Sport-Asian Cup remains on track but golf and cycling events affected after Riyadh attack
Workers carry out construction work at Aramco Stadium, one of the main stadiums set to host the 2027 AFC Asian Cup, in Khobar, Saudi Arabia, July 9, 2026. Picture taken with a mobile phone. REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed
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Oct 16 : Golf’s Asian Tour has postponed the Saudi International indefinitely and cycling’s Urban World Championships have been cancelled following a deadly attack on Riyadh although local organisers said next year’s Asian Cup soccer tournament remained on track.
Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement claimed responsibility for Saturday’s strike on Riyadh’s international airport, which killed at least 12 people and wounded more than 300.
The Urban Cycling World Championships had been scheduled for November 3-7 in Riyadh, while the $5 million Saudi International, the flagship event on the Asian Tour, was due to take place at Riyadh Golf Club from November 18-21.
Other events have also been disrupted. The Six Kings Slam exhibition tennis tournament in Riyadh has been moved from October to December, while FIFA on Thursday postponed the FIFAe Finals 2026 video game competition in Jeddah until an unspecified future date.
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The disruption had raised questions over whether the 24-team Asian Cup could still go ahead in Saudi Arabia from January 7 to February 5 next year.
Asian soccer chief Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa said earlier this week that a postponement of the continental championships until 2028 was possible if necessary, but the local organising committee said on Friday it was sticking to the original schedule.
“Preparations across all organisational and operational areas are progressing according to the approved schedule, including work on venues, facilities and supporting services,” it said in a statement.
“(The LOC) will continue to monitor developments relevant to the tournament and ensure the appropriate conditions are in place for its successful delivery.”
ATTACKS DISRUPT SPORTS CALENDAR
The Asian Tour said the Saudi International had been postponed following an assessment of the challenges involved in staging the tournament.
“The decision to postpone was taken following an assessment of the organisational and logistical challenges associated with hosting the tournament and ensuring the event is delivered to a standard befitting its international stature,” an Asian Tour statement said.
The Urban Cycling World Championships, which would have featured some of the world’s best riders in trials and BMX Freestyle, was cancelled soon after Australia withdrew its team citing safety concerns over travelling to Riyadh.
“The decision follows a joint assessment of recent developments in the region and their impact on the logistical organisation of the Championships,” the UCI said.
“The UCI will communicate shortly on the sporting consequences of this announcement.”
AusCycling said its decision to withdraw the Australian team from the Urban World Championships was made “with the safety and wellbeing of our athletes and staff our highest priority”.
The Australian government is advising travellers against trips to Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi government has invested heavily in sport through its Public Investment Fund (PIF) in recent years and the Asian Cup was pitched as an early rehearsal for hosting the soccer World Cup in 2034.
According to a report on US news website Semafor earlier this week, PIF is preparing to tell FIFA that it will be scaling back stadium plans for the 2034 tournament as part of a broader review of domestic spending.
Reuters has contacted PIF for comment.
Source: Reuters
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