Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia could be postponed but 'no hurry' to decide: AFC

The 2027 Asian Cup, set to commence on January 7 in Saudi Arabian cities of Jeddah, Riyadh and Al Khobar, may be postponed by a year to 2028 if deemed necessary, according to AFC President Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa. This comes after a series of Houthi attacks on the country. However, the AFC president emphasized that they are not in a hurry to make a decision regarding the tournament.

The AFC president expressed during a press conference in Zurich on Wednesday that the situation in Saudi Arabia is volatile and can change rapidly. He stated that they will make a decision if required, but they could also postpone the tournament by a year to 2028. At present, the AFC is closely monitoring the situation and all plans are on schedule.

Recent occurrences include the delay of Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr's Asian Champions League match by an hour due to a missile intercepted towards Riyadh, and three matches in Saudi domestic football, including one involving Al Nassr, were postponed. Additionally, the Six Kings Slam tennis tournament, scheduled to feature top players like Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, and Alexander Zverev, has been pushed back to the end of December.

Australia, one of the 24 teams participating in the Asian Cup, is closely monitoring the situation, and the Korea Professional Footballers Association expressed serious concern about the safety of players and football fans in the Middle East.