Asian Cup final draw postponed amid Middle East conflict

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has postponed the final draw for the upcoming Asian Cup football tournament due to the ongoing war situation in the Middle East. The draw was scheduled to take place in Riyadh on April 11.

In a statement on Thursday, the AFC said the event has been rescheduled for a later date to ensure the safe and secure presence of all concerned parties. Several sporting events in the Middle East have already been postponed or cancelled due to the current conflict, which has severely impacted security and travel arrangements in the region.

Saudi Arabia was set to host the 24-team continental tournament for the first time. The final round of qualifiers also remains uncertain.

Defending champions Qatar have already secured their place in the final round, along with four-time champions Japan, South Korea, Iran, Jordan, Australia and Uzbekistan.

The AFC said the next round of the Asian Champions League Elite will be held in Jeddah as scheduled, with matches set to take place from April 13 to 26.