Asian Cup postponed until December 2027 due to Saudi Arabia unrest

The 2027 Asian Cup, set to begin on January 7, has been postponed for nearly a year due to attacks on Saudi Arabia, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has announced. The rescheduling, attributed to "exceptional circumstances," affects 24 teams participating in the tournament. The original plan to hold the competition from January 7 to February 18, 2027, has now been adjusted to December 23, 2027, to January 21, 2028.

The AFC will seek approval for the new dates from FIFA. The decision aims to safeguard the interests of participating teams, officials, spectators, and other stakeholders. Several Premier League players, such as Zion Suzuki, Abdukodir Khusanov, and Lucas Herrington, would have had to miss their club seasons to compete but can now focus on their respective teams.

Travel disruptions and security concerns have impacted other sporting events in Saudi Arabia, including the postponement of the Six Kings Slam tennis tournament to December. However, some sporting events, like the world title bout between Saul Canelo Alvarez and Christian Mbilli, continued in Riyadh.