Several major sporting and entertainment events scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia have been cancelled following a sharp deterioration in the country’s security situation, resulting in significant financial losses for the Saudi authorities.

The security crisis comes amid escalating regional tensions linked to the US military campaign against Iran, which has reportedly been conducted in part using Saudi airspace and territory. In response, Iran is said to have carried out retaliatory strikes targeting American military bases and facilities inside Saudi Arabia, raising security concerns across the kingdom.

Against this backdrop, a number of high-profile international events have been called off. The most prominent is the Formula One World Championship race that had been scheduled to take place in Jeddah on 17 April. The cancellation is expected to cost Saudi authorities hundreds of millions of dollars, including the annual hosting fee of around $55 million paid under a long-term agreement to the London-based company that owns the Formula One brand, in addition to the costs of building race infrastructure and organising the event.

Another casualty is the “Flag Football Classic” tournament, which had been due to take place in Riyadh on 21 March. Large sums had already been spent on advertising campaigns and payments to international players who had been expected to travel to the kingdom to participate in the tournament.

The cancellations have also extended to the entertainment sector. A concert by Colombian singer Shakira, scheduled for 19 April in Jeddah, has likewise been cancelled after Saudi authorities reportedly paid substantial fees to the artist and her team, alongside extensive promotional campaigns.

The three events formed part of Saudi Arabia’s wider effort to host major international sporting and cultural events. Critics have frequently described this strategy as “sportswashing”, arguing that such initiatives are intended to improve the international image of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman despite continuing criticism of the kingdom’s human rights record, including executions, arrests of activists and restrictions on political freedoms.