Football expert Alisher Nikimbaev says a decision to postpone the 2027 AFC Asian Cup may already have been made, citing one of his sources. The Asian Football Confederation has not confirmed the information.
“A little bird told me that the decision to postpone the 2027 Asian Cup has already been made, but it will not be announced until the end of next week. Let’s wait a few days and see whether the little bird was telling the truth,” Nikimbaev wrote on his Futbolium Telegram channel.
Japanese outlet Football Tribe has also reported that the tournament could be rescheduled. According to the publication, the Asian Cup may be moved from January to December 2027.
Football Tribe cited Oman-based journalist Issa Said, who said he had received the information from a source inside the AFC. According to his account, an official announcement could be made within the next few days.
At the time of publication, however, the AFC had not confirmed any postponement. Reports of a possible change therefore remain media and expert claims rather than an official AFC announcement.
The tournament is currently scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia from January 7 to February 5, 2027. On October 26, the AFC confirmed the kick-off times and venues for the competition under the existing schedule.
The possibility of postponement has been discussed since October amid concerns over the security situation in Saudi Arabia. AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa previously said the confederation was monitoring developments and that the tournament could be postponed if necessary, with 2028 mentioned as one possible alternative.
Twenty-four national teams are due to take part in the Asian Cup, including Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.