Karim Zidan

Wondering how the UFC evolved from a fringe combat sport into one of the most influential cultural and political institutions in America? Do I have a book for you! My debut book, THE ULTIMATE STRONGMEN, is now available for pre-order. www.sportspolitika.news/p/ufc-sports...

With his love of tennis being used as a political attack point in a caustic Ohio governor’s race, I looked into Vivek Ramaswamy and his history with the sport. Was or is he anywhere as good as claimed? Read at Bounces (free for all): www.benrothenberg.com/p/vivek-rama...

As the U.S. orders its diplomatic staff to leave the Gulf, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are relying on combat sports and raves to maintain a facade of normalcy in a time of war. My latest: www.sportspolitika.news/p/saudi-war-...

A shooting during a funeral in Karak Province in Jordan left seven people dead and nearly three dozen injured, the local authorities said. It was one of the deadliest attacks in Jordan in years. nyti.ms/4zi99s0

How did a famous, lying UFC vet get shot conducting shadowy paramilitary operations in the Congo? defector.com/how-did-a-fa...

This is so stupid. Like as someone who has trained in multiple combat sports over the years... This is an amazing photo op for the UFC that does nothing for the FBI. In combat sports we always have people who join to feel "more manly" blah blah & that is why Patel is so attracted to this.

The FBI plans to have UFC fighters train its federal agents. Many of those fighters are affiliated to Trump or to FBI director Kash Patel. Others are repped by MMA manager Ali Abdelaziz, a former FBI informant with ties to the Trump admin. My latest: www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/o...

More bad news for the UAE as the UK govt publishes Ofcom's report on proposed UAE-backed bid for The Telegraph group. It doesn't mince its words. assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6ad0f1...

The FBI plans to have UFC fighters train its federal agents. Many of those fighters are affiliated to Trump or to FBI director Kash Patel. Others are repped by MMA manager Ali Abdelaziz, a former FBI informant with ties to the Trump admin. My latest: www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/o...

From unprecedented financial corruption in pursuit of soft power to leveraging bilateral relations to shape policy and avoid consequences, the Man City guilty verdict exposed the dangers of state ownership in sports. www.sportspolitika.news/p/man-city-u...

From unprecedented financial corruption in pursuit of soft power to leveraging bilateral relations to shape policy and avoid consequences, the Man City guilty verdict exposed the dangers of state ownership in sports. www.sportspolitika.news/p/man-city-u...

Credit to Manchester City for stepping up and showing the world that they’re going to be very difficult to beat in League 1 next season

Twitter got a lot of its global cultural zeitgeist from Egyptians using it during the Arab spring and anti-government protests. BlueSky likes to think of itself as “resistance”, but global stories of resistance don’t penetrate well here. It’s America-centric platform for X refugees.

I was joined by Hywel Mills, publisher of The Signal, to discuss the state of authoritarian soft power in sports after Man City was found guilty of breaching financial rules. www.sportspolitika.news/p/man-city-u...

The City case should be a starting point for naming and understanding the ways in which football has been colonised by economic and political power and how we might resist them. By @davidgoldblatt.bsky.social for @josimarfootball.bsky.social josimarfootball.com/2026/10/01/y...

UAE officials have warned the UK that a severe punishment for Man City could hurt future Emirati investment in Britain, Bloomberg reports. This is the perfect argument for keeping foreign money out of football.

Read @karimzidan.com on "The Art of Not Banning Israel" from world soccer: "The Ireland-Israel fixtures expose the hypocrisy of the sport's balancing act on Palestine & the illusion that 'football unites the world'." www.sportspolitika.news/p/ireland-is...

For those who have forgotten: Former Palestine captain Imad Zatara - whose teammates and extended family members have been killed - has asked Irish players, coaches, fans and broadcasters to boycott the games against Israel.

For over four years, Janel Grant has been a name linked to Vince McMahon and his 2024 resignation, with few details known about her history and how she ended up at WWE in 2019 Today, for the first time, Grant speaks with POST Wrestling & Wrestlenomics www.postwrestling.com/2026/09/22/i...

LeBron James was once one of the world’s most outspoken athletes. Now he’s plugging a predictions market and an authoritarian leader My latest for @theguardian.com www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/s...

