Mohammad Rizwan in action© AFP

The escalating conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran has begun to significantly affect the global sporting landscape. Major sporting events across the Middle East have been cancelled or postponed, while travel disruptions at key transit hubs have also impacted athletes and teams travelling for competitions around the world.

Formula One and MotoGP events rescheduled

Formula One confirmed that the Bahrain Grand Prix and the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, both scheduled for April, will not take place as originally planned due to safety concerns linked to the regional conflict.

MotoGP has also been affected. The Qatar Grand Prix, which was set to be held next month, has been postponed and will now take place in November. The change has also forced adjustments to the MotoGP calendar, including revised dates for the Portuguese Grand Prix and the season-ending race in Valencia.

Spain vs Argentina ‘Finalissima’ Called Off

Trump Questions Iran’s Presence at the World Cup

U.S. President Donald Trump commented on Iran’s participation in the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup, stating that although the Iranian national team is technically welcome, it might not be appropriate for them to compete given the current circumstances.

Paralympic Travel Plans Disrupted

Travel disruptions across Middle Eastern airports have affected athletes heading to the Milano Cortina Winter Paralympic Games. Several participants were unable to reach the host cities due to flight cancellations and logistical challenges.

Additionally, the International Paralympic Committee confirmed that Iran will not take part in the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympics.

Tennis Events in UAE Halted

Security concerns also forced the cancellation of the ATP Challenger tournament in Fujairah earlier this month after a safety alert interrupted matches. Tournament organisers later arranged charter flights to assist stranded players.

Top Russian players Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev, who had recently competed in the Dubai Tennis Championships, were among those affected by travel difficulties before heading to the Indian Wells Open in the United States.

PV Sindhu Withdraws from All England Open

Indian badminton star PV Sindhu withdrew from the prestigious All England Open after being stranded for several days at Dubai International Airport due to widespread flight disruptions. She eventually returned to India on March 3.

U.S. Hockey Team pulls out of World Cup qualifier

The United States men’s hockey team withdrew from a 2026 Hockey World Cup qualifier scheduled in Ismailia, Egypt. The decision followed an advisory from the U.S. State Department urging American citizens to leave countries located in or near the conflict zone.

Asian Champions League fixtures delayed

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has postponed several matches involving Middle Eastern clubs. Round-of-16 fixtures in the Asian Champions League Elite scheduled during early March have been pushed back.

Additionally, quarter-final matches in both the Asian Champions League Two and the Asian Challenge League featuring teams from the region have also been delayed.

Iranian Women footballers seek asylum

Five Iranian women footballers were granted humanitarian visas by Australia after seeking asylum, citing fears of persecution if they returned home. The players had earlier refused to sing the Iranian national anthem during an Asian Cup match.

Australian authorities later assisted two more members of the Iranian delegation in applying for asylum, although one ultimately chose to return to Iran. Concerns about the players’ safety intensified after Iranian state television labelled them “wartime traitors.”

Iraq Coach calls for playoff delay

Iraq national team coach Graham Arnold has urged FIFA to postpone the team’s upcoming inter-confederation World Cup playoff scheduled to take place in Mexico later this month.

The Iraqi federation fears travel disruptions caused by the conflict could prevent players and staff from reaching Monterrey in time for their match against either Bolivia or Suriname.

Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka white-ball series postponed

The Afghanistan Cricket Board announced that the planned limited-overs series between Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, which was scheduled to take place in the United Arab Emirates this month, has been postponed due to the regional crisis.

World Endurance Championship Delays Qatar Opener

The World Endurance Championship (WEC) has pushed back its season-opening race in Qatar. The event, initially planned for March 28 at the Lusail International Circuit, will now be held between October 22 and 24.

Domestic Sports Suspended in Iran

All sporting activities in Iran have been halted indefinitely, including matches in the country’s top-tier Persian Gulf Pro League. The Bahrain Football Association has also suspended all domestic competitions as a precautionary measure.

Meanwhile, football has resumed in Qatar after a temporary nationwide suspension, with the Qatar Stars League restarting on March 12.

Football manager Mancini unable to return to Qatar

Former Italy coach Roberto Mancini, currently managing Al Sadd, was unable to return to Doha due to the travel disruptions. As a result, he missed his team’s Qatar Stars League match against Umm Salal.

The ongoing conflict continues to cast uncertainty over sporting schedules in the region, with organisers and governing bodies closely monitoring the situation while prioritising the safety of athletes, teams, and fans.

Two-time undisputed heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk is being heralded as one of the greats of the division, but some argue that he has lacked fierce competition. When asked how Usyk would have fared in his era, Lennox Lewis answered confidently.

Usyk’s undisputed runs at both cruiserweight and heavyweight have been nothing short of legendary, winning all four belts at 200lbs with three victories on away soil before moving up to heavyweight and making history – all whilst maintaining an undefeated record – against Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois.

