The conflict in the Middle East has caused the cancellation of the draw for the AFC Asian Cup 2027, that was scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia in April. "The decision was taken after careful consideration to ensure the undisrupted attendance of all stakeholders at the Final Draw ceremony.
"The AFC expressed its appreciation to the Local Organising Committee for the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 for their full readiness to host the draw as planned, and it appreciates the understanding and continued cooperation of its Participating Member Associations, fans and stakeholders. Further updates on the new arrangements for the Final Draw will be communicated in due course."
The next men's Asian Cup, held every four years, will take place in Saudi Arabia between January 7 and February 5, 2027. The last round of qualifiers is taking place next week, on Tuesday, March 31, with teams like Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Nepal, Vietnam, Malaysia, India, Lebanon, Phillippines, Afghanistan, Yemen, Syria , and Hong Kong still in contention for the last places of the Asian Cup.
However, the AFC Champions League Elite, the club competition equivalent to UEFA Champions League, will continue as usual in Jeddah from April 13 to 26, Reuters reports.