Possible Suspension of AFC Asian Cup Rises; Riyadh Must Provide Security Guarantees

Recent attacks on Riyadh International Airport have cast doubt on hosting the AFC Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia, and other countries are now demanding security guarantees.

According to Mehr reporter, there are less than three months left until the start of the 2027 Asian Football Nations Cup, but the escalation of conflicts in the region and the recent attacks on the infrastructure of Saudi Arabia, the holding of these competitions at the scheduled time has faced serious questions.

According to the report of Ambassador Arjan of Australia, the spokesperson of the Australian Football Federation has stated in response to the current situation that the safety and health of the players, technical staff members and fans is a priority and the security team of this federation is continuously monitoring the developments. According to him, risk assessment is a part of planning for all national team camps and will be more important on the eve of the Asian Nations Cup.

However, the issue is not limited to just one federation's concerns. The Guardian newspaper, in a report about the future of these competitions, raised concerns about the safety of players and spectators and wrote that recent attacks have raised serious questions about the possibility of holding competitions in the current conditions.

Japan withdrew from a sporting event; South Korea is considering scenarios

One of the signs of the impact of security conditions on sports programs is the decision of the Japanese Football Federation to withdraw from the FIFA e-Football World Cup in Saudi Arabia. According to the Guardian, security concerns played a role in this decision; Although the incident is not directly related to the Asian Nations Cup, it can show the sensitivity of sports organizations to the conditions of the host country.

In South Korea, the football federation of this country is considering different options for the schedule of upcoming matches. The Associated Press has reported that South Korea's senior national team is set to face Saudi Arabia in the November national games window, and that the country's federation is considering several scenarios. Transferring the match to a neutral ground or holding it in South Korea is among the options mentioned in the media report of this country.

These developments occur in a situation where, in addition to technical and preparation issues, national federations must also consider the status of flights, accommodation, internal transfers and stadium security in order to send their teams to Saudi Arabia. Of course, a difference must be made between Japan's decision for a different competition, South Korea's examination of the options for friendly matches, and the official position of the federations regarding the Asian Nations Cup. So far, these actions cannot be considered as the withdrawal of these countries from the Nations Cup or their official request to change the host.

Security warnings and flight disruptions

Al Jazeera also covered the successive attacks on King Khalid International Airport and its consequences in reports published on October 10-12. This media, quoting Saudi authorities and citing reports from international news agencies, has reported that a large number of people were killed and injured in the attacks on the airport.

Meanwhile, the Associated Press reported that the AFC Champions League match between Saudi Arabia's Al Nasr and Uzbekistan's Ferghana Oilers on Monday, October 12, was delayed by an hour after a security alert was issued in Riyadh. The match was finally held, but the delay showed that the security situation could affect even the current schedule of football matches in Saudi Arabia.

In a separate report, the Guardian also discussed the same incident and wrote that the start of the match was delayed after the warning about the air threat and the announcement of the interception of the missile. This incident is important because the concerns raised about the Nations Cup are not only related to a distant possibility, and if the current conditions continue, the planning of the matches and the movement of the teams may be more difficult.

On the other hand, according to the report of the Associated Press of Australia, Etihad and Qatar Airways have postponed their flights to Riyadh, and the activity of the main airport of this city has also been limited. Government travel warnings and advice to avoid unnecessary trips to Saudi Arabia have increased the importance of the issue for foreign teams, media and fans.

One of the most important aspects of this issue is how to reassure participating teams and fans. In such competitions, the host's responsibility is not only limited to preparing stadiums and providing accommodation facilities; Moreover, the security of airports, traffic routes, hotels, training places and holding competitions is also a part of essential planning.

The regulations of the competitions also oblige the host to formulate security plans and prepare for emergency situations. However, the existence of these pre-existing requirements does not mean issuing new security guarantees after recent attacks.

The big question now is whether the AFC and the tournament organizing committee will provide clearer explanations in the coming weeks about risk assessment, contingency plans and how to reassure participating teams.

postponed until January 2028; The scenario that has been proposed

The Asian Nations Cup 2027 is scheduled to be held in Saudi Arabia from January 7 to February 5, 2027, equivalent to January 17 to February 16, 1405. In the announced program, Riyadh and Al-Khobar are among the host cities and most of the matches will be held in the capital.

In its report, the Associated Press of Australia has suggested that if the conflicts do not subside in the coming months, instead of transferring the hosting to another country, a one-year postponement until January 2028 will become one of the possible options.

This media has also mentioned the consequences of such a decision for national federations. For example, the contract of Tony Popovich, head coach of the Australian national team, is valid until the end of the 2027 Asian Nations Cup, and it is not yet clear whether his contract will be extended if the tournament is postponed for one year.

However, the postponement of the matches is still a media scenario and no official decision has been announced. Also, in the reviewed reports, the Asian Football Confederation has not provided a definitive position on the transfer of hosting or changing the date of the tournament.

Example of the 2023 Nations Cup for 2027

Changing the host of a major Asian competition has a history. China was originally the host of the 2023 Asian Nations Cup, but due to the policies related to the Corona epidemic, China gave up hosting about eight months before the start of the tournament, and Qatar replaced this country.

This experience shows that changing the host is operationally possible, but it is not a simple and low-cost decision. Moving competitions to another country at short notice requires coordinating stadiums, hotels, transportation, ticketing, fixtures and commercial commitments.

Therefore, if the security crisis continues, the AFC must decide between keeping the time, changing the host and the possibility of postponing the matches; The decision will depend on the assessment of the conditions in the coming months and the degree of confidence in the possibility of holding the competitions safely.

In addition to the 2027 Asian Cup, Saudi Arabia will also host the 2034 World Cup. For this reason, the current security developments can also be considered from the perspective of planning major sports events and the prestige of hosting this country; However, it is not possible to draw conclusions about the fate of hosting the World Cup from the current situation alone.

Finally, the 2027 Asian Nations Cup is still scheduled to be held in Saudi Arabia, and neither its one-year postponement nor the change of host is certain. However, the recent attacks on Riyadh, flight disruptions, the delay of an Asian match and concerns raised by football bodies have made security one of the most important issues facing the organizers; A clear answer will be necessary for the assurance of teams and fans.