Six Kings Slam: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s high-stakes tournament has been pushed back to December

The Six Kings Slam in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, has been postponed from October to December because of continued unrest in the Middle East and the recent bombing of the international airport in the Saudi capital.

The tournament, now in its third edition, was originally scheduled for October 21-24 and has been moved to December 27-30. It awards £1.2m to each competing player, with an extra £3.5m for the winner.

The six players confirmed for 2026 are Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev, Taylor Fritz, Alex de Minaur and Learner Tien.

Organisers said the decision “reflects Riyadh Season’s commitment to delivering sporting events to the highest standards, following an assessment of the organisational and logistical challenges associated with hosting the tournament and their potential impact on the quality of the audience experience.”

Jannik Sinner, who is currently out injured with a knee complaint, won the Six Kings Slam in 2024 and 2025, beating Alcaraz in the final on both occasions.

Security concerns across Saudi sport

Attacks have threatened to disrupt sport in Saudi Arabia. The Asian Tour in golf says it is monitoring the security situation ahead of the Saudi International in Riyadh next month.

The kingdom is also set to host the Asian Cup in football for the first time in 2027, a key test ahead of its hosting of the 2034 World Cup.

Saudi Arabia is also hosting the FIFAe World Cup, an esports tournament series run by FIFA, in Jeddah from October 16-25. The Japan Football Association has said it will not take part after a comprehensive assessment of the current situation in the host country and the available information on safety and security. Football Australia has said its security team is monitoring the situation.

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