Asian Cup postponed in wake of attacks on Saudi Arabia
By Mandeep Sanghera ·
Aston Villa will have goalkeeper Zion Suzuki more available this season because of the rescheduling of the Asian Cup
The 2027 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia has been postponed because of a series of deadly attacks on the host country.
The tournament was scheduled to take place from 7 January to 5 February but has been rescheduled to run from 23 December, 2027 to 21 January, 2028.
In October, a missile attack by Yemen's Houthi movement on Riyadh's airport killed 13 people and wounded more than 300.
A statement from the the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), external said the decision to reschedule had been taken "in light of the current exceptional circumstances arising from developments in the region, including substantial logistical complexities and travel disruptions".
It added: "The new dates of the tournament will be presented to Fifa for approval."
A number of events in Saudi Arabia have been cancelled recently, including the Six Kings Slam tennis exhibition event, which was scheduled to be in Riyadh.
Saudi minister vows 'serious response' to Houthi attacks on airports
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Originally published by BBC News