The Asian Cup 2027 could be postponed until 2028 if security concerns in Saudi Arabia worsen, with Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa confirming that organisers are monitoring developments before making a final decision.
The continental tournament will start on January 7, 2027 in Riyadh, Jeddah and Al Khobar. But, in recent years, the Houthis have fired upon the city and the general tension in the region has left people wondering if the competition will go ahead as planned.
The AFC is not pressing for the future of the tournament and may wait until the end of November to review the situation, Sheikh Salman told reporters in Zurich Wednesday. He admitted that the date could be pushed back a year if needed, but said work was proceeding right on schedule.
The sporting calendar in Saudi Arabia has had new disruptions which have fueled concerns. Al Nassr had to wait an hour for their Asian Champions League game on Monday because of tensions in the region. Three Saudi local football matches were also cancelled this week, one of which was for Al Nassr.
Its effects are not limited to the sport of football. Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev were set to appear in the Six Kings Slam exhibition tennis tournament, which was postponed due to the recent schedule changes to the TCA. The Six Kings Slam exhibition tennis tournament, which was to feature Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev, was delayed due to the recent changes in the TCA schedule.
Among the 24 sides scheduled to take part in the Asian Cup, Australia is “closely tracking” the situation, it said. South Korea’s professional footballers’ association has also issued a warning about the safety of players going to the tournament.
