Asian Cup soccer tournament in Saudi Arabia postponed because of conflict in the Middle East
Sports
November 3, 2026
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The 2027 Asian Cup soccer tournament has been delayed almost a year in the wake of recent deadly attacks on host country Saudi Arabia, becoming the biggest sports event to be postponed amid the conflict in the Middle East.
The Asian Football Confederation issued a statement Tuesday that after consultations with Saudi organizers it decided to push the start of its marquee continental championship back from Jan. 7 to Dec. 23.
The decision came to seem likely after developments in recent weeks raised questions over whether the 2034 World Cup host nation is currently safe enough for a major international soccer tournament.
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