Diamond League season-opening meet in Doha postponed due to Middle East war

The meet has also been moved to the Khalifa International Stadium Patrick Smith/Getty Images Share full articleThe Diamond League’s opening event of the 2026 season in Doha has been postponed due to the war in the Middle East. Doha, the capital of Qatar, had been scheduled to host the first of the athletics league’s events this year on May 8, but organisers confirmed in a statement on Wednesday that this had been pushed back to June 19 “should conditions allow”. The Diamond League said the decision had been taken on the grounds of athlete and spectator safety following discussions with Qatari authorities, meeting organisers and stakeholders. “The Diamond League will continue to monitor developments in the Middle East in the coming weeks,” the statement read. “The series and meeting organisers remain committed to delivering the highest level of safe and secure competition for athletes, media and spectators.” The meet has also been moved from the Qatar Sports Club to the Khalifa International Stadium due to the increased expected temperatures in June, with the latter venue being temperature regulated, “allowing athletes to compete safely even in hotter conditions”. The 2026 Diamond League season will now begin with the meet in Shanghai on May 16. Doha is scheduled to be the eighth meeting of the 2026 season and will take place between the Bislett Games in Oslo on June 10 and the Meeting de Paris on June 28. The Diamond League is an annual 15-meet track and field event that takes place between May and September. A number of sporting events in the Middle East have been postponed or cancelled following the United States and Israeli military attack on Iran in February and the subsequent retaliation. Formula One cancelled the 2026 Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix weekends in April, while the 2026 Finalissima between Spain and Argentina, initially set to take place in Doha on March 27, was also cancelled. The U.S. and Israel launched airstrikes on major Iranian cities, including the capital Tehran, on February 28, after weeks of mounting diplomatic tension. Iran retaliated with its own missile attacks on Israel and U.S. air bases in the Gulf region, including in Qatar, the UAE and Bahrain. The U.S. and Iran announced a two-week cease-fire and plans to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday evening. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Ali Rampling is a Deputy Managing Editor at The Athletic. Prior to joining The Athletic, she worked as the Women's Football Editor at 90min. Ali attended Loughborough University, and originates from Ipswich. Follow Ali on Twitter @AliRampling