WorldGulf
Saudi Arabia says Asian Cup is on track, but AFC chief keeps a 2028 move open
The tournament is due to open in Riyadh on 7 January. With Houthi missiles hitting Saudi airports, the AFC's president said a final call could wait until the end of November.
Key points
- Saudi organisers say preparations for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup remain on schedule.
- AFC president Sheikh Salman said the tournament could move to 2028.
- A final decision could wait until the end of November.
Saudi Arabia’s organising committee said on Friday that preparations for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup were on schedule, even as Houthi missiles and drones keep hitting the kingdom’s airports.
The tournament is due to start on 7 January, with matches in Riyadh, Jeddah and Al Khobar. But Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, president of the Asian Football Confederation, said a final decision on whether it goes ahead as planned could wait until the end of November, and that the event could be moved to 2028.
The uncertainty reflects how far the Yemen war has spilled into Saudi life. King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh has been attacked 20 times since 1 October, according to the Saudi-led coalition, which says Houthi strikes on Saudi airports have killed 19 people.
Other events have already been pushed back. The Six Kings Slam tennis exhibition in Riyadh has been moved to 27 December for what organisers called “logistical reasons”. The Asian Tour postponed the Saudi International golf tournament, which had been set for 18 to 21 November, citing “logistical challenges”.
The Future Investment Initiative, Riyadh’s flagship business forum, is still due to run from 26 to 29 October, but with hybrid attendance and alternative travel routes through Bahrain and Qatar.
Airlines and governments remain wary. France has kept its advice against travel through the airports of Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam, and SriLankan Airlines has extended its suspension of flights to Saudi Arabia until 24 October.