Asian Cup Postponed to December 2027 Amid Saudi Attacks

The Asian Cup postponed decision is now official: the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said on Tuesday, November 3, that the 2027 finals in Saudi Arabia will be played from December 23, 2027 to January 21, 2028, instead of January 7 to February 5, 2027. The new dates still need FIFA approval.

In a statement, the AFC said its Asian Cup organising committee approved the change after talks with the local organisers and the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, citing exceptional circumstances in the region, major logistical complications and travel disruption.

Why the tournament was moved

BBC Sport linked the decision to a series of deadly attacks on the host country. In October, a missile attack by Yemen's Houthi movement on Riyadh's airport killed 13 people and wounded more than 300, the BBC reported. Other events in Saudi Arabia have also been hit:

• the Six Kings Slam tennis exhibition in Riyadh was cancelled;
• the Asian Tour indefinitely postponed its season-ending golf event, set for November 18-21.

It is the second Asian Cup in a row to be moved. The 2023 edition was shifted to 2024 and relocated from China to Qatar because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

What it means for Thailand

The Football Association of Thailand said it had been officially informed of the new schedule, Workpoint News reported. Thailand's War Elephants are in Group F with Japan, Qatar and Indonesia, a tough draw that includes one of the tournament favourites and a Southeast Asian rival.

The format is unchanged. The 24 teams are split into six groups of four. The top two in each group and the four best third-placed teams go through to the round of 16. That gives Thailand a realistic path to the knockouts even if Japan top the group.

The extra 11 months also give coaches more time to prepare squads and could change which players are fit and in form when the finals begin.

Relief for European clubs

The new dates still fall partly in the middle of the European season, but the move means the tournament will no longer clash with this season's January and February fixtures. BBC Sport noted that Aston Villa goalkeeper Zion Suzuki, Liverpool's Wataru Endo and other Japan internationals in England would have been expected to miss club games. Manchester City defender Abdukodir Khusanov of Uzbekistan is also among those affected.

What happens next

The AFC will present the revised dates to FIFA. Fans who have made plans around the original January 2027 dates should wait for confirmation of the final match schedule.

For more football, read our Ratchaburi vs Vissel Kobe preview, our report on Arsenal's win at Anfield and background on the regional conflict and Iran-US talks.

Photo: Main entrance of King Fahd International Stadium, Riyadh, by Meshari Alawfi / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0.