Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia still on, organisers say, but golf tour postponed

What the report says

Local organisers say the 24-team AFC Asian Cup remains on schedule to be held in Saudi Arabia from January 7 to February 5, 2027, despite growing disruption to the kingdom’s sporting calendar after a series of attacks in and around Riyadh. In a statement on Friday, the local organising committee said preparations were continuing across venues, facilities and support services, and that it would keep monitoring developments to ensure conditions are suitable for the tournament.

The reassurance comes as several other events have been affected. The Asian Tour has postponed the Saudi International golf tournament, which was due to take place at Riyadh Golf Club in November, saying it faced logistical and organisational challenges after recent security incidents. Earlier this week, Saudi Pro League matches were delayed or postponed, and FIFA also pushed back its FIFAe Finals video game competition in Jeddah.

Reuters, cited by Al Jazeera, reported that the uncertainty followed a deadly attack on Riyadh’s airport that was claimed by Yemen’s Houthi movement. Australian authorities have also advised travellers to reconsider trips to Saudi Arabia, while AusCycling withdrew its team from the urban cycling world championships in Riyadh over safety concerns. The Asian Cup is significant because Saudi Arabia has invested heavily in sport and views the tournament as part of its wider preparations to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup.