Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lewis Hamilton are among the sports stars whose schedules are questionable due to the spread war in the Middle East.
Cancellations and travel closures have already influenced events since the United States and Israel launched a wave of attacks on Iran on Saturday.
Organizers of Formula 1 and in major football matches, decisions will soon be made on whether competitions can go ahead as planned.
Middle Eastern countries have become crucial to the global sporting landscape over the past decade as hosts of events, financiers and employers for some of the world’s best athletes.
Important upcoming events
The clock is ticking for a decision on whether to cancel or reschedule the March 27 Finalissima football match in Qatar between Spain and Argentina, the champions of Europe and South America. That match would provide Messi with the opportunity to win another trophy in a stellar career.
Qatar suspended all football matches until further notice on Sunday.
Argentina was also scheduled to play Qatar in a friendly on March 31.
“UEFA is carefully monitoring and assessing all developments of the situation in collaboration with (South American football body) CONMEBOL and the (local organizing committee),” European football body UEFA told The Associated Press on Monday.
Ronaldo’s football team, Saudi club Al-Nassr, has already been hit by a wave of cancellations Asian Champions League matches. His team was scheduled to play in Dubai on Wednesday.
F1 has races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia next month. F1 and its teams typically start flying in staff and cargo weeks in advance, limiting the time to decide whether to go ahead. The governing body FIA says its priority is “safety and welfare”.
The men’s and women’s tennis tours and the European golf tour have just finished their tournaments in the Middle East and won’t be back for months. The LPGA Tour is playing a golf tournament in China this week, then most players will head back east to North America, so their trip should remain unchanged.
Iran will play in the World Cup in the US
Iran plans to send its men’s football team to the US the World Cup in just over three months, with a first match on June 16 against New Zealand in Inglewood, California.
There are doubts whether Iran can or will participate in the tournament.
The president of the Iranian Football Federation, Mehdi Taj, has said: “We cannot be expected to look forward to the World Cup with hope.”
The US government did that promised exemptions from his travel bans for athletes and coaches at events such as the World Cup and the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Athletes stranded
Even if some events go ahead, this will be a major concern for athletes and teams how they can travel safely in and out of the region.
Former US Open champion Daniil Medvedev is among a group of tennis players waiting in Dubai for a chance to fly after a tournament concluded there last week. If they are unable to travel soon, it will affect the BNP Paribas Open that starts on Wednesday in Indian Wells, California.
There are also travel issues for some athletes heading to the Winter Paralympics, which start in Italy on Friday. The International Paralympic Committee says most teams are already in Europe for training and it is helping others travel. Iran is expected to have one skier at the Paralympics.
Cricket and basketball players, along with thousands of foreign tourists, also faced challenges. The West Indies cricket team that took part in the Twenty20 World Cup is stranded in India awaiting permission to return to the Caribbean.
Formula 1 staff were also looking for alternative travel options to avoid the region on the way to this week’s Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne.
A key region for world sport
The Middle East’s influence on world sport has increased dramatically in recent years as countries such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar have hosted major events and become crucial financiers.
In addition to football and car racing, Qatar has a World Endurance Championship sports car race this month, a MotoGP motorcycle race, a Gymnastics World Cup next month and will host the first Diamond League track race of the year in May.
Qatar too owns the Champions League-winning football team Paris Saint Germain.
Saudi Arabia, which will host the World Cup 2034 in men’s football, has funded the LIV Golf breakaway league and become a major player in world boxing.
