MIAMI: Boca Juniors players Ander Herrera and Nicolas Figal were handed four-match bans by FIFA after being sent off in their Club World Cup opener against Benfica, a spokesperson for the Argentine club told Reuters on Wednesday.

Boca disagreed with the sanctions imposed on their players after Benfica’s Andrea Belotti received a two-match ban for catching Ayrton Costa in the head with a high boot in the 72nd minute.

“We have already contacted FIFA to submit an appeal,” said the club spokesperson.

Spanish midfielder Herrera, who was subbed off due to a muscle injury, was shown a red card in the 45th minute after protesting to Mexican referee Cesar Ramos from the bench over a penalty awarded to the Portuguese side.

Defender Figal was sent off in the 88th minute with a straight red card for a foul on Florentino Luis when the match was tied at 2-2.

Boca will face Bayern Munich at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on Friday in their second match in Group C.

DUBAI: The DP World International League T20 and the Kuwait Cricket Board have agreed on a partnership to promote and develop the sport in Kuwait.

Through the partnership the DP World ILT20 will organize cricket matches in the country that will be aimed at identifying and developing participating players.

The agreement was inked at a recent signing ceremony at the Dubai International Stadium. Under the agreement, a domestic event, such as the DP World ILT20 UAE Development Tournament, will be conducted annually in Kuwait to give players the opportunity to get selected by ILT20 franchises for the main DP World ILT20 event.

In coming years, the league will also aim to host DP World ILT20 matches in Kuwait.

Chairman of ILT20 and Vice-Chairman of the Emirates Cricket Board Khalid Al-Zarooni said: “We are very proud to announce our collaboration with Kuwait Cricket Board as they join our league (DP World ILT20). It is a great honor for us, and we look forward to many more such collaborations in the future. Kuwait is very important to us; it is a great country and keen on promoting and further developing cricket.

“Kuwait and the rest of the Gulf countries are all one, the (cricket playing) communities are residing throughout the region and our aim with the DP World ILT20 is to grow and develop the game in the entire region. Our endeavor is to provide maximum opportunities to the players and for the fans to join us at this great tournament which we are trying to grow more and more.”

Kuwait Cricket President Haider Farman said: “I am honored to formalize this agreement between Kuwait Cricket and the Emirates Cricket Board to further promote the DP World ILT20 not only in our two nations but across the entire region. This partnership is a key pillar of the league’s broader vision for the growth and globalization of cricket. We firmly believe that cricket can serve as a powerful bridge between our countries, and we look forward to this collaboration bringing meaningful benefits to our players, coaches, and officials alike.”

Farman said it was “a matter of great pride” that Kuwait had become the first country in the world to be officially recognized as a strategic partner of the DP World ILT20.

Cricket continues to grow in popularity in Kuwait, with Kuwait Cricket making significant strides both on and off the field, he added.

“This landmark collaboration with the Emirates Cricket Board and the ILT20 will play a critical role in helping us realize our long-term vision to involve more Kuwaiti nationals in our cricketing ecosystem, especially as players and officials,” he said.

“With the Asian Games scheduled to take place in Qatar in 2030 and Saudi Arabia in 2034, the timing couldn’t be better. DP World ILT20 can be a transformative force in inspiring the next generation of local talent to embrace the sport across the GCC like never before.”

Meanwhile, CEO of DP World ILT20 David White congratulated Kuwait Cricket on the vision and foresight that led to the alliance.

“The DP World ILT20’s long term vision is to grow the game not only in the UAE but across the Gulf region,” he said. “This partnership provides a great opportunity for Kuwait Cricket and their young players to develop further. We have seen it in the DP World ILT20 how the young UAE players have benefited enormously through this incredible platform under some world-class coaching.

“The UAE team recently won a T20I series against Bangladesh which is indeed a testament to the success of the DP World ILT20 as a lot of the UAE team members had received great exposure at the league in recent years, surely Kuwait and other countries in the region are going to benefit as well,” White said.

Director General of Kuwait Cricket Sajid Ashraf described the partnership with the Emirates Cricket Board as a “momentous collaboration” and a milestone for Kuwait Cricket.

“It opens the door to a long-awaited dream: enabling our Kuwait players to pursue full-time professional cricket careers on the international franchise stage,” he said.

“Just as importantly, it offers a powerful platform for corporate houses in Kuwait to connect with a vibrant, cricket-loving expatriate community of over two million people, within a total population of 5 million. This initiative provides a unique opportunity for Kuwaiti brands to expand their footprint regionally, starting with the UAE. We are deeply passionate about our Kuwaiti businesses becoming an integral part of both KCC and the DP World ILT20.

“These well-established corporations in Kuwait have so much to offer in supporting the continued growth of cricket across the region, and their involvement will only strengthen the sport’s ecosystem,” Ashraf added. “This is undoubtedly a win-win for all stakeholders — players, sponsors, partners, fans, and the broader cricket community. We are excited about the ILT20 Development Tournament and eagerly await the first ball being delivered right here in the State of Kuwait.”

The DP World International League T20 Season 4 will begin on Tuesday, Dec. 2 — UAE National Day (Eid-Al-Etihad) — with the six-team, 34-match tournament set to conclude with the final on Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026.