The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) is convening an urgent meeting this week to deliberate on the fate of the scheduled Asian competition matches amid escalating security concerns. The necessity for this assembly arises after a series of Iranian attacks that have severely disrupted the airspace over multiple Gulf countries including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, and Jordan, leading to widespread closures of their skies.
According to journalist Issa Said, who reported via his X account, the AFC’s session aims to determine whether the fixtures should be postponed or proceed as planned, contingent on the cessation of these hostilities. In his remarks, Said also highlighted that some match officials and teams have become stranded, unable to travel, which has forced the AFC to contemplate either substituting these personnel or deferring the matches entirely.
Implications for Asian Football Tournaments
This week was slated to feature critical stages of Asian football tournaments, notably the Round of 16 clashes in the elite AFC Champions League and the quarterfinal encounters of the AFC Champions League 2. The disruption caused by the security incidents has cast significant uncertainty over these fixtures.
Further compounding the situation, the Bahrain Football Association publicly declared via its official Instagram channel on Saturday the indefinite postponement of all matches. This decision followed the sounding of air raid sirens earlier that morning in Bahrain, triggered by missile strikes targeting the Al Jufair American military base within the kingdom.
In addition to the unfolding events affecting the AFC competitions, the Roshn Saudi League schedule features matches such as Al-Fayha versus Al-Nassr, with the former set to compete on February 28, 2026, at 20:00. These fixtures, while distinct from the Asian-wide tournaments, remain part of the wider regional football calendar potentially influenced by the current instability.
The evolving security situation continues to exert profound impact on the logistics and scheduling of football events across the region. Authorities and governing bodies face the complex challenge of balancing safety considerations with the sporting calendar, a matter closely followed by fans and stakeholders alike. Asia News Online will continue to monitor developments and provide timely updates as more information becomes available.