2027 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia postponed to December
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Leadership
The Asian Football Confederation has postponed the 2027 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia, now scheduled for 23 December 2027 to 21 January 2028. The tournament was originally due to run from 7 January to 5 February 2027; the federation cited exceptional regional circumstances and must submit the new schedule to FIFA for approval, reports Leadership.
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has moved the 2027 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia from 7 January–5 February to 23 December 2027–21 January 2028. The AFC cited exceptional regional circumstances, including logistical difficulties and travel disruption. The revised schedule must be submitted to FIFA for approval.
The tournament will bring together 24 teams. The postponement will prevent Premier League clubs from losing their Asian players for part of the 2027-28 season. Several Japanese internationals playing in England would have been affected by the original dates, including Liverpool’s Wataru Endo and Crystal Palace’s Daichi Kamada. If Japan had reached the final, Aston Villa could have been without goalkeeper Zion Suzuki for at least seven matches.
The tournament has been postponed for the second consecutive time: the 2023 edition, scheduled to be held in China, was moved to Qatar and played in 2024 because of the Covid-19 pandemic. The original schedule for the Saudi edition ran from 7 January to 5 February 2027.
The decision comes amid disruption to sporting events in Saudi Arabia. The Six Kings Slam tennis event in Riyadh and the Asian Tour’s season-ending golf tournament have also recently been cancelled or postponed. On 2 November, the Saudi-led coalition announced that it had intercepted a Houthi missile targeting Saudi Arabia.
