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The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) officially announced on November 3 that it is postponing the Asian Cup, which had been set to take place in Saudi Arabia next January. Citing “logistical problems and travel disruption stemming from the deteriorating regional situation,” the AFC has pushed the tournament to a new window running from December 23, 2027 to January 21, 2028 — an unusual schedule that spans the New Year. On 5ch, the thread lit up with speculation about national team manager Hajime Moriyasu’s future and a possible successor, since the rescheduled dates could clash with the AFC U23 Asian Cup (serving as Asian qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics), which is set for January 2027.
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) announced on the 3rd that it has decided to postpone the AFC Asian Cup — originally scheduled for January 7 to February 5 next year in Saudi Arabia — to a new window running from December 23 next year to January 21, 2028. The rescheduled tournament will span the New Year, an unusual “year-crossing” arrangement.
According to the AFC, the AFC Asian Cup Organising Committee approved the postponement in light of “the extraordinary circumstances currently unfolding, including major logistical problems and travel disruption stemming from the deteriorating regional situation.” The new tournament dates have already been proposed to FIFA and are awaiting approval.
The AFC explained that “circumstances have arisen that make it difficult to hold and run the tournament as originally planned, and the postponement was necessary out of consideration for the interests of all participating teams, officials, spectators, and other stakeholders.” It added that it “commends the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) and the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for their efforts to deliver a world-class tournament for the continent’s players and fans,” and that it “will work closely with the LOC, member associations, valued sponsors, broadcast and commercial partners, and all other stakeholders to minimize the impact of the postponement while ensuring the stature and operational excellence befitting Asia’s most prestigious men’s national team competition.”
Source: web.gekisaka.jp / original article here
What people said
Even his nickname overseas is "King of Friendlies" (lit. "friendly-match boss").
It's less that Saudi Arabia itself is in danger and more about what Iran might do. Saudi Arabia doesn't even need to act — Yemen already has the Houthis, Iran's proxy militia, and Iran's the one arming them.
Honestly, the Middle East should just break off from Asia (football-wise).
Japan's second match would fall on New Year's Day night.
Just have someone else coach the Asian Cup only.
Running them at the same time has got to be impossible staffing-wise. Maybe they hold it around March, or in June even though it'll be brutally hot — though if it's only as hot as this past June, that'd still be fine.
Honestly, no country cares about the Olympics as much as Japan does. Even Korea, which had a streak going, lost last time and had it broken. For every other country it's just an under-23 tournament with an Olympic berth tacked on.
And that'll be Moriyasu?
A manager who takes the senior national team job and then prioritizes U23 would get absolutely torn apart lol
The LA Olympics berth is on the line though. Asia only gets 2 slots, and Japan's hosting. If he prioritizes the senior team and hands the U23 side to someone else, he'll get crucified for that too.
Can't, the schedules overlap.
Maybe so. If they fail to qualify for the LA Olympics, the entire JFA leadership will be out of a job. There are only 2 slots.
There won't be an extension. They could just hand the senior team to one of the JFA's technical staff for that stretch.
He'll probably at least stick around through the friendly against Thailand at year-end.
They probably won't play it now that things got postponed — there's no point in a national team match.
Isn't it against Vietnam, not Thailand? It's a send-off match though, so it'll probably get cancelled.
I recall seeing somewhere that there won't be an extension.
Thinking the Asian Cup postponement is bad news is just dumb lol
That'll probably get pushed back a year too — early December next year, probably.
They won't do that, there's the J.League season to think about.
My guess is they'll prioritize sponsors and box office. They'll throw together some Europe-based bench players and domestic guys, brand it "Moriyasu's Final Match as National Team Manager," and run with it. Though honestly, if they actually pull that, I'd lose all respect for them.
I don't think they'll do that.
True, but they're loaded with cash lol
Saudi Arabia won't give it up — it's a test run for the 2034 World Cup.
Wasn't December supposed to be the winter break?
Just look at the schedule — they're running it as normal.
Background and Key Points of This Topic
The Asian Cup now being postponed was originally scheduled to run in Saudi Arabia from January 7 to February 5, 2027; Saudi Arabia had been preparing for it with national prestige on the line, given the 2034 World Cup it’s also set to host. The AFC has only explained the postponement as being due to “logistical problems and travel disruption stemming from the deteriorating regional situation,” without naming any specific countries. The thread floated speculation centered on the relationship between Yemen’s Houthi rebels and Iran, but that remains pure conjecture. What generated the most buzz on the thread was the possibility that the new dates could overlap with the AFC U23 Asian Cup, set for January 2027 (a tournament that doubles as next year’s Tokyo Olympics Asian qualifier). Since the U23 tournament’s own schedule hasn’t changed, speculation spread over who would end up managing the senior team versus the U23 side. Discussion zeroed in on manager Hajime Moriyasu’s future partly because the postponement announcement landed around the time of what was expected to be his final match of the season — and it’s worth noting that FIFA has yet to formally approve the new schedule.
*This article is compiled from excerpts and a summary of the 5ch (Geisokuho+) thread “[Soccer] AFC officially announces Asian Cup postponement… new ‘year-crossing’ schedule kicks off Dec. 23, ’27.”
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