Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia postponed to December 2027 amid regional conflict
The Asian Football Confederation has moved the 2027 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia from January-February 2027 to December 23, 2027 - January 21, 2028. The new dates still need FIFA approval.
- The 2027 Asian Cup is moved by nearly a year because of conflict in the region.
- New dates: December 23, 2027 to January 21, 2028.
- The AFC will submit the dates to FIFA for approval.
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has postponed the 2027 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia by nearly a year. The tournament had been scheduled for January and February 2027 and will now run from December 23, 2027 to January 21, 2028.
According to Al Jazeera, the 24-team competition was due to begin in Riyadh on January 7, 2027. The AFC announced the change in a statement on Tuesday after consulting the Local Organising Committee and the Saudi Arabian Football Federation. It will submit the new dates to FIFA for approval.
The AFC said its organising committee approved the rescheduling "in light of the current exceptional circumstances arising from developments in the region, including substantial logistical complexities and travel disruptions". The AFC also said the decision was taken "in the interest of all participating teams, officials, spectators and other stakeholders".
The postponement follows conflict in the Middle East. Al Jazeera reported that Saudi Arabia has been repeatedly attacked by Yemen's Houthis since September, with Riyadh among the cities hit by missiles. ABC News reported that the Houthis claimed responsibility for a series of attacks on Saudi airports and oil facilities, and that a strike on Riyadh's international airport last month killed at least 12 people and wounded more than 300.
Al Jazeera also reported that the Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone launched towards the Mecca region, and that a missile aimed at western Saudi Arabia was reportedly brought down. Fighting between the Riyadh-backed Yemen government and the Iran-backed Houthis continues to escalate, according to the outlet, and several participating nations had voiced concerns about security.
Other events in Saudi Arabia have also been affected, ABC News reported. Golf's Asian Tour postponed the Saudi International indefinitely, and cycling's Urban World Championships were cancelled. The Six Kings Slam exhibition tennis tournament in Riyadh moved from October to December. FIFA postponed the FIFAe Finals 2026 video game competition in Jeddah to an unspecified future date.
Why it matters
Saudi Arabia hosts many Pakistani workers, and the move of a major Asian football tournament reflects the security situation in the kingdom.
