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EspañolWar has broken out in the Middle East, with the United States and Israel attacking Iran and Iran responding by bombing other countries in the region — including Saudi Arabia.
In less than three weeks, the Fanatics Football Classic is scheduled to be held at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
It undoubtedly will not proceed on March 21. The only alternatives are postponement or relocation. Given that the game lands during the limited downtime for the NFL players who have agreed to participate, moving the site of the event seems to be the only option.
Cancellation isn't. There's plenty of excitement for the three-team tournament, headlined by Tom Brady. Flag football has enjoyed plenty of momentum in recent months, culminating in the debut of the sport at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
Look for quick decisions to be made. The tournament is 20 days away. Our guess is that it will happen, in a place far closer to L.A. than Riyadh.
Obviously, the war's impact on the flag football event pales in comparison to the death and destruction that has already occured. But this is the first of many impacts of the conflict on the sports world. F1 has multiple upcoming events in the region. Also, Iran's national men's soccer team is one of the participants in the upcoming FIFA World Cup, to be played throughout the United States.