It’s no secret that the Iran war has dented Saudi Arabia’s sporting juggernaut, which under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has plowed upwards of $1 trillion on sports and sports-related projects. In recent years, the Kingdom has hosted chess, handball, horse racing, golf, motor racing, boxing, MMA, cricket, WWE, and the world’s first electric raceboat championship, dubbed E1.
But following American and Israeli attacks on Iran, and Tehran’s retaliation against U.S.-aligned states across the Gulf, Saudi Arabia has canceled sporting events from the Jeddah Formula 1 to Fanatics Flag Football Classic, while a pall of uncertainty hangs over many more. For Saudi sports fans, it appears the war couldn’t have come at a worse time, coinciding as it has with the Kingdom withdrawing from hosting several marquee events due to cost.
In line with new guidelines set out in the state Public Investment Fund (PIF) report published April 16, which sets out a transition “from a period of rapid growth and acceleration to a new phase of sustained value creation,” events including snooker’s Saudi Arabia Masters, the Women’s Tennis Association finals, and 2035 Rugby World Cup have been nixed. The Saudi-funded LIV golf tour, meanwhile, remains on life support.