The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) announced the decision on November 3, moving the 24-team competition from its original January 7–February 5, 2027 schedule. The revised dates will be submitted to FIFA for approval.
The tournament’s organizing committee said the decision was made in response to “exceptional circumstances” arising from developments in the region, including significant logistical challenges and travel disruptions. It said the original schedule could no longer be maintained under the circumstances and that rescheduling was necessary in the interests of participating teams, officials, spectators and other stakeholders.
The announcement follows weeks of uncertainty over whether Saudi Arabia could safely host the tournament as planned. The country has faced a series of attacks, including a strike on Riyadh’s international airport last month that killed at least 12 people and injured more than 300. Yemen’s Houthi movement claimed responsibility for the attack.
The security situation has also affected other sporting events in the kingdom. The Asian Tour postponed the Saudi International golf tournament indefinitely, while the Urban Cycling World Championships were cancelled. The Six Kings Slam tennis exhibition in Riyadh was moved from October to December, and FIFA postponed the FIFAe Finals 2026, which had been scheduled to take place in Jeddah.
Saudi Arabia is due to host the Asian Cup for the first time. The tournament will feature 24 national teams competing across eight stadiums in Riyadh, Jeddah and Al Khobar.
Uzbekistan has qualified for the competition and was drawn in Group B alongside Jordan, Bahrain and North Korea. The national team’s group-stage fixtures had been scheduled for January 2027, but the revised tournament dates mean the match calendar will have to be adjusted.
The Asian Cup was also expected to serve as an early test of Saudi Arabia’s preparations to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup.
