Asian Cup organizers insisted Friday the continental soccer championship set to be held in Saudi Arabia in early 2027 remains on track despite a wave of missile and drone attacks on the host country in recent days.
The Saudi organizing committee issued a statement Friday saying it is continuing to coordinate closely with the Asian Football Confederation. The tournament is scheduled for Jan. 7 to Feb. 5.
“Preparations across all organizational and operational areas are progressing according to the approved schedule, including work on venues, facilities and supporting services,” Saudi organizers said. “The focus remains on delivering a world-class tournament experience for participating teams, fans and media from across Asia, while bringing the continent together through football.”
South Korea’s Professional Footballers’ Association had earlier expressed concerns following a series of attacks on the Asian Cup host country by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels.
“The continued military tensions and security instability in the Middle East are issues that can never be taken lightly,” Lee Keun-ho, head of the South Korean player union, said in a statement. “The safety of our national team, as well as all players participating in the Asian Cup, is a serious concern.”
At least 19 people, including foreigners, have been killed in more than a week of Houthi attacks targeting the Riyadh international airport, the headquarters of Saudi oil giant Aramco and other aviation, oil and military facilities across the kingdom.
Several sporting events have already been canceled or postponed in Saudi Arabia, including Netflix’s Six Kings Slam tennis tournament; women’s tennis’ WTA Finals, which were moved to the U.S.; multiple matches for the Saudi soccer club Al-Nassr, which features Cristiano Ronaldo; and an Olympic qualifying event for BMX cycling.
AP/CBS
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