AFC postpones 2027 Asian Cup to December over security concerns
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has postponed the 2027 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia, moving the 24-team tournament from January to December amid growing security concerns and logistical challenges across the region.
The competition will now take place from December 23, 2027, to January 21, 2028, instead of the original dates of January 7 to February 5, 2027.
The revised schedule remains subject to approval by FIFA, football's global governing body. Saudi Arabia will retain its hosting rights despite the postponement.
The AFC cited "exceptional circumstances" affecting preparations, including travel disruptions, logistical difficulties and security concerns.
Attacks raise concerns over tournament safety
The decision follows a series of attacks in Saudi Arabia, including an October strike on Riyadh's international airport that reportedly killed at least 12 people and injured more than 300.
Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi movement claimed responsibility for the attack, described as the deadliest in Saudi Arabia in more than a decade.
Security concerns increased further on Monday after the Houthis claimed to have launched drones towards Dammam airport.
The Asian Cup organizing committee said the developments had created significant difficulties for staging the tournament under its original schedule.
It said the postponement was necessary to protect the interests of participating teams, officials, spectators and other stakeholders.
Saudi Arabia remains committed to hosting
Despite the change of dates, Saudi Arabia has reaffirmed its commitment to hosting the competition.
The country has never previously staged the Asian Cup, although its national team has won the continental championship three times.
Yasser Al-Misehal, head of the local organizing committee, said Saudi Arabia had been fully prepared to host the tournament in January and would maintain its preparations for the revised schedule.
"We will continue our work with the same momentum leading up to the tournament's new dates in December 2027," he told Saudi state media.
The competition is an important part of the kingdom's broader sporting ambitions, supported by substantial investment through its sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund.
The Asian Cup had also been viewed as an important organizational test ahead of Saudi Arabia's hosting of the 2034 FIFA World Cup.
Other international sporting events affected
The deteriorating security situation has already disrupted several major sporting events scheduled in Saudi Arabia.
The Asian Tour's Saudi International golf tournament has been postponed indefinitely, while the Urban World Championships cycling competition has been cancelled.
Riyadh's Six Kings Slam exhibition tennis tournament has been moved from October to December.
FIFA has also postponed the FIFAe Finals 2026, a competitive video gaming event scheduled to take place in Jeddah, without announcing replacement dates.
However, some sporting events have continued despite the security concerns. On Saturday, Mexican boxer Saúl "Canelo" Álvarez defeated Christian Mbilli in a world title bout in Riyadh.
Tournament faces another calendar adjustment
The 2027 Asian Cup postponement represents another change to the competition's traditional scheduling.
The tournament has generally been held in odd-numbered years, although the AFC had already planned to move the championship to an even-year cycle beginning in 2032.
For now, attention will turn to the revised preparations and the security situation as Saudi Arabia works towards hosting Asia's leading national-team football competition in late 2027 and early 2028.
Source:turkiyetoday
