NBA Cancels Middle East Preseason Games Due to US-Iran Conflict

For the first time in five years, the National Basketball Association will not stage any preseason games in the Middle East. Discussions had been underway with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, Brooklyn Nets and Washington Wizards to hold exhibition matches in Abu Dhabi and potentially Doha, marking a possible first NBA game in Qatar that would have served as a rehearsal for the 2027 FIBA World Cup.

The league cited the war between the United States and Iran and the broader security situation as the reason for pulling the planned “Global Games.” The NBA said the suspension is temporary; its partnership with Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism has been extended, and plans for a permanent NBA Global Academy in the Emirate remain in place, with a hoped‑for return to the region when conditions stabilize, possibly by 2027.