Asian Cup 2027 in doubt as AFC weighs one-year delay amid Houthi attacks

AFC chief says the Saudi-hosted tournament could slip to 2028 “if we need to”, but insists preparations remain on track for now

The 2027 AFC Asian Cup could be pushed back by a full year after a wave of Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia raised serious questions over the safety of players, officials and fans. It is Asia’s biggest football showpiece and the first edition to be staged in the kingdom.

Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa told reporters in Zurich on Wednesday that moving the tournament to 2028 remains on the table if the security situation demands it. The Bahraini official also made clear that the continental body is not rushing into a decision. He said the AFC can afford to wait until the end of November before making a final call. For now, he stressed, the AFC is monitoring developments and the event remains on schedule.

*A tournament under the shadow of conflict*

The 24-team tournament is scheduled to kick off on January 7, 2027, with matches spread across eight stadiums in three cities: Riyadh, Jeddah and Al Khobar. For Saudi Arabia, the event was meant to be a major dress rehearsal for the 2034 FIFA World Cup, which the kingdom will also host.

Those plans have been overshadowed by a sharp escalation in the conflict between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement. Earlier this week, a strike on Riyadh’s international airport killed at least 12 people and injured more than 300, according to Reuters. The Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack, which is being described as the deadliest in the kingdom in more than a decade.

*Saudi football already feeling the impact*

The disruption is already real. Cristiano Ronaldo’s club Al Nassr saw its AFC Champions League fixture held up by an hour on Monday after Saudi authorities reported intercepting a missile aimed at Riyadh. Three matches in the Saudi domestic league, including one involving Al Nassr, were also postponed this week.

The effects have spread well beyond football:

• The Six Kings Slam exhibition tennis event has been moved from October to December 27-30.

• The FIFAe Finals 2026 have been postponed.

• Golf’s Asian Tour says it is keeping a close eye on the security picture ahead of the Saudi International in Riyadh.

*Participating nations voice concern*

Pressure is also building from the teams themselves. Australia, one of the 24 qualified sides, confirmed this week that it is closely monitoring the situation in Saudi Arabia.

The strongest reaction so far has come from South Korea. The Korea Professional Footballers Association (KPFA) raised serious concern over the safety of every player due to take part. Its president, Lee Keun-ho, said the military tensions in the region “cannot be taken lightly”. He added that the lives and safety of players and supporters must come before any tournament.

*Why the AFC is holding its nerve*

The AFC’s cautious, wait-and-see approach reflects the enormous stakes involved. Shifting a 24-team championship by a full year is no small task. Broadcasters, sponsors, national federations and clubs have all planned around a January 2027 window. Any delay would force a complete reshuffle of an already congested international calendar.

A move to 2028 would also put Asia’s flagship tournament in the same year as the Los Angeles Olympics. That would add further scheduling headaches for federations whose players are involved in multiple competitions.

There is a leadership dimension as well. Sheikh Salman has led Asian football since 2013 and is serving his final four-year term, which is due to end in 2027. A postponement would mean the tournament he helped award to Saudi Arabia could be staged after his tenure ends.

Saudi Arabia was confirmed as host at the AFC Congress in Manama in 2023, after India, Iran, Qatar and Uzbekistan withdrew from the bidding race. That left the kingdom as the sole candidate.

*The defending champions*

Qatar head into the tournament as two-time defending champions. The previous edition, branded as Qatar 2023, was played in early 2024 after being relocated from China. The hosts lifted the trophy on home soil to retain the title they first won in 2019.

*What comes next*

All eyes now turn to the end of November, the informal deadline the AFC has set itself. Until then, the confederation will weigh security assessments, the views of participating federations and the position of the Saudi hosts.

If the region stabilises, the Asian Cup could still go ahead as planned in January. If not, Asian football may have to wait an extra year for its biggest celebration. Such a decision would show how deeply the region’s conflicts now reach into the world of sport.