Asian Cup 2027 in Saudi Arabia moved from January to December amid regional conflict, now starting 23 December

The Asian Cup 2027 in Saudi Arabia, which was due to start in January, has been rescheduled to December. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) confirmed the decision was taken because of the ongoing conflict in the region.

The 24-team competition was due to get under way in Riyadh on 7 January 2027. In a statement on Tuesday, the AFC said the tournament will now begin on 23 December 2027.

Under the new schedule, the competition will run from 23 December 2027 to 21 January 2028.

The AFC said the decision followed extensive discussions and close consultation with the Local Organising Committee of the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 and the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF).

The statement added that the organising committee approved the rescheduling in light of the exceptional circumstances arising from developments in the region, including substantial logistical complexities and travel disruptions.

Saudi Arabia has repeatedly come under attack from Yemen's Houthis since September, with the capital Riyadh among the cities repeatedly targeted by missiles, according to the material.

The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen reported on Friday that it intercepted and destroyed a drone launched by the Houthis towards Saudi Arabia's Mecca region. A missile aimed at western Saudi Arabia was also earlier brought down, as hostilities continue.

The tournament's fate hung in the balance in past weeks, with several participating nations expressing concerns about the security situation.

The AFC said that while exceptional circumstances had been created for organising and delivering the competition as originally scheduled, the postponement became necessary in the interest of all participating teams, officials, spectators and other stakeholders.

The governing body said it will submit the new tournament dates to FIFA, football's global governing body, for approval.