Attacks on Saudi Arabia Force Six Kings Slam Postponement as Asian Cup Faces Possible 2028 Switch

October 20, 2026 — A wave of sporting postponements has swept Saudi Arabia this month after deadly attacks on the kingdom, Reuters and AFP report. The star-studded Six Kings Slam tennis exhibition, scheduled for October 21-24 in Riyadh, has been pushed back to December 27-30; the FIFAe Finals 2026 esports tournament in Jeddah, set for October 16-25, has been postponed; and the Asian Football Confederation says it is open to delaying the AFC Asian Cup — scheduled to kick off on January 7, 2027 in Saudi Arabia — until 2028 if necessary.

Illustration: An empty floodlit tennis arena in Riyadh at night, symbolizing the postponed Six Kings Slam exhibition tournament.

What Happened

Organizers of the Six Kings Slam announced on October 14, 2026, that the exhibition tournament would move from its October 21-24 dates to December 27-30, Reuters reported. The decision followed a strike on Riyadh's international airport the previous weekend that killed at least 12 people and wounded more than 300, with Yemen's Houthi movement claiming responsibility — the deadliest attack in Saudi Arabia in more than a decade, according to Reuters. "The decision reflects Riyadh Season's commitment to delivering sporting events to the highest standards, following an assessment of the organizational and logistical challenges associated with hosting the tournament and their potential impact on the quality of the audience experience," the organizers said in a statement.

The tournament had been set to feature some of the biggest names in tennis: Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev and Taylor Fritz, with Learner Tien and Alex de Minaur also expected, according to AFP. Defending champion Jannik Sinner had already withdrawn through injury. The chairman of Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority, Turki Alalshikh, confirmed the move on X, writing: "The Six Kings Slam tournament has been postponed due to logistical reasons and will now take place on December 27," AFP reported. The exhibition, streamed live by Netflix, draws the world's top players with record prize money — Alcaraz acknowledged in 2024 that the financial aspect was a draw, earning $1.5 million over four days, Reuters noted.

A day later, on October 15, FIFA and the Saudi Esports Federation postponed the FIFAe Finals 2026, scheduled for Jeddah from October 16-25, Reuters reported. "The decision follows an assessment of recent developments in the region and their impact on the logistical arrangements required to stage the tournament," the organizers said. Japan and Brazil had already withdrawn their esports teams on October 10 after assessing the situation in the host country.

The uncertainty has reached the kingdom's biggest football showcase. Saudi Arabia is due to stage the AFC Asian Cup — its first — starting January 7, 2027, with 24 teams playing across eight venues in Riyadh, Jeddah and Al-Khobar. AFC president Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa said the confederation was open to delaying the tournament to 2028, telling reporters they were in "no hurry to make a decision," Reuters reported.

Domestic football has felt the impact too. Three Saudi Pro League matches were postponed earlier in the week, including one involving Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr, AFP reported. Al Nassr's Asian Champions League match against Neftchi Fergana was delayed by an hour after the Saudi-led coalition said it had intercepted a missile fired by the Houthis toward Riyadh; Ronaldo went on to score his 981st career goal in a 3-1 win, according to AFP.

Illustration: An empty esports arena in Jeddah, symbolizing the postponed FIFAe Finals 2026 tournament.

Background

The sporting disruption follows the outbreak of wider regional conflict. A violent battle between a Saudi-led coalition and Yemen's Houthis has erupted in recent days, with missile strikes on airports and energy facilities across the kingdom, AFP reported — an escalation of fighting that began after the United States and Israel's war with Iran in late February, according to AFP. The strike on Riyadh's airport was the deadliest attack on Saudi soil in more than a decade.

The ripple effects have reached beyond the events already moved. Golf's Asian Tour said it is monitoring the security situation ahead of the Saudi International in Riyadh next month, Reuters reported. According to AFP, the WTA Finals — which had been scheduled for Riyadh next month — will instead take place at Indian Wells in the United States, and the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix slated for April in Jeddah was cancelled. Reuters also reported that the European Union postponed its October 24 summit with Gulf states amid the security fears.

The timing is awkward for Saudi Arabia's sporting ambitions. The kingdom is set to host the FIFA World Cup in 2034, and the 2027 Asian Cup is viewed as a key dress rehearsal — a first full-scale test of its venues, logistics, and security apparatus before the world's biggest sporting event arrives. Riyadh Season, the entertainment program behind the Six Kings Slam, has built its brand on delivering spectacle to "the highest standards"; the postponement statement's emphasis on audience experience shows how much is at stake for that reputation.

