AFC Asian Cup postponed to December 2027 — Leeds, Hull and Sheffield Wednesday keep their internationals in January
The AFC Asian Cup has been postponed. The 24-team tournament, due to run from January 7 to February 5, 2027, will now take place from December 23, 2027, until January 21, 2028. Leeds United, Hull City and Sheffield Wednesday will therefore not lose players to Asian Cup duty in January.
- Competition: AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027, a 24-team men's national team tournament.
- Original dates: January 7 to February 5, 2027.
- New dates: December 23, 2027, to January 21, 2028, subject to FIFA approval.
- Reason: Exceptional circumstances in the region, including logistical complexities and travel disruptions, following attacks by Yemen's Houthi movement on three airports in Riyadh last month.
- EFL impact: Leeds midfielder Ao Tanaka, Hull's Hidemasa Morita and Lucas Herrington, and Sheffield Wednesday's Ali Al-Hamadi are no longer at risk of January absence.
Why the tournament has moved
The Asian Football Confederation confirmed the rescheduling after consultation with the Local Organising Committee and the Saudi Arabian Football Federation. The deciding factor was the security and logistical picture in the region, not football. Attacks by Yemen's Houthi movement on three airports in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, last month created what the AFC calls exceptional circumstances.
That description covers substantial logistical complexities and travel disruptions. For a 24-team tournament staged across one host nation, airport capacity and internal travel are not details — they are the event. The AFC said the postponement was necessary in the interest of all participating teams, officials, spectators and other stakeholders.
Which EFL clubs are affected — and who stays put
Three Championship clubs would have faced January without key internationals had the original dates held.
Leeds United would likely have lost midfielder Ao Tanaka to Japan. Tanaka was expected to feature at the tournament, and his absence would have cut into Leeds' midfield options during the busiest stretch of the English season.
Hull City stood to lose two players. Midfielder Hidemasa Morita, a Japan international, may have joined Tanaka in the squad, while defender Lucas Herrington represents Australia. Losing a midfielder and a defender simultaneously would have forced the Tigers into January reshuffling.
Sheffield Wednesday had Ali Al-Hamadi in the firing line. The Iraq international forward is on loan at Hillsborough from Ipswich Town, and an Asian Cup call-up would have removed an attacking option from the Owls' squad for the whole of January.
All four players now remain available to their clubs through the winter. None of them will miss domestic fixtures because of the tournament.
What was said
"Following extensive discussions and close consultation with the Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 and the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF), the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has confirmed today that the upcoming edition of Asia's crown jewel, originally to be held from January 7 to February 5, 2027, will now take place from December 23, 2027, to January 21, 2028."
"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 new dates of the tournament will be presented to FIFA for approval."
"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 AFC commends SAFF and the LOC for their commitment to delivering a world-class tournament for the Continent's players and fans."
"The AFC will continue to work closely with the LOC, Participating Member Associations and its valued sponsors and broadcast and commercial partners and all stakeholders to stage a showpiece befitting the stature and operational excellence synonymous with Asia's most prestigious men's national team competition, while minimising the impact of the postponement. Further updates will be communicated through the AFC's official channels."
Read the language closely. The AFC frames this as a regional logistics problem, not a football one, and twice stresses minimising disruption. The commitment to the Saudi hosting arrangement is unambiguous: the tournament moves, the host does not.
The most consequential line is the one about FIFA. The new dates are being presented to world football's governing body for approval, which means the calendar is not final until that sign-off lands. Clubs planning around December 2027 should note the caveat.
The numbers
- 24 — teams in the tournament.
- January 7 to February 5, 2027 — original dates.
- December 23, 2027, to January 21, 2028 — revised dates.
- Three — airports in Riyadh attacked by Yemen's Houthi movement last month.
- Four — EFL players directly affected: Ao Tanaka, Hidemasa Morita, Lucas Herrington and Ali Al-Hamadi.
Why this matters more for the Championship than the Premier League
Championship squads are thinner than their Premier League counterparts. Losing Ao Tanaka for a month at Leeds, or both Hidemasa Morita and Lucas Herrington at Hull, would have hit clubs with less room to absorb absences than top-flight sides enjoy. The postponement is a genuine sporting reprieve, not just a calendar note.
For Sheffield Wednesday, the impact is sharper still because Ali Al-Hamadi is a loan player. A loanee leaving mid-season disrupts a manager's plans twice over: you lose the player and you lose the squad balance you built around him. January now looks much more stable at Hillsborough.
The new dates land in a different football context entirely. December 23, 2027 falls in the middle of the English winter programme, which raises a separate question about player release — one that did not exist when the tournament sat in January. Clubs and national associations will revisit that conversation closer to the time.
Talking points
- Leeds get Tanaka for January, but a December 2027 Asian Cup now collides with the Championship's festive schedule — is this actually better for English clubs?
- Hull were the biggest losers under the old dates, facing two absences at once. Does that make the Tigers the quiet winners of this decision?
- Ali Al-Hamadi staying at Sheffield Wednesday through January strengthens the Owls' attack, but Ipswich will be watching their loanee's value closely.
- The AFC says the new dates go to FIFA for approval. If approval slips, clubs will be planning around a moving target again.
What happens next
The new dates will be submitted to FIFA for approval, and the AFC has promised further updates through its official channels. In the meantime, Leeds, Hull and Sheffield Wednesday can plan their January squads with Tanaka, Morita, Herrington and Al-Hamadi all available for selection. The next international window and club release obligations for the revised December 2027 slot will be the point to watch.
Frequently asked questions
Has the Asian Cup been postponed?
Yes. The AFC Asian Cup, originally scheduled for January 7 to February 5, 2027, will now run from December 23, 2027, until January 21, 2028, subject to FIFA approval.
Will Leeds United lose Ao Tanaka to the Asian Cup in January?
No. With the tournament moved out of January, Tanaka — who was likely to feature for Japan — will not be absent on Asian Cup duty in January.
Which Hull City players were at risk of Asian Cup duty?
Hidemasa Morita, who may have joined Japan's squad, and defender Lucas Herrington, who represents Australia. Both stay with Hull under the revised calendar.
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