The Asian Cup is still set to open in Riyadh on 7 January. The AFC says the decision can wait until the end of November.
Asia's biggest tournament is three months away, fully scheduled and still unconfirmed: what is fixed, what the missiles have already disrupted, and why the AFC will not decide before the end of November.
What is already fixed
Twenty-four teams, eight stadiums, three cities — Riyadh, Jeddah and Khobar — from 7 January to 5 February 1.
Five of the venues are in the capital, which stages 31 matches, including the final on 5 February at the 72,000-seat King Fahd Sports City Stadium 12.
The opening match is Saudi Arabia against Palestine in Group A in Riyadh, kicking off at 8pm local time, noon ET, 9am PT, on Thursday 7 January 13.
Iran play China in Riyadh on 9 January, Australia meet Singapore in Khobar the same day, and South Korea open against Yemen on 10 January 14.
What has already broken
More than a week of missile and drone attacks by Yemen's Houthi movement has killed at least 19 people in Saudi Arabia, including foreigners 4.
The strikes hit Riyadh's international airport, the headquarters of the state oil company Aramco, and aviation, oil and military sites across the kingdom 4.
Al-Nassr's Champions League match against Neftchi Fergana on 12 October started an hour late after a missile alert in Riyadh 5.
Last week Al-Nassr's home game against Al-Wasl was postponed after the Emirati club declined to travel, and the AFC has yet to name a new date 16.
Three Saudi Pro League fixtures were pushed back. The WTA Finals moved from Riyadh to Indian Wells, and a BMX qualifier for the 2028 Olympics was cancelled.
The Six Kings Slam tennis exhibition was postponed to 27-30 December 7.
Who is asking the questions
Fifpro Asia/Oceania, the regional arm of the global players' union, called safety "the priority and the central consideration in the planning and delivery" of the tournament 2.
The head of South Korea's players' union, Lee Keun-ho, said the safety of "our national team, as well as all players participating in the Asian Cup, is a serious concern" 4.
Football Australia said it is monitoring the situation, with the Australian government still advising travellers to reconsider their need to go 2.
What the organisers say
Saudi Arabia's organising committee said on 16 October that preparations were "progressing according to the approved schedule", venues and supporting services included 4.
Its spokesman, Muhammed Q. Alghamdi, told an AFC meeting in Tokyo that "daily life is ongoing in Saudi Arabia", adding: "Our job is to be ready, and we will be ready" 1.
On 26 October the AFC published kickoff times and venues for all six groups 1.
When it gets decided
The AFC president, Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, said in Zurich that a decision could wait until the end of November and that the tournament could move back a year, to 2028 1.
"Things can change very quickly for better or worse in the region," he said 1.
The question has been asked before. In April the AFC postponed the draw in Riyadh, and the former Socceroo Craig Foster urged Australia to offer itself as an emergency host 8.
Saudi Arabia won the hosting rights in 2023, a year before FIFA gave it the 2034 World Cup, which the Asian Cup is expected to test 8.
For now the January schedule stands. On Monday, Al-Nassr travelled to Tashkent without Cristiano Ronaldo, rested, with the club ninth in its group 6.
Quote of the Day
"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."
Tsuneyasu Miyamoto, president of the Japan Football Association, at an AFC congress 6
References
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