AFC Asian Cup 2027 postponed to December amid middle east crisis
The 2027 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia has been rescheduled to December 23, 2027 – January 21, 2028, subject to FIFA approval.
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) confirmed the new dates on Tuesday. The 24-team tournament was due to start on January 7, 2027, so the delay is nearly a year.
The AFC said its organising committee approved the move “in light of the current exceptional circumstances arising from developments in the region, including substantial logistical complexities and travel disruptions.”
The decision followed consultations with the local organising committee and the Saudi Arabian Football Federation.
It comes after a wave of Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia that forced several events to be postponed, including Saudi Pro League fixtures and the Saudi International golf tournament.
AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa had said in October that a one-year delay was possible.
Saudi organisers said preparations would continue at the same pace. It will be the kingdom’s first Asian Cup as host, with matches in Riyadh, Jeddah and Al Khobar.
India: a campaign that ended early
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India will not be there. In Group C, only the group winner went through, and the Blue Tigers never recovered from a poor start.
They opened with a goalless draw against Bangladesh, then lost 1-0 to Hong Kong, China, due to a stoppage-time penalty. Khalid Jamil took over as head coach in the middle of the campaign.
His first big test came in Singapore, where ten-man India salvaged a 1-1 draw through Rahim Ali’s late equaliser.
The return fixture in Goa ended the qualification hopes. Singapore won 2-1, and India were eliminated for the first time since the 2015 cycle.
A 1-0 loss away to Bangladesh followed, and India closed the campaign with a 2-1 win over Hong Kong. Singapore topped the group and booked their place.
What the delay changes
For India, the postponement is more a reset than a reprieve. A tournament nearly a year later means a longer window to rebuild without a continental deadline.
How Jamil and the AIFF use it, with friendlies, camps and squad planning, will say more about the next cycle than anything at this tournament.
The AFC will now submit the new dates to FIFA.
When will the AFC Asian Cup 2027 take place now?
The AFC Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia has been rescheduled to December 23, 2027, to January 21, 2028, subject to FIFA approval.
Why has the AFC Asian Cup 2027 been postponed?
The AFC cited exceptional circumstances in the region, including logistical complexities and travel disruptions, as the reasons behind the postponement.
Has India qualified for the AFC Asian Cup 2027?
No, India failed to qualify for the tournament after finishing their campaign behind Singapore in Group C of the qualifiers.
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