Organizers of the Asian Cup have reaffirmed that preparations for the continental football tournament in Saudi Arabia are proceeding as scheduled, despite growing concerns over the safety of players and fans amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
The Saudi organizing committee said in a statement on Friday that it was maintaining close coordination with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) ahead of the championship, 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,” the organizers said.
They added that their priority was to provide a world-class tournament experience for teams, supporters and media from across Asia while bringing the continent together through football.
The confirmation came after South Korea’s Professional Footballers’ Association raised concerns over security following a series of attacks on Saudi Arabia 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 players’ union, said in a statement. He described the safety of South Korea’s national team and all players participating in the tournament as a serious concern.
At least 19 people, including foreign nationals, have been killed in more than a week of Houthi attacks targeting Riyadh’s international airport, the headquarters of Saudi oil giant Aramco and other aviation, oil and military facilities across the kingdom.
South Korea, which reached the World Cup semifinals in 2002, is scheduled to begin its Asian Cup campaign against Yemen on Jan. 10. However, Lee said the team should play only if conditions are considered safe.
“No competition’s value can take precedence over the lives and safety of players and football fans,” he said, adding that all options, including whether the tournament should proceed, must be carefully considered if safety cannot be adequately ensured.
Security concerns have also affected club football. An AFC Champions League match between Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr and Uzbekistan’s Neftchi Fergana was delayed in Riyadh on Monday after Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defense issued a security alert.
AFC President Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa told media in Zurich this week that the Asian Cup could be postponed by a year if necessary.
“We can wait until the end of November” to make a decision, Salman said, noting that the regional situation could change quickly for better or worse.
“If we need to make a decision, then we will, but we could move it back a year to 2028 if we need to,” he added.