WITH mounting tensions in the Middle East, FIBA scrapped all games in the region scheduled for Monday’s second window of the 2027 World Cup Asian Qualifiers.
Most of the cancelled games are in Group C and Group D where Middle East countries are bracketed together.
The postponed games include Iraq vs. Jordan and Iran against Syria in Group C, then Lebanon opposite India plus Qatar up against Saudi Arabia in Group D.
Except for the Qatar-Saudi Arabia match set at the Lusail Multipurpose Hall in Doha, all games were to be played at the Zouk Mikael Nouhad Nawfal Sports Complex in Lebanon.
The FIBA decision came on the heels of retaliatory strikes mounted by Iran across the Middle East following a combined U.S.-Israel attack on the country.
Games to be rescheduled to June
In a statement, the world’s governing body for basketball said all postponed games will be held in the same venues during the third window of the qualifiers slated in June.
“The updated schedule will be communicated at a later stage,” it said in its statement.
Jordan currently leads Group C with an unbeaten 3-0 record and is poised to advance in the second round with a win over winless Iraq (0-3).
Iran is in second-place in the same group at 2-1 followed by Syria at 1-2.
In Group D, it’s a three-way tie at 2-1 among Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar with India at the bottom of the standings at 0-3.
Qatar, though, is already qualified by virtue of being the World Cup host.
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