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Preparations for 2027 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia ‘progressing according to schedule’
The 19th edition of the Asian Cup is set to kick off with a Group A game between the host and Palestine at Riyadh’s King Fahd Sports City Stadium on January 7.
Saudi Arabia saw a number of events called off or postponed as fighting intensified between the kingdom and Yemen’s Ansarullah resistance movement.
Multiple attacks on airports in the country forced the Six Kings men’s tennis tournament, scheduled for October 21-24, and the FIFA Esports final, set for October 16-25, to be postponed.
Three matches in the Saudi Pro League this weekend were rescheduled to later in the season due to “logistical considerations”.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr saw its Asian Champions League Elite match at home against Uzbekistan’s PFC Neftchi delayed by an hour on Monday after Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defense said it had intercepted a missile fired towards Riyadh.
However, the tournament’s local organizing committee said preparations are going ahead according to schedule.
“Preparations across all organizational and operational areas are progressing according to the approved schedule, including work on venues, facilities and supporting services,” the organizing committee said.
“The LOC will continue to monitor developments relevant to the tournament and ensure the appropriate conditions are in place for its successful delivery.”
Earlier this week, AFC president Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa said the confederation was in “no hurry” to decide whether the tournament needed to be postponed.
“We can wait until the end of November. Things can change very quickly for better or worse in the region and it is question of seeing what happens,” Al Khalifa told reporters in Zurich during the FIFA Council meeting.
The Korea Football Association (KFA), meanwhile, said it was in communication with the AFC.
“We are closely monitoring the situation in Saudi Arabia and plan to continue discussions regarding overall developments,” the KFA said in a statement.