The ongoing conflict in the Middle East between US and Israel one one side and Iran on the other has affected the world of sport, including football, leaving several athletes stranded in the war zone and resulting in the cancellation or postponement of multiple events, including a match involving the iconic Cristiano Ronaldo.

Iran, after all,
is targeting Israel as well as multiple US assets across the Gulf including in nations such as United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar in retaliation against Washington and Israel’s joint strikes targeting Tehran, which has led to the
death of their Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The conflict has forced the Asian Football Confederation to postpone the continental club championship playoffs taking place in the Middle East. In a statement posted on Sunday, the governing body for Asian football confirmed that the AFC Champions League Elite Round of 16 games scheduled to take place on Monday and Tuesday will be rescheduled.

Al Nassr’s Champions League Two match against Al-Wasl postponed

Additionally, the AFC Champions League 2 and AFC Challenge League quarter-finals scheduled to take place on Tuesday and Wednesday in the West Zone will be postponed. No new dates have been announced by the AFC so far.

Al-Nassr, the Saudi Pro League club that Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has been part of since 2023, was scheduled to face Emirati club Al-Wasl in Dubai in the AFC Cup quarter-finals.

“The AFC will continue to closely monitor this rapidly evolving situation and remains resolute in ensuring the safety and security of all players, teams, officials, and fans,” the AFC said in a statement.

The AFC, however, added that matches in the eastern part of the continent across all of AFC’s continental championships will continue as scheduled.

This includes the Women’s Asian Cup in Australia that gets underway next Sunday and features India – who had made history by securing qualification on merit for the tournament last year and are set to make their first appearance in over two decades.

Double Olympic medallist PV Sindhu is the most high profile Indian name to be stranded in the Middle East as conflict rages in the region in the wake of United States and Israel’s combined strikes on Iran that started Saturday.

Iran soon retaliated with strikes across multiple nations in the Middle East triggering a wider conflict. Several airports across the Gulf region have suspended operations due to the conflict leading to travellers getting stranded in these countries as they wait for situation to improve.

Here we take a look at some of the key stars from the sports world who are currently stranded in the Gulf due to this unfolding war.

PV Sindhu stranded in Dubai

Star Indian shuttler was on her way to the United Kingdom for the All England Championships but now she is stuck at the Dubai Airport. In a post on X, Sindhu described her ordeal saying that there was an explosion close to where she was stranded. If the situation does not improve quickly, it could also endanger Sindhu’s participation as the prestigious All England.

The ordeal continues to unfold, and the situation is becoming more frightening by the hour.

A few hours ago, there was an explosion close to where we were holed up at the airport. My coach had to quickly run out of the area as he was closest to the smoke and debris. It was an… https://t.co/ZdNtuALk0P

— Pvsindhu (@Pvsindhu1) March 1, 2026

Mushfiqur Rahim stuck in Jeddah

Former Bangladesh cricket captain Mushfiqur Rahim has been stranded in Jeddah while returning from his Umrah pilgrimage.

“Unfortunately due to the war between USA, ISRAEL AND IRAN all the flight has return to Jeddah and now i am in jeddah airpot including thoushand of passengers…when and how we will able to go to Dhaka along with other Bangladeshi people,” Rahim wrote on his Facebook page.

Daniil Medvedev, Holger Rune among stranded tennis stars

Daniil Medvedev won the men’s singles event at the Dubai Tennis Championships. Him and all his competitors who had not left Dubai are now stranded. Reports suggest that Holger Rune is also stuck in Doha in Qatar where he was staying as part of his structured rehabilitation programme.

Graeme Souness stuck in Abu Dhabi

Liverpool legend and football expert also remains stranded in Abu Dhabi. He was supposed to catch a plane to the United Kingdom but the conflict has left him stuck at the airport in the UAE.

“Well right now, I’m at this airport, I’m hearing some pretty loud bangs going off, and that is anti-missiles taking out missiles being fired at some American base,” the Liverpool legend posted on his Instagram stories.