The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) announced on Tuesday that the AFC Asian Cup scheduled for Saudi Arabia has been postponed.
This decision comes in light of recent attacks in the region that have resulted in significant logistical challenges and travel disruptions.
Originally set to take place from January 7 to February 5, 2027, the tournament will now be held from December 23, 2027, to January 21, 2028. This change follows extensive discussions between the local organizing committee and the SAFF.
The announcement comes just a week after the AFC and the organizing committee revealed the tournament venues and schedule. In a statement, the AFC noted that the organizing committee approved the rescheduling due to the extraordinary circumstances in the region, including logistics issues and travel interruptions. The new dates will be submitted to FIFA for approval.
The decision follows a tragic attack on October 10 at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, which left 12 people dead and 309 injured. The Iran-backed Houthi movement claimed responsibility for this deadly assault, marking it as one of the most lethal attacks in Saudi Arabia in over a decade.
The statement emphasized that conditions had become too challenging to proceed with the tournament as originally planned. It was deemed necessary to postpone the event in the interest of all participating teams, officials, fans, and other stakeholders.
Following the attack at Riyadh airport, questions arose regarding the feasibility of hosting the tournament on schedule. Despite this, the local organizing committee initially maintained that preparations were ongoing and that the event would commence as planned in January. Additionally, FIFA and the Saudi Esports Federation recently postponed the FIFA eWorld Cup Finals 2026, which was slated to occur in Jeddah from October 16 to 25.
Due to the same security concerns, the “Six Kings Slam” tennis exhibition event in Saudi Arabia has also been rescheduled to December 27-30, 2026, due to logistical complications.