Six Kings Slam Postponed to December Following Deadly Attacks in Riyadh

Posted : 15 October 2026

The Six Kings Slam tennis exhibition in Saudi Arabia has been postponed until December following deadly attacks on Riyadh, with organisers citing organisational and logistical challenges. The tournament, which was originally scheduled for October 21–24, will now take place from December 27–30, 2026.

The event was expected to feature several of the sport’s biggest names, including Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev. Australia’s Alex de Minaur and Americans Taylor Fritz and Learner Tien were also scheduled to compete. The postponement creates a potential scheduling challenge for players preparing for the start of the 2027 tennis season.

The decision follows a series of attacks claimed by Yemen’s Houthi movement, including a deadly strike on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh that killed at least 13 people and injured hundreds. Saudi Arabia’s energy infrastructure has also been targeted, heightening security concerns across the kingdom.

Although organisers did not explicitly identify the attacks as the reason for the postponement, the decision came amid growing uncertainty over the safety and logistics of staging major sporting events in the region. The ANB Arena, which hosts the Six Kings Slam, is located approximately 31 kilometres from Riyadh’s international airport.

The disruption has extended to Saudi football, with several Saudi Pro League fixtures rescheduled. Matches involving Al-Riyadh, Al-Hilal, Al-Ittihad and Al-Shabab have been moved to December, while Al-Nassr’s fixture against Al-Ahli has been pushed back to March. The league cited logistical considerations for the changes.

Other major sporting events could also be affected by the continuing regional tensions. Formula 1 races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi face uncertainty, while the Asian Tour is monitoring the situation ahead of the PIF Saudi International, scheduled to take place in Riyadh from November 18–21.

The Asian Tour has confirmed that it is discussing the developing circumstances with its partner, Golf Saudi, as it assesses whether the tournament can proceed as planned.

The postponement highlights the growing impact of regional instability on international sport, with organisers and governing bodies facing difficult decisions about the staging of competitions in affected areas.

Six Kings Slam Postponed to December Following Deadly Attacks in Riyadh

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