While there is no question on the great Ukrainian’s skillset, some fans continue to debate whether or not the era that Usyk has conquered could be considered as a weak one.

Meanwhile, Lewis, the last man to claim the coveted undisputed heavyweight throne before Usyk, had to jostle for the belts with stars such as Evander Holyfield, Mike Tyson and Riddick Bowe.

In an interview with Boxing News, Lewis was quizzed on whether the 39-year-old southpaw could have held his own in that star-studded period, and ‘The Lion’ explained why he believes Holyfield’s success is proof that he would have.

“He would have got on good [in my era]. Just look at how Evander Holyfield got on, Oleksandr is the same size and just as good. I think he would have done just as well.”

Holyfield and Usyk remain the only two fighters in boxing history to have held the undisputed title at both cruiserweight and heavyweight – with David Haye being the only other man to have held a world title in both divisions.

However, a fourth man may soon enter that elite club, with Murat Gassiev in with a chance of being elevated to full WBA heavyweight world champion in the near future should Usyk vacate or be stripped.

Devon Conway of New Zealand (Getty Images)

Devon Conway struck a composed half-century before a clinical bowling display powered New Zealand to a dominant 68-run win over South Africa in the second T20I at Seddon Park, Hamilton, on Tuesday, levelling the five-match series 1-1.After being sent in to bat, New Zealand posted a competitive 175/6, anchored by Conway’s 60 off 49 balls. The left-hander, who had a quiet T20 World Cup campaign, made the most of his opportunity with a controlled knock featuring five fours and two sixes. “It’s been a very quiet couple of months… it’s nice to come back and contribute,” Conway said after the match.Scorecard: New Zealand vs South Africa, 2nd T20INew Zealand got off to a brisk start, reaching 43 without loss in the powerplay, with Conway and Tom Latham setting the tone. However, the hosts found it difficult to accelerate in the middle overs as the pitch slowed down and became two-paced. Contributions from Nick Kelly (21) and Mitchell Santner (20) kept the scoreboard ticking, before a late flourish from Josh Clarkson, who smashed 26 off just nine balls, lifted the total.South Africa struggle in chaseIn response, South Africa never got going and were bowled out for just 107 in 15.3 overs. The chase unraveled early at 31/3, and despite a brief counter from George Linde, who top-scored with a quickfire 33, the visitors collapsed under sustained pressure.Pace duo Ben Sears (3/14) and Lockie Ferguson (3/16) were outstanding, exploiting the variable bounce and pace on offer. All 10 South African wickets fell to catches, underlining the effectiveness of New Zealand’s disciplined bowling.South Africa captain Keshav Maharaj admitted his side misread the conditions. “We thought the dew would play a factor, but the wicket got worse. New Zealand bowled really well and stifled us early,” he said.The result comes after South Africa’s seven-wicket win in the series opener and keeps the contest finely poised. With both sides fielding relatively inexperienced squads following the T20 World Cup, the series has offered opportunities for emerging players to step up.The third T20I will be played in Auckland on Friday.

Team USA has its opponent for the World Baseball Classic (WBC) final on Tuesday night. 

Venezuela ended Italy’s magical WBC run on Monday night, coming from behind to defeat them, 4-2, at loanDepot park, earning a spot in the final against the United States. 

Italy was the surprise team of the tournament, taking down the U.S. in pool play before defeating Mexico to finish a perfect 4-0 in Pool B.

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Eugenio Suárez of Team Venezuela celebrates as he rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run against Team Italy in the fourth inning at loanDepot park on March 16, 2026, in Miami, Florida. (Megan Briggs/Getty Images)

But that win over Mexico also kept Team USA alive in the tournament, allowing them to advance to the quarterfinals, where they defeated Canada before earning a thrilling 2-1 semifinal victory over the Dominican Republic on Sunday night to punch their ticket back to the final.

While it felt only right for the U.S. and Italy to meet once more to determine who would win it all before the start of the 2026 MLB season, Venezuela had other things in mind during the bottom of the seventh inning.

Down 2-1 in the contest, Venezuela found themselves threatening with a potential two-out rally after Jackson Chourio, the Milwaukee Brewers’ rising star, singled to center field, allowing Andres Gimenez to advance to third base.

That’s when Ronald Acuña Jr., the face of Venezuelan baseball, reached first on an infield single that allowed Gimenez to score, tying the game at two apiece. But the rally wasn’t over just yet.

The Venezuelans caught fire after Acuña’s single, as Maikel Garcia singled to left field, scoring Chourio, and Luis Arraez brought home Acuña. With two outs, Venezuela seized all the momentum with a three-run seventh inning that made it 4-2.

