Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia postponed to December over regional security

The 2027 Asian Cup football tournament in Saudi Arabia will be postponed from January to December due to "exceptional circumstances" in the region, the continent's governing body said on Tuesday. A number of sports events in Saudi Arabia have been cancelled or postponed in recent weeks following Houthi attacks on the country. The Asian Cup was originally scheduled to take place from 7 January to 5 February next year. The new dates for the continental showpiece are 23 December 2027 to 21 January 2028. "The organising committee for AFC Asian Cup approved to reschedule the flagship national team tournament in light of the current exceptional circumstances arising from developments in the region," the Asian Football Confederation said in a statement.