World Boccia and the Saudi Boccia Federation have taken the joint decision to postpone the Riyadh 2026 World Boccia Challenger, due to take place from the 9th to 16th April in Saudi Arabia. This is because of the current conflicts in the Middle East and resulting concerns over safety.
Since the news of missile strikes in the Middle East emerged, World Boccia and the Saudi Boccia Federation have been assessing the situation and seeking advice from relevant stakeholders. The safety of the delegations and officials traveling to the event is our key priority. Hence the Riyadh 2026 World Boccia Challenger can no longer take place in April as planned.
World Boccia and the Saudi Boccia Federation are working on identifying a suitable date later in 2026 to hold the Riyadh 2026 World Boccia Challenger. The new date will be communicated once confirmed.
Furthermore, World Boccia is aware that the postponement of the Riyadh 2026 World Boccia Challenger may have wider implications for National Federations who were due to attend. We will be working to identify potential solutions for such consequences. Again, this information will be shared once available.
Our thoughts are very much with the National Federations in the countries directly affected by the conflicts.
We thank the boccia community for its continued understanding and support, particularly during these difficult times.
