Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa has said the Asian Cup scheduled to begin in Saudi Arabia on January 7, 2027, could be postponed until 2028 because of the security situation. The tournament is planned for Jeddah, Riyadh and Al Khobar, but the AFC chief said there is no rush to make a decision about whether the event should be delayed.
Possible postponement under consideration
The comments put a possible change to the tournament calendar on the table, but do not amount to confirmation that the competition will be moved. Sheikh Salman said the Asian Cup could be postponed until 2028, while also making clear that the matter does not need to be decided immediately. The tournament remains scheduled for January 2027 unless and until a change is announced.
The reason identified for considering a delay is the security situation. The information reported so far does not specify the particular concerns involved, describe how they may affect the tournament, or identify any alternative arrangements. Sheikh Salman’s remarks indicate that the possibility of postponement is being considered, but the timing of any decision remains open.
The distinction between a possible delay and a confirmed change is important for the event’s status. Saudi Arabia is still the host in the current schedule, and January 7 remains the stated start date. A move to 2028 is a potential option rather than a finalized plan, according to the available details.
Saudi Arabia remains the scheduled host
The 2027 tournament is planned across three Saudi cities: Jeddah, Riyadh and Al Khobar. The schedule identifies January 7 as the start of the competition. No replacement date or revised venue plan has been announced in the information provided alongside the AFC president’s comments.
The discussion is therefore about whether the event should proceed on its existing timetable, not about a confirmed relocation to another country. The reports say the tournament could be postponed until 2028, but do not indicate that the host nation or the three planned cities have changed. Any alteration to those arrangements would require a separate announcement, and none is described in the available reporting.
Coverage by Ratopati and Nepal Press similarly frames the change as a possibility linked to security concerns. Neither report, as reflected in the details available here, gives a final decision or a timetable for reaching one.
No immediate decision indicated
Sheikh Salman’s statement that there is no rush to decide leaves the question unresolved. It signals that the AFC is not presenting an immediate postponement as settled, while keeping a 2028 delay among the possibilities. No further details have been provided about what factors would determine the final decision or when the AFC might revisit the issue.
For now, the key dates and locations remain those in the existing plan: the Asian Cup is due to start on January 7, 2027, in Jeddah, Riyadh and Al Khobar. The possibility of a delay is tied to the security situation, but the available information does not establish that the tournament will be postponed. Until the AFC announces a change, the 2027 schedule remains the stated plan.
