Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia postponed to December 2027 amid regional conflict

The Asian Football Confederation has postponed the 2027 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia, moving its opening from January to December as conflict in the region disrupts preparations. The decision follows weeks of uncertainty over whether the tournament could proceed under its original schedule, with several participating nations raising security concerns.

The 24-team competition had been scheduled to begin in Riyadh on January 7, 2027. Under the revised timetable announced by the AFC on Tuesday, November 3, it will open on December 23, 2027, and conclude on January 21, 2028. The change means the tournament will now extend into the following calendar year.

The AFC said the decision came after extensive discussions with the tournament’s Local Organising Committee and the Saudi Arabian Football Federation. Those consultations preceded the organising committee’s approval of a new schedule in response to the circumstances affecting the staging of the competition in Saudi Arabia.

Explaining the postponement, the confederation pointed to developments across the region that had created major logistical complications and interrupted travel. It said those conditions had made it exceptionally difficult to organise and deliver the Asian Cup on the dates originally planned, prompting the decision to move the tournament.

Saudi Arabia has faced repeated attacks by Yemen’s Houthis since September. Missiles have struck several cities, including the capital, Riyadh, which was due to host the tournament’s opening. The attacks have taken place as fighting escalates between Yemen’s government, backed by Riyadh, and the Houthis, who receive backing from Iran.

On Friday, the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said it had intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone heading towards Saudi Arabia’s Mecca region. A missile directed at western Saudi Arabia was also reported to have been brought down earlier, amid the continuing escalation in hostilities.

The security situation had left the competition’s future uncertain in recent weeks. In setting out its reasons for delaying the event, the AFC said the postponement was necessary to serve the interests of participating teams, match officials, spectators and other stakeholders affected by the tournament’s organisation.

The revised dates still require approval from FIFA. The AFC said it would submit the December 2027 to January 2028 schedule to football’s global governing body for that approval.