2027 ASIAN CUP POSTPONED TO DECEMBER 2027 OVER REGIONAL SECURITY CONCERNS

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Agency Report

The 2027 Asian Cup, scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia, has been postponed from January to December 2027 due to what the continent’s football governing body described as “exceptional circumstances” in the region.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) announced the decision on Tuesday, citing security concerns, logistical challenges and travel disruptions.

The postponement comes amid a series of cancellations and rescheduling of major sporting events in Saudi Arabia in recent weeks following Houthi attacks on the country.

In a statement, the AFC said its organising committee had approved the rescheduling of the tournament in view of developments in the region.

“The organising committee for AFC Asian Cup approved rescheduling the flagship national team tournament in light of the current exceptional circumstances arising from developments in the region,” the statement read.

The continental football competition was initially scheduled to hold from January 7 to February 5, 2027. However, the new dates have been fixed for December 23, 2027, to January 21, 2028.

The AFC added that the revised schedule would be submitted to FIFA for approval.

Local organisers had insisted last month that preparations for the tournament were proceeding as planned, despite growing concerns over its status.

The month-long competition is expected to take place across three Saudi cities: Jeddah, Riyadh and Al Khobar.

According to the AFC, the decision followed extensive discussions and consultations with Saudi officials, with the postponement considered necessary in the interest of participating teams, officials, spectators and other stakeholders.

The governing body said the circumstances surrounding the tournament had made it difficult to organise the competition as originally scheduled.

AFP