Whose anti-imperialism? An open letter in solidarity with Iran’s political prisoners drew vitriolic condemnation from parts of the “anti-imperialist” left — but the criticisms are myopic and misplaced, argues Yassin al-Haj Saleh, a former political prisoner in Syria. newlinesmag.com/argument/the...

Read @karimzidan.com on how NFL owners—with Epstein-Files cretin Robert Kraft in the lead—blackballed Macklemore for daring to chant “Free Palestine" while noted Hitler appreciator Kanye West continues to tour in those very same stadiums. www.sportspolitika.news/p/macklemore...

I had some thoughts about Sydney Sweeney and her recent commercial. This entire debacle has made me see and hear the powerful voices of women in sport. But make me question why we take Sweeney seriously at all. My latest for CBC Sports www.cbc.ca/sports/opini...

NEW PODCAST 🎙️ @karimzidan.com joins me to discuss the fascinating world of Egyptian football We cover: 🗣️ Football and Egyptian national awakening 📣 Ultras 🇪🇬 National side 🏟️ Groundhopping Download/listen (Spotify) open.spotify.com/episode/2uj5... ...or wherever you get your podcasts 🎧

NFL owners, led by Robert Kraft, banded together to blackball Macklemore over a “Free Palestine’ chant. Meanwhile, raging antisemite and Hitler lover Kanye West is touring the same stadiums. This was never about antisemitism www.sportspolitika.news/p/macklemore...

The Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act, an expansive but controversial overhaul of fight sports rules, has a hearing with the Ted Cruz-chaired Senate Commerce Committee next week. @karimzidan.com has a really good breakdown of Dana White's comprehensive lobbying front

Few rightly recognize one of the most important and pernicious impacts of 9/11: how it changed our society’s very understanding and relationship to facts and truth. My new @wired.com essay: www.wired.com/story/conspi...

Grateful to @aselliaas.bsky.social for translating my latest on Saudi Arabia's crumbling sports empire

Barnes & Noble is running a "25% off all pre-orders" promotion starting Wednesday, Sep. 9 and running through Friday, Sep. 11. Now is your chance to pre-order THE ULTIMATE STRONGMEN. www.sportspolitika.news/p/ufc-sports...

at the intersection of broader disconcerting trends—everything is phone, everything is gambling, and nobody knows how to be around each other in public—lies the 2026 U.S. Open

Dropping overnight UK time Sunday/Monday 🎙️ @karimzidan.com joins me on the podcast to discuss the fascinating world of Egyptian football 🇪🇬 From the roots of the game, to the darkness of Port Said, to the joy of the 2026 World Cup, and more. Sub/catch up wherever you get your podcasts... Taster:

Saudi Arabia spent billions to secure its place as a global powerhouse in sports and entertainment. The Iran war lifted the facade. My latest: www.sportspolitika.news/p/saudi-arab...

I am really excited for this book.

Barnes & Noble is running a "25% off all pre-orders" promotion starting Wednesday, Sep. 9 and running through Friday, Sep. 11. Now is your chance to pre-order THE ULTIMATE STRONGMEN. www.sportspolitika.news/p/ufc-sports...

Tan atinado @karimzidan.com como siempre.

If your winning issue is trans women in sports, and you're struggling to uncover trans women in any league that anybody has ever heard of, then how do you keep trans athletes at the top of people's minds? Answer: You invent them. defector.com/the-right-ha...

I joined Germany's public broadcaster DW yesterday to discuss the rebellion FIFA President Gianni Infantino is facing and whether Donald Trump can save him www.youtube.com/watch?v=qn8z...

I wrote about the latest idiocy from Gianni Infantino newrepublic.com/article/2137...

Women's American Football is very famously a thing.

Morocco's World Cup ambitions stretch far beyond the pitch, intertwining football with diplomacy, domestic politics and the contested future of Western Sahara. My first for @wired.com: www.wired.me/story/how-mo...

Breaking news story at Bounces: Following cultural momentum around anti-trans pushes in sports, the WTA has enacted a new policy that will require *all* players to undergo genetic sex testing in order to continue playing on WTA Tour. Read at Bounces: www.benrothenberg.com/p/wta-requir...

is there a pulitzer for photo captions because if so @theguardian.com just won it

Can always count on Drake to take an L