Asian football tournament postponed
The Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia moves from early 2027 to late 2027 and early 2028.
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The Asian Football Confederation is postponing the Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia by almost a year. The tournament will now be held from 23 December 2027 to 21 January 2028.
The Asian Football Confederation decided on Tuesday to postpone the Asian Cup. The tournament was originally due to be played in Saudi Arabia from 7 January to 5 February 2027.
The new schedule runs from 23 December 2027 to 21 January 2028. The AFC says the decision was taken after consultations with the organisers and the Saudi football association.
The reason is the deteriorating security situation around Saudi Arabia. According to reports by AP, there have been fatal attacks in recent times, while other sporting events in the country have also been postponed or altered.
The AFC has announced new match dates. The confederation has not announced that Saudi Arabia will lose its status as host country. The tournament therefore remains assigned to the country, but will take place at a different time.
The change affects national teams, competitions and clubs. The Saudi Pro League has already said that one round of matches will be rescheduled. Associations must also adjust their preparations, player availability and travel plans.
For European viewers, the tournament is particularly relevant because of the international football calendar and the participation of players contracted to European clubs. The exact consequences for individual clubs and players are not yet known.
The postponement shows that the security situation is now also affecting major sporting events. The decision itself says nothing about responsibility for the attacks; the AFC has primarily established that the circumstances made the original timetable no longer responsible or feasible.
The new playing period may raise questions about the safety of supporters, teams and staff, and about its fit with domestic leagues.
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The AFC confirms the new dates and Saudi Arabia's retention as host country. The text distinguishes the organisational decision from unconfirmed attributions concerning the attacks.
- confirmed The Asian Cup has been postponed from January 2027 to 23 December 2027 to 21 January 2028. — The AFC publishes the new match dates. source
- confirmed The Saudi Pro League is rescheduling one round of matches. — The league says this in its own statement. source
- confirmed Saudi Arabia remains the host country. — The AFC page calls the tournament AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027. source
Editor's note
The new match dates and the AFC's decision have been directly confirmed. The precise security incidents behind the decision are not fully detailed in the sources; the text is therefore cautious about responsibility.Sources
- AFC Asian Cup — Asian Football Confederation
- Asian Football Confederation postpones the 2027 Asian Cup — Associated Press
- Matchweek 13 to be rescheduled following decision to postpone 2027 Asian Cup — Saudi Pro League
More on this in Dutch media
- AD — „asian cup”
- de Volkskrant — „asian cup”
- RTL Nieuws — „asian cup”