Riyadh, Oct 16 (IANS) The Local Organising Committee for the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 said that preparations remain on schedule for the tournament, set to kick off in January next year, despite the recent attacks in the region.
The continental tournament is scheduled from January 7 to February 5 next year across venues in Riyadh, Jeddah and Al Khobar.
On October 10, an attack targeting King Khalid International Airport in the Saudi capital Riyadh killed 12 people, leaving 309 injured. Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement claimed responsibility for the strike at the Riyadh airport, which is considered the deadliest in the kingdom in more than a decade.
“Preparations across all organisational and operational areas are progressing according to the approved schedule, including work on venues, facilities and supporting services.
“The focus remains on delivering a world-class tournament experience for participating teams, fans and media from across Asia, while bringing the continent together through football,” the organisers said in a statement.
It added, “The LOC 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.”
AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa had earlier opened the door to pushing the 2027 AFC Asian Cup back a year to 2028, with events Saudi Arabia forcing postponement of sporting event.
“At the same time, it will continue to monitor developments relevant to the tournament and ensure the appropriate conditions are in place for its successful delivery,” said the organisers.
Earleir, FIFA and the Saudi Esports Federation have postponed the FIFAe Finals 2026, originally scheduled to take place in Jeddah from 16 to 25 October, following a recent attack on Riyadh’s international airport.
Due to the deadly attack on Riyadh Airport, the Six Kings Slam tennis exhibition event in Saudi Arabia has also been postponed to December 27–30, 2026, due to logistical challenges.
