The joint attack by the United States and Israel on Iran that has provoked the war and shaken the Middle East has dealt a severe blow to one of the main businesses of the Persian Gulf countries: major sporting events. Sport has become their main international projection tool. A powerful instrument to whitewash their regimes and gain tourist appeal, which the war conflict has jeopardized. There are competitions in doubt, dates at risk, and canceled events; and large companies like Aramco and Qatar Airways that could suffer millionaire losses.
The first casualty was in the field of motorsport. The World Endurance Championship (WEC) has decided to postpone the inaugural race of the 2026 season, scheduled in Qatar between March 26 and 28 at the Lusail circuit. The event, known as Qatar 1812 km, was going to open the championship calendar, but finally the season will begin in Imola (Italy) between April 17 and 19, while a new date for the Qatari race is sought later in the year.
The decision has been a warning to navigators and there are other sporting events that are monitoring the escalation of the conflict to evaluate not only if it is safe for them to be held, but if logistically it is possible to meet the deadlines in time and form.
F1, the jewel of the crown, in danger
The postponement of the WEC may remain an anecdote in comparison with the consequences of the FIA (International Automobile Federation) being forced to modify the calendar of the Grand Prix scheduled in the Middle East.
F1 is one of the sports in which most capital has been invested by Qatar, Saudi Arabia or United Arab Emirates. In a month, the region is scheduled to host two Grand Prix, Bahrain's, in Sakhir, on April 10-12; and Saudi Arabia's, in Jeddah, on 17-19. The decision on what to do will be delayed as much as possible, but if the war continues, both events might have to be postponed. Whatever it is, it must be adopted by the end of March since the Grand Circus must mobilize all the material to Sakhir. For this, airspace is key. The same applies to motorcycling. MotoGP has a race scheduled for April 10-12 in Qatar.
Further away are the F1 Grand Prix in Qatar, on November 27, and in Abu Dhabi, an event that also puts the finishing touch to the season on December 4-6.
Aramco, the energy giant linked to F1
In the background of many of the major sporting events held in the Gulf appears a key player in the global economy: Saudi Aramco. The Saudi state company is the largest oil company on the planet and one of the corporations with the highest market value in the world, with a production exceeding 10 million barrels of oil per day (which, furthermore, makes it one of the main pillars of global energy supply).
Aramco is one of the most visible sponsors of Formula 1. The company signed a sponsorship agreement with the championship in 2020. Its logo can be seen in every corner of every grand prix, but in Jeddah in a special way. A cancellation or a delay would be n hard blow to the brand.
Football, in the air (and affects Spain)
The king sport is another of the pillars of the Gulf's sports strategy and is also being affected. Qatar has decided to postpone all its football competitions, a decision that affects the investment made by the country, which sought to consolidate its sports infrastructure after the celebration of the 2022 World Cup.
The uncertainty also reaches the Finalissima, the match that pits the champion of the Eurocup against the champion of the Copa América and that will pit Spain against Argentina. The planned venue -now up in the air- was the aforementioned Lusail stadium in Doha on March 27.
Another key sport on notice: padel
Demócrata already analyzed how the Gulf countries have bet on padel as one of their great Trojan horses for soft power. It is the sport that, at an amateur level, grows the most in Spain and Latin America. It is not yet Olympic, as it does not meet the requirements, but it is in process, has a more than established professional circuit, celebrates world championships and exhibition tournaments of international prestige.
The current professional circuit is the Qatar Airways Premier Padel Tour, whose main sponsor, as its name indicates, is the airline that belongs to the Government of Qatar.
The region is, furthermore, a padel hub. The 2026 padel calendar features 26 tournaments in 18 countries. Last February 7, the season kicked off, precisely, in Riyadh (Riad), the capital of Saudi Arabia. The footballer Cristiano Ronaldo attended as a luxury spectator in the final stages of the tournament.
The next event in the region will be in April (from the 6th to the 11th), with one of the four tournaments that distributes the most points and prize money: the Qatar Major. Throughout the year, only four Majors are played, and one of them is in Qatar (the first one). The rest are played in Italy, Paris, Mexico. In addition, the Qatar Airways Premier Padel Tour will play in New Giza (Cairo, Egypt), Kuwait and Dubai (United Arab Emirates).
Everything remains in the air awaiting how the war evolves. And, just as happens with Aramco and Formula 1, the company Qatar Airways has a lot at stake. The name of the Qatari airline as main sponsor is not circumstantial. The brand already gives its name to the tour and appears in merchandising initiatives such as exclusive product collections with its distinctive mark. Qatar Airways is also a sponsor of several of the best players in the world -according to the ranking of the International Padel Federation-. Without going any further, its logo appears on the jerseys of the world number 1, the Spanish Arturo Coello.
Professional padel players have also suffered the impact of the war. Many have settled in Dubai, lured by favorable tax conditions (no income tax or wealth tax for expatriates) and by the creation of first-class sports hubs. Some of them, like Javi Garrido or Lucas Bergamini, went through an ordeal to be able to travel to the Gijón (Spain) tournament that was held last weekend. The pair managed to leave the country, but other professionals were not so lucky and could not show up, as happened with Javi Leal, number 16 in the ranking, born in El Puerto de Santamaría.
A hard blow
Great competitions depend on a complex international logistics network, as well as on sponsors, television rights, and global audiences. Any alteration in the calendar can translate into million-dollar losses for organizers, sponsors, teams, and host cities.
For now, international sport continues to await the evolution of the conflict, but if the crisis prolongs, the economic impact could be significant for an industry that moves hundreds of billions of dollars worldwide.