Socceroos coach Tony Popovic suddenly faces an uncertain future after the 2027 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia was postponed as a result of the conflict in the Middle East.
After a month of speculation following the airport attack on Riyadh’s international airport, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) confirmed on Tuesday that the tournament had been pushed back 11 months.
The rescheduled tournament is expected to kick off in the 2027 Christmas break with a December 23 start date leading up to a January 21, 2028 final.
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The delayed tournament could have ramifications for Popovic, who signed a short-term extension on the eve of the World Cup.
Popovic’s contract is due to expire after the previously-scheduled January tournament, where Australia were due to face Tajikistan, Singapore and Iraq, who are coached by ex-Socceroos boss Graham Arnold.
It means Football Australia will need to make a new call on Popovic’s future.
Popovic took charge of the Socceroos in 2024 after Arnold resigned following a winless start to the World Cup qualifying campaign.
Under Popovic, the Socceroos qualified for the World Cup and then upset Turkiye in their opening group game to effectively seal qualification.
They crashed out in the round of 32 with a heartbreaking loss to Egypt on penalties.
Australia will be among the favourites for the Asian Cup with their current world ranking of No.26 the third best in the AFC confederation, only behind Japan (No.17) and Iran (No.23).
The AFC cited “logistical complexities” as the main reason for the postponement.
“The organising committee for AFC Asian Cup approved to reschedule the flagship national team tournament in light of the current exceptional circumstances arising from developments in the region, including substantial logistical complexities and travel disruptions,” the AFC said in a statement.
“Exceptional circumstances have been created for the organisation and delivery of the competition as originally scheduled, making the postponement necessary in the interest of all participating teams, officials, spectators and other stakeholders.”
The proposed new dates — which fall in one of the busiest periods in European club football — must be approved by FIFA.
Saudi Arabia’s suitability to host the tournament has been a hot topic since the Riyadh airport attack by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.
Other nations, who were scheduled to travel to Saudi Arabia in the November international window, have been forced to relocate their friendlies.
There was little appetite for another host nation to step in at such short notice – the tournament was slated to start on January 7 2027 – but going ahead as planned in the current climate was fraught with risks.
— with AAP
