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Asian Tour weighs Saudi International after Riyadh airport strikes
The $5 million PIF Saudi International, the Asian Tour's last event of 2026, is five weeks away. The tour says it is monitoring the situation and will announce any change.
Riyadh Golf Club is due to stage the PIF Saudi International, the Asian Tour’s final event of the season, from 18 to 21 November, but the tour has stopped short of confirming it will go ahead. A strike on the city’s King Khalid International Airport on 10 October killed at least 12 people and injured more than 300; Yemen’s Houthi movement claimed responsibility. A second attack on the airport the next day killed one more person.
“The Asian Tour is closely monitoring the situation in Saudi Arabia,” a spokesperson told Reuters and bunkered.co.uk, adding that the tour was in talks with its partner, Golf Saudi. “Any changes to the schedule will be announced as soon as we have determined the right course of action for our players, fans and partners.”
The event carries a $5 million purse, and the course will play at 7,246 yards, par 71. It is also the last event of the International Series, whose season-ending rankings have in past seasons sent the leading players to LIV Golf. With LIV in Chapter 11 and its relaunch funding tied to signing enough players by 25 October, it is not clear what those rankings will lead to this year.
Cho Minn Thant, the Asian Tour’s chief executive, told bunkered.co.uk that the tour had planned 21 or 22 events in 2026 and is now down to 15 since the Public Investment Fund pulled its backing from LIV. International Series events in India and China have been cancelled, and so has Qualifying School for 2027.
Other events in the city are still scheduled. The Six Kings Slam tennis exhibition is still listed for 21 to 24 October, Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez is due to fight Christian Mbilli for a world title on 31 October, and WWE is due to stage a show on 7 November, The National reported. Al Nassr’s AFC Champions League Elite match in Riyadh on Monday kicked off late after a civil defence alert.
The Asian Tour moves on this week to the SJM Macao Open, which starts on Thursday at Macau Golf and Country Club.
Sources
- Reuters via Dawn: Asian Tour ‘closely monitoring’ situation in Saudi Arabia after deadly attacks
- bunkered.co.uk: Doubt cast over Asian Tour finale after Saudi Arabia attacks
- The National: Sports events in Saudi Arabia to go ahead despite Houthi attacks
- The International Series: PIF Saudi International 2026
- Wikipedia: October 2026 attacks on Saudi Arabia airports
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