Saudi sports broadcaster Waleed Al-Farraj has welcomed the postponement of the 2027 AFC Asian Cup, saying the decision will give the Roshn Saudi League relief from an intense fixture schedule.
The Asian Football Confederation announced on Tuesday that the tournament, which had been due to begin in January 2027, will instead start in December of the same year.
Reacting to the decision in a post on his X account, Al-Farraj said the 11-month delay would ease the pressure placed on everyone involved in Saudi football.
“The postponement of the Asian Cup for 11 months has given Saudi football competitions the chance to catch their breath after the tremendous pressure suffered by players, coaches, referees, supporters, the media and those responsible for logistical services in the league,” he wrote.
Al-Farraj also criticised the demands created by the congested calendar, saying the frequency of the matches had affected the quality of the competition.
“Playing a match every three days took away the taste of the game, and quantity became more important than quality,” he added.
“Hopefully this will bring good. The league can breathe and the facilities can be completed normally. The state of emergency is over, and we can now work calmly.”
The Roshn Saudi League had already decided to postpone its 13th round after the Asian Football Confederation confirmed the change to the Asian Cup schedule.
The round will be played at a later date, with the revised tournament timetable creating more room in the calendar and removing the need to compress the league’s fixtures.