AFC open to postponing Asian Cup as attacks in Saudi Arabia disrupt sports calendar

Japan's Daizen Maeda (left) and Iran's Ramin Rezaeian vie for the ball during the Asian Cup quarterfinals in Al Rayyan, Qatar, in February 2024. | REUTERS

Reuters

Oct 15, 2026

The “Six Kings Slam” tennis tournament originally scheduled for October has been postponed to December 27 to 30, organizers said on Wednesday after the recent attacks on Saudi Arabia, while the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) is open to postponing the Asian Cup to 2028.

A strike on Riyadh’s international airport on Saturday killed at least 12 people and wounded more than 300, with Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement claiming responsibility for the deadliest attack in Saudi Arabia in more than a decade.

“The decision reflects Riyadh Season’s commitment to delivering sporting events to the highest standards, following an assessment of the organizational and logistical challenges associated with hosting the tournament and their potential impact on the quality of the audience experience,” organizers said in a statement.

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