The US-Israel conflict with Iran has led to the postponement of sporting events in the region, while competitions elsewhere have been hit by travel disruptions, with thousands of flights canceled in some of the world’s busiest transit hubs.
Bahrain and Saudi F1 races canceled, Qatar MotoGP postponed
The Formula 1 Grands Prix of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia will not take place in April due to the conflict in the Middle East, the sport announced on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the MotoGP Qatar Grand Prix scheduled for next month has been postponed until November, with the dates of the Portuguese Grand Prix and season finale in Valencia also changing accordingly.
The Spain-Argentina “finalissima” match canceled
The “Finalissima” match between European champions Spain and Copa America winners Argentina, which was due to be held in Qatar later this month, has been canceled.
Trump considers it inappropriate for Iran to participate in the World Cup
US President Donald Trump said on March 12 that the Iranian soccer team was welcome to participate in this year’s World Cup, but that he believed it was not appropriate for them to be there “for their own lives and safety.”
Iran has qualified for the 48-team tournament which will take place in the United States, Canada and Mexico starting June 11 and is scheduled to play two group matches in Los Angeles and one in Seattle.
Arrivals of athletes at the Paralympic Games disrupted
Several athletes were unable to travel to the Milan Cortina Paralympic Winter Games due to travel disruptions at several airports in the Middle East.
Additionally, Iran will not participate in the Milan Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games, the International Paralympic Committee announced on March 6.
UAE tennis halted due to security alert
The ATP Challenger event in Fujairah was canceled on March 3 due to security concerns after a security alert halted play. The ATP Tour said a charter flight had been arranged “at no cost to the players”.
Russians Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev, who competed at the Dubai Tennis Championships, were among the players who encountered difficulties before traveling to California for the Indian Wells Open.
Sindhu withdraws from All England Open badminton
Two-time Olympic medalist PV Sindhu has withdrawn from the All England Open after being stranded for days at Dubai airport. She returned to India on March 3.
USA withdraws from World Cup of Hockey qualifying
The U.S. men’s hockey team has withdrawn from qualifying for the 2026 World Cup of Hockey in Ismailia, Egypt, after an official notice from the State Department urging all U.S. citizens to leave countries in or near conflict zones.
Asian Champions League matches postponed
The round of 16 clashes between Middle Eastern clubs in the Asian Elite Champions League in the first two weeks of March have been postponed.
The quarter-finals of the Asian Champions League 2 and the Asian Challenge League, bringing together clubs from the region, are also postponed, the AFC, the continental football body, announced on Wednesday.
Iranian footballers granted asylum
Australia granted humanitarian visas to five Iranian female footballers on March 10 after they sought asylum, fearing persecution upon returning home for refusing to sing the national anthem during an Asian Cup match.
Australian police helped two other members of the Iranian women’s football delegation apply for asylum on March 11, but one of them changed her mind and decided to return to Iran.
Concerns over the players’ safety upon returning home have increased after Iranian state television branded the team “war traitors”.
Iraqi coach calls for postponement of World Cup qualifiers
Iraqi football coach Graham Arnold has called for the postponement of the inter-confederation World Cup qualifiers in Mexico in March, amid travel chaos triggered by the conflict in neighboring Iran.
The Iraqis fear they will not be able to send their players and staff to Mexico for their scheduled clash against Bolivia or Suriname in Monterrey on March 31.
Afghanistan-Sri Lanka series postponed
The limited-overs series between Afghanistan and Sri Lanka scheduled for March in the United Arab Emirates has been postponed due to the crisis in the Middle East, the Afghanistan Cricket Board announced on March 11.
WEC postpones season opener in Qatar
The World Endurance Championship has postponed its season-opening race, originally scheduled for March 28 at the Lusail circuit in Qatar.
Organizers have announced new dates, with the race now taking place between October 22 and 24.
Sporting events canceled in Iran, football resumes in Qatar
All sporting events in Iran have been canceled until further notice, including the country’s Persian Gulf Professional League. The Bahraini Federation has also suspended all national competitions.
Qatar’s top-level football league resumed on March 12 after a nationwide suspension of sporting activities imposed due to regional security concerns, the Qatar Stars League Foundation announced.
Mancini unable to return to Qatar
Al Sadd coach Roberto Mancini was not present during Friday’s Qatar Stars League match against Umm Salal as he was unable to return to Doha.
