‘It’s come at the wrong time’: how Iran war has floored the Gulf as a sports hub

Middle East Conflict Chaos: Gulf’s Billion-Dollar Sports Dream Suddenly Unravels

Last Updated on March 21 2026, 11:00 am The Gulf’s sporting boom under pressure – The Gulf region’s emergence as a global sporting powerhouse has suffered a significant setback following the escalating conflict in the Middle East. What was once marketed as a thriving hub for world-class events is now facing growing uncertainty, with major ...

‘It’s come at the wrong time’: how Iran war has floored the Gulf as a sports hub

Conflict has not only hit sporting calendar but laid bare weakness in plans for diversifying economies through sport The sight of Nasser al-Khelaifi grounded in Doha when Paris Saint Germain hosted Chelsea in the last-16 of the Champions League last week provided a symbolic illustration of the fragility of the Gulf’s sports project amid the conflict in the Middle East. Al-Khelaifi is the president of PSG, the chair of Qatar Sports Investments an…