Saudi organisers insist 2027 Asian Cup ‘on schedule’ despite Houthi attacks
The local organising committee for the 2027 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia has said preparations “remain on schedule” despite sustained Houthi attacks on the kingdom, pushing back against growing fears that the tournament could be postponed.
In a statement, the committee said its work continued in close coordination with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and other relevant stakeholders.
The statement comes as the security picture in the region has darkened. Saudi Arabia has in recent days come under sustained attack in a sharp escalation of its conflict with the Iran-backed Houthi group, raising questions about whether Asia’s biggest football event can go ahead as planned.
2027 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia: AFC’s end-November decision window
The AFC has already left the door open to a delay. Its president, Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa, told reporters in Zurich on Wednesday that the governing body was in “no hurry” to decide the fate of the tournament.
He said a final decision could wait until the end of November, adding: “We could move back a year to 2028 if we need to.” For now, he stressed, the AFC was monitoring the situation and everything was on schedule.
The 2027 Asian Cup is supposed to kick off on 7 January in the Saudi cities of Jeddah, Riyadh and Al Khobar. The tournament has been moved before — China gave up the 2023 hosting rights and Qatar staged that edition in 2024.
Security backdrop: postponed matches and wider disruption
The attacks have already disrupted sport inside the kingdom. Several matches in Saudi domestic football were postponed this week, including one involving Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr, whose Asian Champions League fixture was also delayed by an hour after a missile was intercepted on its way towards Riyadh.
The fallout has spread beyond football. The Six Kings Slam exhibition tennis tournament, due to feature Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev, has been pushed back to the end of December. Australia, one of the 24 teams set to play at the Asian Cup, said this week it was closely monitoring the situation, while South Korea’s players’ body warned of “serious concern regarding the safety of all players”.
The recent escalation follows a series of Houthi strikes on Saudi airports and energy sites in recent months, including attacks that left civilian casualties at Abha and Riyadh airports and strikes on Jizan and Najran.
For its part, the organising committee said it remained committed to keeping preparations on track with the resources needed to meet its ambitions as a host. It also promised to keep monitoring developments relevant to the tournament and to make sure the right conditions were in place for its successful delivery.
What happens next
For now, both the organisers and the AFC are working on parallel tracks: preparations continue, while the governing body keeps its options open. The end of November is the clearest marker on the calendar — the point by which the AFC says it must know whether January kick-off is viable or whether the 2028 fallback comes into play.
Any decision will turn on how the security situation develops over the next six weeks. Sheikh Salman noted that things in the region could change quickly in either direction, and that the AFC would watch and decide accordingly.
Is the 2027 Asian Cup still on schedule?
Yes, according to the local organising committee, which said preparations “remain on schedule” in coordination with the AFC.
Could the Asian Cup be moved to 2028?
The AFC has not ruled it out. President Sheikh Salman said the tournament could move back a year “if we need to”, with a final decision possible by the end of November.
When does the 2027 Asian Cup begin?
The tournament is scheduled to kick off on 7 January 2027 in Jeddah, Riyadh and Al Khobar.
Which matches have already been postponed in Saudi Arabia?
Several domestic football matches were postponed this week, Al Nassr’s Asian Champions League match was delayed by an hour, and the Six Kings Slam tennis exhibition was pushed to the end of December.
*Source: The Express Tribune | Dawn*
