Sports | Friday 29 May, 2015 2:15 am |

Madinah will host a charity football tournament every year featuring top Muslim soccer stars from around the world.
Madinah Gov. Prince Faisal bin Salman made the announcement at a gathering with players in the city on Thursday. The players were from Europe, Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries.

They were in the city to participate in a charity match organized by the Takaful Charitable Society for the Care of Orphans in Madinah. The governor thanked the players for responding to the charity’s invitation, saying their presence would encourage people to support the orphans.

“Sports play an important role in bringing different cultures and communities closer,” he said, and urged officials to assess the event to avoid shortcomings in the upcoming tournaments.

Abdul Mohsen Al-Harbi, secretary-general of the charity, thanked Prince Faisal for supporting the tournament and various charitable activities in the region. “The revenue from the tournament will boost Takaful’s humanitarian works for the welfare and progress of orphans,” he added.