Concerns have escalated over the safety of participants and spectators ahead of the 2027 AFC Asian Cup, scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia from January 7 to February 5, following a series of missile attacks on Riyadh’s international airport in recent days. The strikes, claimed by Yemen’s Houthi militants, have resulted in at least a dozen deaths and hundreds of injuries, prompting widespread unease across the Asian football community and beyond.
Five of the tournament's eight venues are located in Riyadh, which will host 31 matches including the final. The tournament opener is set for January 7, when Saudi Arabia faces Palestine. The Eastern Province city of Al Khobar, which will host seven matches including Australia’s game against Singapore on January 9, has also faced threats tied to the ongoing conflict involving Iran and the United States.
The attacks have significantly disrupted air travel, with King Khalid International Airport suspending operations until at least October 17 to complete safety and operational checks. Numerous airlines, including Delta Air Lines, Cathay Pacific, Gulf Air, Air France-KLM, Philippine Airlines, and Singapore Airlines, have canceled or postponed flights to Saudi Arabia’s main cities. Singapore Airlines delayed the launch of Riyadh services until March 28, while its budget affiliate Scoot canceled flights to Jeddah until early December.
National football associations in the region are closely monitoring the situation. The Football Association of Singapore emphasized the priority of player and staff safety, stating it is following developments carefully. Singapore’s team, which recently secured its first Asian Cup qualification, is scheduled to play group matches in both Khobar and Riyadh. Australian football officials and the Professional Footballers Australia union have expressed similar concerns, stressing ongoing risk assessments and collaboration with external experts, Football Australia, and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) ahead of the tournament and November international matches in the region.
Despite these concerns, the AFC has not publicly commented on the security issues. The confederation has secured sponsorship deals with Saudi-based companies including Aramco, Alrajhi Bank, and NEOM. Previous reports suggest it is unlikely the AFC would relocate the tournament on short notice, though postponement to January 2028 remains a possibility if the conflict persists.
The Australian government’s travel advisory continues to caution against all non-essential travel to Saudi Arabia due to the volatile security environment. Similarly, Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs advises citizens to reconsider travel to the kingdom amid the heightened risk of missile and drone attacks targeting civilian and energy infrastructure since July.
The tension and uncertainty have had a broader impact on the region’s sporting calendar, with event cancellations including Singapore’s international friendly against the Faroe Islands in Dubai, the Jeddah Formula 1 Grand Prix, and a planned World Rally Championship event in Saudi Arabia.
Players and officials from affected countries emphasize the importance of safety but also express a strong desire to participate in the continent’s premier football competition. Singapore’s captain Hariss Harun highlighted a shared concern among teams and spectators, calling for world peace and trusting the AFC to make appropriate decisions as the tournament approaches.
With the security situation in Saudi Arabia remaining fluid, stakeholders in Asian football and international sport face ongoing challenges balancing competition ambitions with safety priorities as January draws closer.