Asian Football Confederation Postpones Saudi Arabia's Asian Cup to 2028

The Asian Cup football finals, which were scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia in January and February of next year, have been postponed to December and the beginning of 2028 due to "developments in the region," according to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

In a statement, the AFC said: "The Asian Cup Organizing Committee agreed to reschedule the continental national team tournament in light of current exceptional circumstances resulting from developments in the region, including significant logistical complexities and travel disruptions. The new dates for the tournament will be submitted to the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) for approval."

The continental body revealed that the decision was made "following intensive discussions and close consultations with the Local Organizing Committee for the 2027 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia and the Saudi Arabian Football Federation."

This decision comes amid security threats arising from the repercussions of the US war on Iran and military escalation between Saudi Arabia and the Yemeni Ansar Allah movement.

"These exceptional circumstances led to challenges affecting the organization and hosting of competitions according to the original schedule, making the postponement of the tournament necessary to serve the interests of all participating teams, officials, fans, and other stakeholders," according to the AFC statement.