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The 2027 Asian Cup football tournament in Saudi Arabia will be postponed from January to December due to “exceptional circumstances” in the region, the continent’s governing body said on Tuesday.
A number of sports events in Saudi Arabia have been cancelled or postponed in recent weeks following Houthi attacks on the country.
The Asian Cup was originally scheduled to take place from 7 January to 5 February next year.
The new dates for the continental showpiece are 23 December 2027 to 21 January 2028.
“The organising committee for AFC Asian Cup approved to reschedule the flagship national team tournament in light of the current exceptional circumstances arising from developments in the region,” the Asian Football Confederation said in a statement.
The AFC also cited “substantial logistical complexities and travel disruptions”.
“The new dates of the tournament will be presented to FIFA for approval,” it added.
Local organisers insisted last month that the Asian Cup was “on schedule”, despite growing fears for the tournament’s fate because of the security situation in Saudi Arabia and the wider Middle East.
The Saudi cities of Jeddah, Riyadh and Al Khobar are set to stage the month-long competition.
The decision to move the tournament back almost a year came after “extensive discussions and close consultation” between Saudi officials and the AFC, the Kuala Lumpur-based governing body said.
“Exceptional circumstances have been created for the organisation and delivery of the competition as originally scheduled, making the postponement necessary in the interest of all participating teams, officials, spectators and other stakeholders,” it said.
Yemen’s Houthis have targeted Saudi infrastructure, including airports, since the war in Yemen resumed in July following a years-long truce. The Houthis are fighting a Saudi-led coalition supporting Yemen’s internationally recognised government.
The 2027 Dakar Rally was moved out of Saudi Arabia last month.
An exhibition tennis tournament due to feature Novak Đoković, Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev was postponed.
The WTA Finals were also scheduled to be held in Riyadh but will instead take place at Indian Wells in the United States.
Domestic football matches and Asian Champions League games have also been impacted.
Preparations ‘continue as planned’
The AFC faced growing pressure from Asian football associations to postpone the tournament due to fears for player and fan safety.
Following the announcement of the postponement, Yasser al-Misehal, chairman of the local organising committee, vowed that Saudi Arabia was “fully ready”.
“The tournament will move to the new dates, and our preparations will continue as planned,” he told the Saudi Press Agency.
“We’re working closely with the AFC and all our partners to make sure the tournament runs smoothly and meets the high standards expected of Saudi Arabia and the Asian Cup.”
The organisation representing South Korean players was among those that had expressed severe reservations about the competition going ahead early next year.
“The ongoing military tensions and security instability in the Middle East are issues that cannot be taken lightly,” Lee Keun-ho, president of the Korea Professional Footballers Association, said last month, according to Yonhap News Agency.
Lee added that “no tournament’s value can take precedence over the lives and safety of players and football fans.”
Additional sources • AFP