Asian Cup 2027 schedule remains unchanged as AFC reviews Saudi Arabia plans

The 2027 AFC Asian Cup remains scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia, but uncertainty has returned over whether the tournament could be moved to 2028 after AFC president Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa declined to rule out a change.

Discussions about a possible postponement were raised by broadcaster Batal Al-Qous on his programme Fi Al-Marmى, following media reports that the competition could be delayed by an additional year.

However, Al-Qous stressed that the idea remains speculation and that the Asian Football Confederation has made no official announcement confirming any alteration to the tournament’s dates.

Al Khalifa has previously acknowledged that the Asian Cup could be staged in 2028 if circumstances required it. He said the AFC was not under pressure to rush its decision and was continuing to monitor developments before determining the competition’s final schedule.

Despite the renewed debate, preparations in Saudi Arabia are continuing according to the original timetable. The AFC and the local organising committee announced on 26 October that they had approved the tournament’s match schedule and the stadiums that will host the games.

The competition is currently due to run from 7 January to 5 February 2027.

That announcement has kept the original dates at the centre of the issue, while reports about a potential postponement continue to circulate. The two developments leave open more than one possible outcome, but they do not indicate that the AFC has formally decided to move the tournament.

No official change has been made to the schedule, with the Asian Cup still expected to begin in January next year. The final decision will depend on what the continental governing body announces in the coming period.

The situation therefore remains defined by the contrast between Al Khalifa’s comments, which leave open the possibility of a 2028 tournament, and the practical preparations already under way in Saudi Arabia for the event to be held in 2027.

A separate fixture listing included in the report shows Saudi Arabia scheduled to face South Korea in a friendly on 13 November 2026.