Saudi Arabia postpones AFC Asian Cup amid West Asia conflict
The 2027 AFC Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia has been postponed, with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) proposing new dates of December 23, 2027 to January 21, 2028 for the continental tournament.
The competition was originally scheduled to take place from January 7 to February 5, 2027. The AFC announced the decision on Tuesday, November 3, following discussions with the Local Organising Committee (LOC) and the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF).
The postponement comes amid exceptional circumstances arising from developments in the region, which have created logistical challenges and travel disruptions. The AFC said the decision was necessary to ensure the smooth organisation of the tournament and protect the interests of participating teams, officials, spectators and other stakeholders.
The proposed revised dates will now be presented to FIFA for approval. The AFC said it would continue working with the Saudi organisers, participating member associations, sponsors and broadcast partners to minimise the impact of the rescheduling.
The decision comes against the backdrop of escalating hostilities between Saudi Arabia and Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi group, which has carried out a series of missile and drone attacks targeting the kingdom in recent weeks.
One of the most serious incidents was a strike on Riyadh's international airport in October, which killed at least 12 people and injured more than 300, according to reports. The Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack, which heightened concerns over the security of civilian infrastructure and travel in the country.
The attacks have continued into November. On November 1, the Saudi-led coalition said it had intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile and a drone launched towards southern Saudi Arabia. A day later, the coalition reported intercepting two drones over the Riyadh region, while also saying it had destroyed another ballistic missile launched towards the kingdom's south.
The Houthis separately claimed on November 2 that they had targeted Dammam airport with drones, along with an early-warning radar installation and a military transport aircraft in Jizan. These claims were not independently confirmed.
The regional tensions have already disrupted other sporting events in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi International golf tournament was postponed indefinitely, while the UCI Urban Cycling World Championships in Riyadh were cancelled. The FIFAe Finals, which were scheduled to be held in Jeddah, were also postponed.
Saudi Arabia is set to host the Asian Cup for the first time. The tournament is Asia's premier men's national team competition and will feature 24 teams across venues in the kingdom.
The AFC has not explicitly attributed the postponement to the Houthi attacks, but cited exceptional regional circumstances, logistical complexities and travel disruptions as the reasons for moving the tournament.- Ends
