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The Asian Football Confederation announced the postponement of the 2027 Asian Cup following extensive consultations with Saudi organisers, according to an official AFC statement. The 24-team tournament, which had been set for January 7 to February 5 next year, will now be held from December 23, 2027, to January 21, 2028, while remaining in Saudi Arabia. The governing body said the new dates would be submitted to FIFA for approval, a step required before the change can take effect.
Recent attacks claimed by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement created the exceptional circumstances that forced the delay, Reuters reported. A strike on Riyadh’s international airport last month killed at least 12 people and wounded more than 300. The incident was described as the deadliest in Saudi Arabia in more than a decade, with further drone activity reported toward other airports in the kingdom.
The decision follows weeks of speculation and the postponement of multiple other sporting events in the country, Al Jazeera reported. Golf’s Asian Tour indefinitely delayed the Saudi International, while the Urban Cycling World Championships were relocated and a high-profile tennis exhibition was shifted from October to December. FIFA postponed its e-sports finals scheduled for Jeddah, illustrating the broader impact of the security situation on international schedules.
Yasser Al-Misehal, head of the local organising committee, said Saudi Arabia had been fully prepared to host on the original timeline. “We will continue our work with the same momentum leading up to the tournament’s new dates in December 2027,” Al-Misehal told the Saudi state news agency. The AFC organising committee attributed the rescheduling to logistical complexities and travel disruptions arising from regional developments.
National team preparations have been affected across Asia, with Japan’s coach Hajime Moriyasu having signed a short-term contract tied to the original dates, Kyodo News reported. The change also alters future scheduling for South Korea’s national side, according to Yonhap News Agency. European-based players, including several in England’s Premier League, will avoid mid-season call-ups that the January window would have required.
Doubts had surfaced in October when Japan Football Association president Tsuneyasu Miyamoto stated that the security situation made hosting difficult as scheduled, Reuters reported. AFC president Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa had indicated a postponement until late 2027 or even 2028 could be considered if conditions worsened. Saudi officials had previously maintained that preparations continued and daily life remained normal despite the incidents.
Saudi Arabia will still stage all 51 matches across eight venues, five of them in Riyadh, which was due to host the opening game and the final, The National reported. Qatar enters as defending champion after its 2023 title win, while qualification for the remaining slots continues under the revised timeline. The AFC emphasised that the postponement prioritised the safety of teams, officials, spectators and other stakeholders.
