Saudi Arabia postpones AFC Asian Cup amid conflict in West Asia

The 2027 AFC Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia has been postponed, with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) proposing new dates from 23 December 2027 to 21 January 2028 for the continental tournament.

The competition was originally scheduled to take place from 7 January to 5 February 2027. The AFC announced the decision on Tuesday 3 November following discussions with the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) and the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF).

The postponement is due to exceptional circumstances arising from developments in the region which have caused logistical problems and disruption to travel. The AFC said the decision was necessary to ensure the smooth organization of the tournament and to protect the interests of participating teams, officials, spectators and other stakeholders.

The proposed revised dates will now be submitted to FIFA for approval. The AFC said it would continue to work with the Saudi organisers, participating member associations, sponsors and broadcast partners to minimize the impact of the date change.

HOUTHI ATTACKS RAISE SECURITY CONCERNS

The decision comes amid escalating hostilities between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Iran-linked Houthi group, which has carried out a series of missile and drone attacks on the kingdom in recent weeks.

One of the most serious incidents was the strike at Riyadh International Airport in October, which reportedly killed at least 12 people and injured more than 300. The Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack, which raised concerns about the safety of civilian infrastructure and travel in the country.

The attacks continued until November. On November 1, the Saudi-led coalition said it had intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile and a drone launched toward southern Saudi Arabia. A day later, the coalition announced it had intercepted two drones over the Riyadh region, while also saying it had destroyed another ballistic missile launched towards the south of the kingdom.

On November 2, the Houthis separately claimed to have targeted Dammam airport using drones, along with an early warning radar and a military transport plane in Jizan. These claims have not been independently confirmed.

Regional tensions have already disrupted other sporting events in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi International golf tournament has been postponed indefinitely, while the UCI Urban Cycling World Championships in Riyadh have been cancelled. The FIFAe finals, which were scheduled to be held in Jeddah, were also postponed.

Saudi Arabia will host the Asian Cup for the first time. The tournament is Asia’s premier men’s national team competition and will feature 24 teams from various locations in the Kingdom.

The AFC did not specifically attribute the postponement to the Houthi attacks, but cited exceptional regional circumstances, logistical complexities and travel disruptions as reasons for moving the tournament.

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