AFC postpones 2027 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia to December 2027
sportsNov 3, 20262332
The Asian Football Confederation has postponed the 2027 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia after a series of deadly attacks on the host country, rescheduling the 24-team tournament from 7 January, 5 February 2027 to 23 December 2027, 21 January 2028. The AFC said the decision follows "exceptional circumstances arising from developments in the region," citing substantial logistical complexities and travel disruptions, and that the new dates will be presented to FIFA for approval. In October, a missile attack by Yemen's Houthi movement on Riyadh's airport killed 13 people and wounded more than 300, a security incident the AFC referenced in its rationale. Several other events in Saudi Arabia have been cancelled or postponed recently, including the Six Kings Slam tennis exhibition and the Asian Tour season-ending golf tournament. The postponement means some Premier League players who would have been called up are now unlikely to miss part of the domestic season; named players include Japan internationals Zion Suzuki, Wataru Endo, Daizen Maeda, Ao Tanaka, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Daichi Kamada, Hidemasa Morita, Brighton winger Kaoru Mitoma, Uzbekistan defender Abdukodir Khusanov, and Australia defender Lucas Herrington. This is the second successive Asian Cup to be delayed after the 2023 edition was moved to 2024 and relocated to Qatar because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The AFC will await FIFA approval before the new December 2027 to January 2028 window is confirmed.
