Australia urged to step in as emergency host for 2027 Asian Cup

Australia is being urged to offer to host the 2027 AFC Asian Cup at short notice after the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) postponed the tournament draw and uncertainty grew around Saudi Arabia staging the event as conflict in the Middle East spreads.The draw had been scheduled for April 11 in Riyadh, but the AFC delayed the ceremony in late March, citing the need to ensure “the undisrupted attendance of all stakeholders” and has not announced a new date despite the tournament being due to start in eight months.Former Socceroo Craig Foster said Australia should move quickly to present itself as an alternative, arguing the country has the infrastructure and recent hosting experience to take on a 24-team competition.Craig Foster said: “We have the demonstrated capability, it is an important diplomatic opportunity at a time when Australia’s reputation in the Middle East is severely diminished, and it would be a welcome economic boost for the hospitality industry across the country with multiple teams and fans descending on the country and staying longer.”The men’s Asian Cup is scheduled to begin on January 7 and run for four weeks, with matches planned across Riyadh, Jeddah and Khobar, and Australia among the expected participants.The renewed conversation in Australia has been fuelled by the delivery of the Women’s Asian Cup last month, plus the country’s track record from the 2015 men’s edition, which local organisers have previously cited as an attendance and operational benchmark.Football Australia has already signalled its appetite to host major AFC events, lodging an expression of interest earlier this year for future Asian Cups in 2031 and 2035, although the confederation has since paused that bidding process amid wider calendar discussions.Economic arguments are central to the lobbying, with an assessment of the 2015 tournament finding around 15,000 overseas visitors contributed more than half of A$81m in direct expenditure linked to the event.Public funding would still be a key consideration, with government contributions towards the women’s tournament from the federal level and host states exceeding A$20m, highlighting the likely requirement for cross-government underwriting if Australia stepped in again.A federal government spokesperson said it continued to work with Football Australia to support the sport domestically, adding that investment in international events is considered through budget processes.Football Australia also underlined the broader value case, saying AFC tournaments are now among the most significant events in the global football calendar and that locally staged competitions can deliver economic and diplomatic returns, but require sustained support from all levels of government.Saudi Arabia was awarded hosting rights in 2023 and is also slated to stage the 2034 FIFA World Cup, making the 2027 Asian Cup a major operational test that now comes with heightened scrutiny over logistics and venue security.