The Asian Football Confederation has postponed the 2027 Asian Cup by almost a year because of the conflict in the Middle East. The AFC issued a statement Tuesday saying after extensive consultations with Saudi organizers it had decided to push the tournament kickoff back from 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. “Exceptional circumstances have been created for the organization and delivery of the competition as originally scheduled, making the postponement necessary in the interest of all participating teams, officials, spectators and other stakeholders.” The new dates — Dec. 23, 2027 to Jan. 21, 2028 — will be submitted to FIFA for approval.
