Jeddah hosts AFC U23 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026 opening
Image used for illustrative purpose. Photo: SPA
JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia officially opened the AFC U23 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026 on Tuesday evening in Jeddah. The opening was led by Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal, Minister of Sport and President of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee.
The event took place at Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Sports City Stadium, with the attendance of Prince Saud bin Abdullah bin Jalawi, Governor of Jeddah.
This tournament is the seventh AFC U23 Asian Cup. Saudi Arabia is hosting matches from January 6 to January 24, 2026. Teams from across Asia are taking part in the competition.
The opening ceremony was also attended by Yasser Al-Misehal, President of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, along with football leaders from Asia and members of the local organizing committees.
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Prince Abdulaziz said hosting the tournament shows the strong support given to sports in the Kingdom. He added that Saudi Arabia is ready to host big regional and international sports events.
He explained that this tournament is also part of preparations for the AFC Asian Cup 2027. The goal is to give teams and fans a safe, smooth, and enjoyable football experience.
The AFC U23 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026 highlights Saudi Arabia’s growing role as a major host for football events in Asia.
