FILE - Asia Football Confederation President Salman Bin Ibrahim Al-Khalifa, left, poses with FIFA President Gianni Infantino during an inauguration ceremony for the new building of the Asia Football Confederation in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2018. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian, File)
Asian Football Confederation postpones the 2027 Asian Cup because of conflict in the Middle East
Nov 3, 2026 | 12:40 AM
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KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — The Asian Football Confederation has postponed the 2027 Asian Cup by almost a year because of the conflict in the Middle East and security concerns in Saudi Arabia.
The AFC issued a statement Tuesday saying after extensive consultations with Saudi organizers it had decided to push the tournament kickoff back from a Jan. 7 to Dec. 23.
The organizing committee “approved to reschedule the flagship national team tournament in light of the current exceptional circumstances arising from developments in the region, including substantial logistical complexities and travel disruptions,” the AFC said in a statement.
The new dates — Dec. 23, 2027 to Jan. 21, 2028, will be submitted to FIFA for approval.
