How Asian Cup postponement will affect Europe’s big leagues as well as Gulf football

The Asian Cup 2027, originally scheduled to take place from January 7 to February 5 next year in Saudi Arabia, has been postponed due to security concerns in the region. The competition will now commence on December 23, 2027, with the final on January 21, 2028. This delay is expected to have far-reaching implications for football leagues across Europe and the Gulf.

The postponement of the Asian Cup will necessitate a reshuffle of domestic seasons, as many matches were planned to coincide with the competition's dates. The UAE Pro League, for instance, has already adjusted its fixture list for January and February, when the Asian Cup was originally set to be played. Similarly, other Asian national federations have devised workarounds to accommodate the new schedule, with the AFC Champions League Elite being truncated last season due to the Iran war.

The rescheduled Asian Cup will still pose logistical challenges, but the organizers may benefit from the improved infrastructure developed for the 2034 World Cup. This tournament, set to be hosted in Saudi Arabia, will feature 24 national teams and include two newly redeveloped stadiums in Riyadh and the Aramco Stadium in Khobar.

One potential silver lining of the postponement is the increased availability of key players for their clubs. In the English Premier League, for example, Manchester City would have been without defender Abdukodir Khusanov for an extended period. Additionally, stars like Zion Suzuki, Kaoru Mitoma, Daichi Kamada, and Takehiro Tomiyasu will be free to play for their respective clubs. This development may be particularly beneficial for clubs in Italy and Spain, which have a significant number of Asian players.

The UAE national team, which was set to face significant competition at the Asian Cup, will also gain from the postponement. Coach Zlatko Dalic, who led the team to the Gulf Cup final, will have more time to prepare the squad. Moreover, several players representing the UAE in domestic leagues will become available for selection via FIFA's eligibility rules, providing the team with a larger pool of talent to choose from.