NBA skips Middle East preseason games amid US-Iran war
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- NBA will not play preseason games in the Middle East for the first time in five years, sources told ESPN, citing the US-Iran war and ongoing regional conflict.
- The league had discussed participation with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, Brooklyn Nets, and Washington Wizards — though no games were ever publicly announced.
- Abu Dhabi's Department of Culture and Tourism and the NBA announced an extension of their existing collaboration in January, and sources said the partnership will continue with preseason games expected to return in Abu Dhabi in the future.
- The Qatar Investment Authority is a minority owner of the Wizards' parent company, a direct financial link to the NBA's explored Doha expansion.
- The 2027 FIBA World Cup is scheduled in Doha next August, with an NBA preseason game planned as part of the run-up to the event.
- The New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers played a pair of preseason games in Abu Dhabi in October ahead of the 2025-26 season.
Why it matters: The pause is temporary — sources say the Abu Dhabi partnership continues and games will return. But the Qatar Investment Authority's minority ownership of the Wizards' parent company ties the Doha expansion to a financial stakeholder that outlasts any war. The 2027 FIBA World Cup in Doha, with an NBA preseason game planned as a run-up, keeps the Middle East push alive past the conflict.
