Saudi Security Situation Casts Doubt Over 2027 Asian Cup, Warns Japan Football Chief

The ongoing security situation in Saudi Arabia will make it difficult for the country to host next year's Asian Cup football tournament as scheduled, Japan Football Association President Tsuneyasu Miyamoto has warned. His remarks have raised fresh questions about the continental tournament's future.

The 2027 Asian Cup is due to take place in Saudi Arabia from January 7 to February 5 next year. However, several major sporting events in Saudi Arabia have already been cancelled or postponed amid escalating attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis.

Speaking to reporters at the Asian Football Confederation's (AFC) extraordinary congress in Tokyo, Miyamoto said: 'Based on what I've learned from the news, the situation is still unsafe, so at this point, I don't think it would be easy to hold the Asian Cup there.'

Miyamoto said he had met the Saudi side, and they told him their top priority is the safety of the players, the fans and everyone who would attend the tournament.

He said the Saudi side mentioned it would work with the AFC to decide whether the tournament can go ahead, and that the decision would take some time. In other words, the final decision remains pending.

Asian football chief Salman bin Ibrahim Al-Khalifa said last week that a postponement until 2028 remained a possibility if necessary. However, the local organising committee later said it was sticking to the original schedule.

'Preparations across all organisational and operational areas are progressing according to the approved schedule, including work on venues, facilities and supporting services,' the organising committee said in a statement last week. It said it would ensure the appropriate conditions are in place for the tournament's successful delivery.

The security impact has not been limited to football. Earlier this month, golf's Asian Tour postponed the Saudi International indefinitely and cycling's Urban World Championships were cancelled, following a deadly attack on Riyadh's international airport that killed at least 12 people and wounded more than 300.

Other events have also been disrupted. The Six Kings Slam exhibition tennis tournament in Riyadh was moved from October to December, while FIFA postponed the FIFAe Finals 2026 video game competition in Jeddah until an unspecified date.

The Saudi government has invested heavily in sport through its Public Investment Fund (PIF) in recent years. The Asian Cup had been pitched as an early rehearsal for hosting the FIFA World Cup in 2034.

The uncertainty over the Asian Cup is therefore about more than one tournament; it also matters for Saudi Arabia's wider sporting plans. Miyamoto's remarks suggest that keeping to the schedule will be difficult unless the safety of players and fans can be guaranteed.

Attention now turns to the joint decision of the AFC and the Saudi organisers. Whether the tournament goes ahead on time, is postponed, or moves venue, football fans will have to wait a little longer to find out.