The 2027 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia has been rescheduled following a series of attacks on the host country by Yemen's Houthi movement.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) confirmed the decision on Tuesday, announcing that the 24-team tournament will now run from December 23, 2027, to January 21, 2028. It had originally been scheduled to take place from January 7 to February 5, 2027.

The AFC said the decision was taken 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)".

In a statement, the confederation said the rescheduling had been approved "in light of the current exceptional circumstances arising from developments in the region, including substantial logistical complexities and travel disruptions."

Saudi Arabia has repeatedly come under attack from Yemen's Houthis since September, with the capital Riyadh among the cities hit by missiles. In October, a missile strike on Riyadh's airport killed 13 people and wounded more than 300.

On Friday, the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen reported that it "intercepted and destroyed" a drone launched by the Houthis towards Saudi Arabia's Mecca region. A missile aimed at western Saudi Arabia was also reportedly brought down as hostilities between the Riyadh-backed Yemeni government and Iran-backed Houthis continued to escalate.

In recent weeks, several participating nations had expressed concerns about the security situation, with the tournament's fate hanging in the balance.

The AFC said the postponement had become necessary "in the interest of all participating teams, officials, spectators and other stakeholders." The new dates will be submitted to FIFA for approval.

Beyond football, a number of other events in Saudi Arabia have also been cancelled recently, including the Six Kings Slam tennis exhibition, which had been scheduled to take place in Riyadh.