holds a 81-point lead over Mercedes teammate George Russell.

Meanwhile, the UEFA Nations League features England hosting Spain on Saturday and France facing Turkey on Friday. Close to home, the Gulf Cup 27 continues in Jeddah, with Saudi Arabia facing Oman on Saturday. Following their opening match win, the UAE returns on Sunday to take on Bahrain. The weekend offers a rich array of sports excitement from around the globe.