Why It Matters

The postponements underscore how quickly geopolitical shocks can upend even the most heavily bankrolled sporting calendars. Saudi Arabia has invested tens of billions of dollars in sports — from LIV Golf to boxing superfights to its Pro League project — precisely to make the kingdom an indispensable host. When security concerns force tennis stars, esports teams, and eventually perhaps football confederations to stay away, the core promise of that investment is tested.

For the players and teams, the disruption is practical as well as symbolic. The Six Kings Slam's new December 27-30 window squeezes into an already crowded tennis off-season, when top players normally rest or train. For esports, the FIFAe postponement leaves national teams — including Japan and Brazil, which pulled out entirely — in limbo with no new dates announced. And for Asian football, even the possibility of a 2028 delay to a tournament less than three months away creates scheduling headaches for clubs, broadcasters, and the 24 qualified or qualifying teams.

The Asian Cup question may matter most. The AFC's openness to a 2028 switch — relayed by its president with a deliberately unhurried "no hurry to make a decision" — buys time, but the decision clock is ticking. A delay would be unprecedented for the continent's flagship tournament and would inevitably raise questions about whether Saudi Arabia can deliver its far larger 2034 World Cup commitments on schedule.

Illustration: A floodlit football stadium at dusk, representing the AFC Asian Cup that Saudi Arabia is due to host — now possibly delayed to 2028.

What Happens Next

Several decisions and dates will shape how this story develops:

• December 27-30: The rescheduled Six Kings Slam is expected to go ahead in Riyadh — watch whether all the star names, including Alcaraz, Djokovic, Zverev and Fritz, still commit after the disruption.
• AFC decision: The Asian Football Confederation must decide whether the January 7, 2027 Asian Cup kickoff holds or moves to 2028; its president says there is "no hurry," but the calendar is tight.
• Saudi International golf: The Asian Tour's flagship Saudi event next month is under review — the first indicator of whether the wider sporting calendar stabilizes.
• FIFAe Finals: No new dates have been announced for the Jeddah esports tournament; further announcements are expected "in due course," organizers said.
• Security situation: All of the above ultimately depends on the trajectory of the regional fighting, which drove every postponement on this list.

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FAQ

Why was the Six Kings Slam postponed?

Organizers postponed the October 21-24 Riyadh exhibition to December 27-30 following deadly attacks on Saudi Arabia, including a strike on Riyadh's international airport that killed at least 12 people and wounded more than 300, according to Reuters. The organizers cited "organizational and logistical challenges" and their impact on the audience experience.

Which players were due to take part?

Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev and Taylor Fritz were set to play, with Learner Tien and Alex de Minaur also expected, according to AFP. Defending champion Jannik Sinner withdrew earlier due to injury.

What happened to the FIFAe Finals?

FIFA and the Saudi Esports Federation postponed the FIFAe Finals 2026, which had been scheduled for Jeddah from October 16-25, after assessing regional developments and their impact on logistical arrangements, Reuters reported. Japan and Brazil had already withdrawn their esports teams; no new dates have been announced.

Will the AFC Asian Cup be delayed to 2028?

It is possible but not decided. AFC president Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa said the confederation is open to delaying the tournament — scheduled to kick off January 7, 2027 across Riyadh, Jeddah and Al-Khobar — until 2028 if necessary, but added they are in "no hurry to make a decision," according to Reuters.

How does this affect Saudi Arabia's 2034 World Cup hosting?

Directly, it does not — the World Cup is eight years away. But the Asian Cup is viewed as a key test of Saudi Arabia's venues, logistics and security before 2034, so prolonged disruption or a delayed Asian Cup would intensify scrutiny of the kingdom's readiness.

Sources

• Reuters, "Six Kings Slam in Saudi Arabia postponed, AFC open to Asian Cup switch to 2028," October 14, 2026
• Reuters, "FIFA and the Saudi Esports Federation have postponed the FIFAe Finals 2026," October 15, 2026
• Agence France-Presse, "Saudi Arabia postpones exhibition tennis tournament after Houthi attacks," October 2026
• Reuters, "EU postpones October 24 Gulf summit in Saudi Arabia as Houthi attacks raise security fears," October 15, 2026