The escalation of conflict between Iran and US-Israeli forces has begun to ripple across international sport, affecting travel, fixtures and the participation of teams and athletes worldwide.
Football — Iran’s World Cup participation in doubt
Reports of air strikes on Iran and the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei have prompted the Iranian football federation to question the national team’s involvement at the 2026 World Cup, which the United States will co-host. Federation president Mehdi Taj told local state media that it is difficult to prepare with optimism and that sports authorities would decide whether the team can take part.
FIFA has said it is monitoring developments. General secretary Mattias Grafström noted it was premature to give a detailed response but reiterated FIFA’s aim of a safe tournament with full participation; the governing body has not publicly shifted its position in recent days.
If Iran withdraws, FIFA has regulatory options. Article 6 of the 2026 World Cup regulations covers non-participation: Regulation 6.5 allows the authorised organising body to act in cases of withdrawal or impossibility to play due to force majeure, and Regulation 6.7 gives FIFA discretion to replace any withdrawn or excluded association. Practically, FIFA could invite a replacement team or reconfigure the group into a three-team section. Iran are drawn in Group G alongside New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt.
Potential replacements include the United Arab Emirates, which narrowly missed an automatic place and lost in the play-offs, or Iraq, depending on outcomes in upcoming intercontinental play-offs. The regulations permit FIFA to select any association as a replacement, not necessarily from the Asian Football Confederation.
Formula 1 — season schedule under watch
Formula 1 says it is closely following the situation as races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia approach next month. The season-opening Australian Grand Prix is expected to proceed as planned, though some personnel flights were adjusted because of routing through the Middle East. Bahrain is scheduled for April 10-12 and Saudi Arabia for April 17-19. An F1 spokesperson pointed out the next trio of races after Australia are in Australia, China and Japan and that organisers are liaising with authorities; FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem said safety and wellbeing will guide decisions about Middle East events.
Cricket — tours and camps cancelled or delayed
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), following government advice, cancelled a planned 50-over fixture between the Men’s Lions and Pakistan Shaheens in Abu Dhabi and later confirmed the rest of the Lions’ tour would not go ahead. A proposed England Women’s T20 World Cup training camp in Abu Dhabi was also called off. The ECB said it is prioritising the safety of players and staff and working to repatriate personnel.
England’s senior men’s team remain involved in the T20 World Cup in India, with players due to travel to Mumbai for the semi-final stage. The ECB says travel plans are subject to security assessments and official guidance. Other teams, including the West Indies and Zimbabwe, delayed departures from India after airspace restrictions affected international flights. England batter Jonny Bairstow said he remained in Dubai with family following a cancelled flight and was focused on their safety.
Tennis — travel disruptions after Dubai event
Players and team members leaving the Dubai Tennis Championships faced cancelled flights and disrupted travel. Winner Daniil Medvedev was among those impacted while planning to travel to the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells. The ATP Tour said a small number of players and support staff remain in Dubai and are being hosted in official hotels with assistance from tournament organisers and security advisors. Travel arrangements are being assessed in line with airline operations and official guidance.
Winter Paralympics — arrivals affected
The International Paralympic Committee reported that some delegations are experiencing travel problems ahead of the Milan-Cortina Winter Paralympics. While many teams are already in Europe for training or camps, the closure of Middle Eastern airspace has affected arrivals for others. The IPC said it is working closely with organisers to find alternatives and support affected delegations.
Horse racing — meetings and personnel stranded
Racing at Meydan went ahead for Super Saturday, but travel suspensions left British trainers, jockeys and other staff stranded in Dubai after flights from Dubai International were halted. Trainer Jamie Osborne described uncertainty about when he could return to the UK. The Emirates Racing Authority postponed the Jebel Ali card until March 15, with Meydan scheduled to stage racing a day earlier on March 7. In neighbouring Bahrain, the two-day King’s Cup fixture is due to go ahead as planned.
Overall impact and outlook
Across disciplines, organisers are balancing scheduled events with real-time security assessments, airline operations and government advice. For some competitions the immediate effect has been logistical — flight cancellations, postponed fixtures and disrupted training plans. For others, notably Iran’s participation at the World Cup, the situation raises substantive questions about tournament composition and the need for contingency decisions from governing bodies. Sporting authorities say safety and wellbeing remain the guiding priorities as they monitor developments and adapt plans where necessary.