Regional Instability Disrupts Professional Golf’s Middle East Schedule

Eight months ago, organizers of golf’s premier tournaments across the Atlantic appeared to breathe a sigh of relief. That relief was short-lived: hostilities in Iran erupted on February 28, barely two weeks after the DP World Tour concluded its run of four straight events in the region.

Dubai, the United Arab Emirates’ transit and economic hub, was among the locations struck roughly one month after the world’s top golfers had competed at the Dubai Desert Classic. While most players had already returned to the United States or other parts of Europe, many remained stranded. A suspension of outbound flights left LIV Golf athletes struggling to reach their next event in early March. Tommy Fleetwood, a Dubai resident, was separated from his family for more than a month. Eventually, tensions eased and daily life returned to a semblance of normalcy.

Yet, as the annual golf calendar brings the world’s best back to the Middle East, it is clear that instability persists.

The PIF Saudi International has been postponed from its November 18–21 dates. The Asian Tour event, long an offseason destination for LIV Golf players, announced Thursday that organizational and logistical challenges prevented it from taking place in Riyadh—whose international airport came under attack last week. No rescheduled dates have been announced.

Those November dates fall one week after the DP World Tour’s season-closing event, typically held at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai. In recent weeks, players have voiced concerns about traveling through the region, prompting speculation that events might be relocated away from the Arabian Gulf. However, DP World Tour CEO Guy Kinnings told Sky Sports that the league plans to proceed as scheduled in the UAE.

“A lot of people are asking, and it’s an obvious question,” Kinnings told Sky Sports. “The reality is that we fully intend to play in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.”

“Work has already begun at Yas Links and Jumeirah Golf Estates, and our intention is to move forward,” he added.

“We will remain in close contact with travel advisers and other partners, but our plan is definite: the playoffs will be played in the UAE.”

Much can change in a few weeks, and Kinnings—and the broader golf world—knows that well. In many respects, 2026 will be remembered for the ways this conflict reshaped professional golf, even indirectly. Shortly after the initial strikes, Saudi Arabia’s PIF revised its future plans, cutting off funding for LIV Golf.

The fallout continues this week, with bankruptcy filings seeking to release Jon Rahm from his LIV Golf contracts and to absolve Saudi entities of future obligations to the league and its vendors. Rahm’s first planned start in his post-LIV career will take him back to the Middle East, to Abu Dhabi, in just three weeks.

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