Opening Diamond League meet in Doha postponed due to Middle East war

Field Level Media|published: Wed 8th April, 13:48 2026

Jul 4, 2025; Eugene, OR, USA; The Diamond League trophy during the 50th Prefontaine Classic press conference at the Graduate Hotel Eugene. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The scheduled opening event of the Diamond League season in Doha, Qatar has been postponed until at least June due to the ongoing war in the Middle East, the track and field league announced Wednesday.

The meet was scheduled to open the 2026 season on May 8 but is now scheduled to be contested on June 19 "should conditions allow."

"The Diamond League will continue to monitor developments in the Middle East in the coming weeks," Diamond League announced in a statement. "The series and meeting organizers remain committed to delivering the highest level of safe and secure competition for athletes, media and spectators."

The Diamond League season now will begin in Shanghai on May 16. The Doha event, should it be contested on the new date, would be the eighth event of the season, which is held between May and September.

Due to moving deeper into the summer, the rescheduled event also will now be held at Khalifa International Stadium, which is indoor and temperature-regulated. It was previously set to be held at the Qatar Sports Club.

--Field Level Media

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