The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has officially announced a significant schedule change for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup, which is hosted by Saudi Arabia, pushing the tournament back by nearly a full year.

According to the updated calendar, the continental championship will now begin on December 23, 2027, with the final match scheduled for January 21, 2028. The tournament was originally supposed to take place from January 7 to February 5, 2027.

This decision reportedly followed extensive discussions between the AFC, the local organizing committee, and the Saudi Arabian Football Federation. The schedule shift is allegedly prompted by the volatile military and political situation in the Middle East, including ongoing security risks and regional tensions.

Organizers have pointed to purported "emergencies, severe logistical complexities, and transport disruptions" as the primary factors behind the timeline adjustment. Previously, AFC leadership had hinted that the tournament might face even further delays if the security climate continued to deteriorate.

It is worth noting that the national team of Uzbekistan is among the 24 teams that have qualified for the tournament. Under the new schedule, the group stage matches for the Uzbek side will now be played in late December 2027 and early January 2028.

Source: kun.uz