Women’s Asian Cup qualifiers moved to Qatar amid Israel-Iran war

KUALA LUMPUR: Women’s Asian Cup qualifiers originally starting next week in Jordan have been moved to Qatar because of the “ongoing situation” in the Middle East, football officials said Friday.

Tensions have escalated in the region after Israel and Iran intensified air strikes against each other, with the conflict risking the involvement of the United States.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said that matches in qualifying Group A scheduled June 23-July 5 in the Jordanian capital Amman have been moved to Qatar and will now take place July 7-19.

“More details on the venue and match timings will be confirmed in due course,” the AFC said in a statement.

Jordan, Singapore, Iran, Lebanon and Bhutan are in Group A qualifying for the Women’s Asian Cup in Australia in March 2026.

The Football Association of Singapore (FAS) said separately that the move was due to the “ongoing situation in the region and logistical concerns raised by” the participating teams.

There are eight qualifying groups with the winner of each booking a spot at the 2026 showpiece. Hosts Australia, South Korea, Japan and holders China are already sure of their places.