Golf’s Asian Tour is reviewing plans for its season-ending tournament in Riyadh after deadly attacks on the Saudi capital’s airport raised new security concerns for sporting events in the kingdom.

The PIF Saudi International remains scheduled for November 18 to 21 at Riyadh Golf Club. The tour has not cancelled or postponed the event.

Tour says safety comes first

In a statement to Reuters on Tuesday, the Asian Tour said it was monitoring developments and discussing the tournament with Golf Saudi. It said any schedule change would be announced once organizers determine the appropriate course for players, spectators and event staff.

The tournament is the circuit’s season finale and carries a $5-million purse. Official event pages continue to list it for four days in November at Riyadh Golf Club.

The review follows attacks on King Khalid International Airport. Reuters reported that Saturday’s strike killed at least 12 people and wounded more than 300, while another attack Sunday killed one person and injured nearly a dozen. Yemen’s Houthi movement claimed responsibility for Saturday’s attack.

Security disruption reaches the sports calendar

The uncertainty now extends beyond golf. Football Australia told Reuters that its security team is monitoring conditions ahead of the Asian Cup, which Saudi Arabia is scheduled to host from January 7 to February 5, 2027.

An Asian Champions League match involving Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr went ahead in Riyadh on Monday but began an hour late after a civil-defence safety warning. Separately, promoter Turki Al-Sheikh has said the October 31 Canelo Alvarez–Christian Mbilli fight will proceed in Riyadh, although Alvarez’s representatives had not independently confirmed that position when Reuters reported it.

Those different responses show that the kingdom’s sports schedule has not stopped, but organizers are making event-specific decisions as security and air travel conditions change.

Canadian travel warning remains in place

The Government of Canada advises Canadians to avoid non-essential travel to Saudi Arabia because of the volatile regional security situation. It also advises avoiding all travel to King Khalid International Airport because of military activity and disrupted operations.

The federal advisory says the airport is currently closed and warns that Saudi airspace and airport operations may change with little or no notice. Anyone considering travel for the golf tournament should follow official organizer, airline and Canadian government updates rather than treat the published schedule as final.

Sources: Reuters, October 13 at 7:00 a.m. EDT; International Series event page; Golf Saudi event page; Government of Canada travel advice; Wikimedia Commons image page.

Lead image: Dirab Golf & Country Club in Riyadh Province, photographed by HK Woo in 2009 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0. File photo; not Riyadh Golf Club or the November 2026 tournament.