Italy had been clinging to the lead since the bottom of the second inning, when they made the most of a bases-loaded situation. J.J. D’Orazio walked home a run, while Dante Nori grounded into a fielder’s choice that scored another to give Italy a 2-0 lead.

Slugger Eugenio Suarez got Venezuela on the board in the top of the fourth inning with a solo home run to left-center field, cutting the deficit to one. But they weren’t able to string together additional offense until that seventh inning.

From there, Italy could never get a rally started, as Daniel Palencia eventually shut the door in the ninth inning, striking out the final two Italian hitters.

As Venezuela celebrated, Italy hung their heads, but their story this month has been nothing short of incredible. Their espresso machine in the dugout — which captain Vinnie Pasquantino of the Kansas City Royals helped turn into a home run celebration — went viral as they continued to have success. The roster featured established MLB stars, top prospects and players with Italian heritage, earning praise from big leaguers throughout the past two weeks.

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But it’s Venezuela, ripe with top MLB talent, ready to take on Team USA and starter Nolan McLean, who Italy touched up in their pool play game, on Tuesday night to determine who holds the rights to call themselves the best baseball team in the world for at least the next three years. 

Team USA and Venezuela will face each other at 8 p.m. ET on FOX. 

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The Minnesota Vikings free agency might be going at a snail’s pace so far, especially when it comes to incoming players. However, there have been two new players added so far in this year’s Vikings free agency, and Pro Football Focus has had its say.

PFF keeps an up-to-date tracker of every team’s moves in free agency and then gives its verdict on the moves that are made.

PFF Weighed In on Minnesota’s Key Additions Right Away

While some teams have a lot to grade as the league broke the record for most spending over the opening four days, Vikings free agency has been quiet with the $16.125 million spent by Minnesota the least amount spent by any team in the league – a stark contrast to last year when the Vikings were second only to the New England Patriots in FA spending.

In the first week of free agency, the Vikings made sure that Jalen Redmond, Andrew DePaola, and Tavierre Thomas were back in Minnesota for 2026, and also put a right-of-refusal tender on Ivan Pace. Only two new faces have been announced as arriving in Minnesota. The big news at quarterback is Kyler Murray and James Pierre, adding depth to the cornerback room. PFF gave their assessment of these moves.

CB James Pierre signs with the Vikings

Similar to Isaiah Rodgers last year, Pierre turned his best season in the league to date into a good contract from the Vikings. Pierre is a couple of years older than Rodgers, turning 30 in September, but if he can put in the same level of performance as last season as the Vikings’ CB3, that will be a significant improvement in the Vikings’ secondary. Here is what PFF had to say about the move.

• 2025 PFF Grade: 86.2
• 2025 PFF WAR: 0.33
• Contract: 2 years, $8.5 million
• PFF Projected Contract: 1 year, $1.25 million
• PFF Deal Grade: Average

Pierre looked really good in limited work in 2025, earning an 86.2 PFF overall grade on 408 snaps, so this is a worthwhile swing of the bat for the Vikings. It’s a bigger contract than PFF was projecting, but even if all he is is a good depth player, it’s a perfectly reasonable signing. The upside is that if Pierre can continue to improve, as we saw this past season, the Vikings could be getting a starting-caliber cornerback for a steal.

Pierre has never been a consistent starter in the NFL, and it would be unusual for that to start at age 30. The contact looks hefty, with the salary cap continuing to grow year on year, and new FA contracts look big every year. If Minnesota can get a couple of seasons of consistent play out of Pierre, this will have been a good deal.

QB Kyler Murray Signs with Vikings

Who were the Vikings going to bring in at QB? It was the story of the offseason, and it became more and more likely that it was going to be Murray as the weeks went by.

We finally got the confirmation, and Murray lands in Minnesota for one year, hoping to prove he can still be the guy and earn another big contract. Here is what PFF had to say about the deal.

• 2025 PFF Grade: 72.2
• 2025 PFF WAR: 0.55
• Contract: 1 year
• PFF Contract Projection: 1 year, $1.3 million
• PFF Contract Grade: Good

After a trying 2025 season that saw Murray play just five games, he lands in an ideal landing spot with the Vikings. Murray hasn’t been as dynamic over the last three years with a 74.3 PFF passing grade, tossing 48 big-time throws compared to 43 turnover-worthy plays, but he’s still a high-ceiling starter who should push J.J. McCarthy. If Murray plays like peak form, this will look like an absolute bargain.

Some are still pushing the agenda of a QB competition, but it would be a surprise if Murray doesn’t start the season as the Vikings’ QB1. In the situation that Minnesota found itself in, bringing in a player of Murray’s caliber and basically no cost has been a stroke of luck.

Proud UK Viking. Family Man. Enjoy writing about my team. Away from football an advocate for autism acceptance.

New Zealand vs South Africa 2nd T20I Live Updates And Live Score© AFP