Security concerns in Saudi Arabia threaten Asian Cup schedule

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has left open the possibility of postponing the 2027 Asian Cup to 2028 as recent attacks in Saudi Arabia continue to disrupt sporting events.

According to Reuters, AFC president Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa stated that there is currently no rush to decide on a definitive postponement of the Asian Cup. He noted that the organization will wait until the end of November to further assess the situation in Saudi Arabia.

"We can wait until the end of November. Things can change very quickly for better or worse in the region and it is question of seeing what happens," he told reporters in Zurich where the FIFA Council is meeting. "If we need to ⁠make a decision then we will, but we could move back a year to 2028 if we need to. But at the moment we are monitoring the situation and everything is on schedule."

The 2027 Asian Cup is scheduled to take place from Jan. 7 to Feb. 5, 2027, featuring 24 national teams competing across host cities Riyadh, Jeddah and Al Khobar. This upcoming edition marks the very first time for Saudi Arabia as a host, and it is considered a crucial test ahead of the nation's hosting of the 2034 World Cup.

Regional security concerns have increased following an attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Oct. 10. The severe incident left at least 12 people dead and over 300 injured, forcing the major transport hub to close until Oct. 17.

Several other high-profile sporting events in Saudi Arabia have already been affected by the regional instability. The lucrative "Six Kings Slam" exhibition tennis tournament was rescheduled from late October to late December, while the Asian Tour is closely monitoring the situation ahead of the highly anticipated golf tour Saudi International in November.

In response to the security threat, the Japan Football Association has withdrawn its national esports team from the 2026 FIFAe World Cup scheduled to be held in Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, Australia said they are closely monitoring the situation.

The Asian Cup has previously been rescheduled. The 2023 edition was initially hosted by China but was later relocated to Qatar due to strict Covid-19 restrictions and had to take place in early 2024.