Local organisers of the Asian Cup soccer tournament said on Friday that the event remains scheduled to be held in Saudi Arabia early next year. The announcement came even as the Asian Tour indefinitely postponed the Saudi International golf event after a deadly strike on Riyadh. Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement has claimed responsibility for the attack on the capital’s international airport, which killed at least 12 people and wounded more than 300.
Doubts had grown over whether the 24-team tournament could still go ahead between January 7 and February 5. Asian football chief Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa said earlier this week that the continental championship could be pushed back to 2028 if necessary. The local organising committee, however, said it was sticking to the original timetable.
Organisers insist Asian Cup preparations are on schedule
In a statement, the committee said preparations in all organisational and operational areas were moving ahead according to the approved plan. This included work on venues, facilities and supporting services. It added that it would keep monitoring developments that could affect the event and ensure the right conditions were in place for a successful tournament.
Golf, cycling and other events hit by Riyadh attack
The $5 million Saudi International, sponsored by the kingdom’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), is the flagship event on the Asian Tour. It had been scheduled for Riyadh Golf Club from November 18 to 21. The tour said the postponement followed an assessment of the organisational and logistical challenges of hosting the event, and of the need to deliver it to a standard suited to its international stature.
Australia also withdrew its team from the urban cycling World Championships on Friday, citing safety concerns about travelling to Riyadh, where the event is due in early November. AusCycling said the wellbeing of its athletes and staff was its highest priority. The Australian government has advised travellers to reconsider trips to Saudi Arabia in general, and to King Khalid International Airport in particular, citing recent security incidents.
Other sporting and entertainment events in the Saudi capital have also been affected. The Six Kings Slam exhibition tennis tournament has moved from October to December. FIFA, on Thursday, postponed the FIFAe Finals 2026 video game competition until an unspecified future date.
Questions over Saudi sport investment and the 2034 World Cup
The Saudi government has invested heavily in sport through the PIF in recent years, and the Asian Cup was presented as an early rehearsal for hosting the 2034 World Cup. Citing sources, the US news website Semafor reported earlier this week that the PIF plans to tell FIFA it will scale back stadium plans for 2034 as part of a wider review of domestic spending. The fund has been approached for comment.
