Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia is being prepared on schedule — Al Jazeera
The local organizing committee for the Asian Cup said that preparations for the football tournament in Saudi Arabia are continuing according to the approved schedule. The competition involving 24 teams is scheduled for the period from January 7 to February 5. Al Jazeera reports.
Preparations for the Asian Cup
The organizing committee said that work on stadiums, infrastructure facilities and related services is proceeding according to plan. It also said it would monitor developments that could affect the tournament in order to ensure proper conditions for it.
Earlier, Asian Football Confederation President Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa said that, if necessary, the continental championship could be postponed until 2028. This week, three matches in the Saudi Pro League were postponed, including a game involving Al-Nassr. Al-Nassr's AFC Champions League match on Monday was delayed by an hour after Saudi Civil Defense reported intercepting a missile launched toward Riyadh.
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Postponement of other competitions
Meanwhile, the Asian Tour indefinitely postponed the Saudi International golf tournament, which has a prize fund of $5 million. It was due to take place on November 18–21 at Riyadh Golf Club. The tournament, sponsored by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, is the Asian Tour's flagship event.
The Asian Tour explained the decision by organizational and logistical difficulties related to staging the competition at the level of its international status. Australia also withdrew its team from the Urban Cycling World Championships, scheduled in Riyadh in early November, citing the safety of athletes and staff.
The Six Kings Slam tennis exhibition tournament in Riyadh has already been moved from October to December, while FIFA postponed the FIFAe Finals 2026 competition in Jeddah indefinitely. Yemen's Houthi group claimed responsibility for an attack on Riyadh International Airport on Saturday, which killed 14 people and injured more than 300.
