Saudi Arabia Among the Teams Most Affected by Asian Cup 2027 Postponement
The postponement of the 2027 Asian Cup to December that year and early 2028 has raised questions about which teams stand to benefit and which may be disadvantaged. According to an analysis discussed in the report, Saudi Arabia and Japan are among those most negatively affected, while the UAE and Uzbekistan may benefit from the extra time.
The postponement of the 2027 Asian Cup to December that year and early 2028 has raised questions about which teams stand to benefit and which may be disadvantaged. According to an analysis discussed in the report, Saudi Arabia and Japan are among those most negatively affected, while the UAE and Uzbekistan may benefit from the extra time.
Saudi Arabia is among the teams most affected, the report says, having been in good technical and morale-boosting form after winning the Gulf Cup, which would have given it a boost ahead of the Asian Cup’s previous schedule. The postponement decision was announced on Tuesday morning.
Japan’s technical programme, meanwhile, may be affected by the change to the tournament schedule. Its federation has announced that Hajime Moriyasu will remain in charge until the end of the Asian Cup, after which Go Oiwa will take over in preparation for the 2030 World Cup.
On the other hand, the new schedule may give UAE coach Zlatko Dalić extra time to work with the team, with the possibility of adding players to his options if some players complete the nationality and international eligibility procedures. It may also give Fabio Cannavaro more time to get to know Uzbekistan’s players and strengthen their cohesion.
The report concludes that the impact of the postponement will vary from one team to another: some may have to reorganise their plans, while others could benefit from an additional opportunity to develop, without any team’s competitive advantage being determined before the tournament begins.