The ongoing conflict in the Middle East has disrupted the Gulf's ambitions to become a global sports hub, highlighting vulnerabilities in their economic diversification strategies. Nasser al-Khelaifi, president of Paris Saint-Germain and chairman of Qatar Sports Investments, was forced to miss his team's Champions League match against Chelsea last week due to the closure of Qatari airspace. Although he later attended the second leg in London, the incident symbolises the broader impact of the US-Israeli war on Iran on the region's sporting calendar.
Sporting cancellations have mounted rapidly, echoing the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic. Formula One has called off next month's Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix. A high-profile football match between world champions Argentina and European champions Spain, scheduled for Doha, has been cancelled. MotoGP's Qatar Grand Prix has been postponed until November. The status of the Artistic Gymnastics World Cup and the GCC Games in May remains uncertain, while Qatar is due to host the FIBA Basketball World Cup next year.
According to Northbourne Advisory, a Doha-based communications firm, more than 100 events across all sectors have been cancelled in the Gulf since the conflict began. Simon Chadwick, professor of Eurasian sport industry at Emlyon Business School, said: 'The conflict has laid bare the weakness of the Gulf states' plans for diversification through sport, especially a model that is event based.' He noted that Qatar, which spent $220bn on the 2022 World Cup, relied heavily on foreign investment in its sports infrastructure, which is now vulnerable.
Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Bahrain are pursuing Vision 2030 projects to reduce oil dependency, with Saudi Arabia aiming to grow sport to 3% of GDP by 2030. The kingdom has secured the 2034 World Cup and attracted stars like Cristiano Ronaldo to its league. However, Chadwick warned: 'They have not diversified enough, and failed to develop a sustainable sports ecosystem. They are hosting events, buying players, and hiring foreign consultants, but are not manufacturing equipment or investing in e-sports like other countries.' He added: 'If this had happened 10 years later then perhaps they would have been able to cope better. The war has come at the wrong time.'
