The 2027 AFC Asian Cup is still officially “on schedule,” according to Saudi Arabian organizers, despite growing fears and recent Houthi attacks that have already caused other sporting events in the country to be postponed. This is a huge statement, especially when you consider what’s actually been going down over there.
Are They Really “On Schedule”?
Local organizers made it clear in a statement late Thursday: “Preparations remain on schedule for the tournament.” They added that this work is happening “in close coordination with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and other relevant stakeholders.” The committee is sticking to its guns, saying it “remains committed to keeping preparations on track and ensuring the necessary resources are in place to deliver a tournament that reflects Saudi Arabia’s ambitions and standards as a host.” They also mentioned they will “continue to monitor developments relevant to the tournament and ensure the appropriate conditions are in place for its successful delivery.” We’re talking about a massive tournament here, set to kick off on January 7, 2027, across Jeddah, Riyadh, and Al Khobar. The draw for this thing already happened back in May, so a lot of pieces are supposedly in place.
The Real Deal: Attacks and Postponements
Here’s the rub: Saudi Arabia has been under “sustained attack in a dramatic escalation in the war with the Iran-backed Houthi group” in recent days. And this isn’t just background noise, folks. These attacks have been serious enough to force the postponement of “several sporting events, including matches in domestic football.” So, on one hand, you have domestic games getting paused, and on the other, organizers are saying the continent’s most prestigious football tournament is full steam ahead? It’s a head-scratcher. Even the AFC president, Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa, told reporters on Wednesday that the competition “could be postponed to 2028.” He even said there was “no hurry” to make a decision and they could wait until the end of November. His exact words? “We could move back a year to 2028 if we need to. But at the moment we are monitoring the situation and everything is on schedule.”
With the AFC president giving until the end of November for a final call, every week leading up to that deadline will be huge. Can Saudi organizers really pull this off as attacks continue, or will we see Asia’s biggest football tournament pushed back a whole year to 2028?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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