The NBA will reportedly not hold any preseason games in the Middle East this season due to the on-going war between the United States and Iran, according to ESPN.
Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, has hosted two preseason NBA games every year since 2022. While the league reportedly discussed sending the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, Brooklyn Nets and Washington Wizards this season, no concrete plans had been announced.
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Last season, the Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks played two preseason games in Abu Dhabi.
Doha, Qatar, was also on the NBA’s radar as a site with the potential of co-hosting games with Abu Dhabi with the Qatar Investment Authority a minority owner of the Wizards’ parents company.
The NBA and Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism announced an extension of their relationship in January with the league agreeing to hold more preseason games in the Middle East and an academy being launched in the United Arab Emirates.
Preseason games in Abu Dhabi will reportedly be scheduled in the future. Qatar will also be considered as a host site, though no timeline is available due to the war.
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The 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup is set to take place in Qatar in late August. FIBA’s secretary general Andreas Zagklis told reporters last month that there are no plans to relocate the event, but plans could be adjusted.
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