Not easy for Saudi Arabia to host Asian Cup as scheduled due to security situation, Japan FA chief says

TOKYO, Oct 23 - The ongoing security situation in Saudi Arabia makes it difficult for the country to host next year's Asian Cup as scheduled, Japan Football Association President Tsuneyasu Miyamoto said on Friday.

Several major sporting events in Saudi Arabia have been cancelled or postponed amid escalating attacks by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis, raising doubts over whether the continental soccer tournament can take place as scheduled from January 7 to February 5 next year.

"Based on what I've learnt from the news, the situation is still unsafe, so at this point, I don't think it would be easy to hold the AFC (Asian) Cup there," Miyamoto told reporters at the Asian Football Confederation's (AFC) extraordinary congress in Tokyo.

"I just had a meeting with the Saudi side and they said that their top priority is the safety of the players, the fans, and everyone who would be attending the tournament.

"They said they would work with the AFC to decide whether the tournament can go ahead, so they did mention that it would take some time (to make that decision)."

Asian soccer chief Salman bin Ibrahim Al-Khalifa said last week a postponement until 2028 remained a possibility if necessary, but the local organising committee later said it was sticking to the original schedule. REUTERS