The decision to postpone the 2027 Saudi Arabia Asian Cup has reopened the file on the future of Greek Georgios Donis, coach of the Saudi national team, after the date of the tournament passed the end of his contract next June, at a time when previous negotiations with Spaniard Roberto Martinez and Frenchman Didier Deschamps had raised questions about the identity of the coach who will lead the “Greens” in the continental championship.
The postponement puts the Saudi Football Association before an important technical decision, after Donis was preparing to lead the national team next January, before the AFC announced the transfer of the tournament to the period from December 23, 2027, until January 21, 2028, pending the adoption of the new dates by the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA).
Last October, Asharq Al-Awsat sources revealed an initial agreement with Martinez to coach the national team for four years, in exchange for about 13 million euros annually. According to the sources, the Spanish coach agreed during the negotiations to lead the "Green" club, and remained waiting for the green light to complete the agreement, while a source in the Saudi Federation at the time denied concluding an official agreement with him, confirming that Denis would continue in his position, noting that reliable sources said that the agreement with Martinez was conditional after the Asian Cup, which was supposed to be held next January.
The options that were discussed included Frenchman Didier Deschamps, coach of the French national team, as part of studying training names to lead the national team during the next stage, as the same sources indicated that Deschamps was presented through agents to the Football Association. However, these moves did not turn into an announced decision regarding the departure of Donis, who strengthened his position after leading Saudi Arabia to the twenty-seventh Gulf Cup title, following the victory over the Emirates with two goals to zero in the final match.
The idea of replacing him raised objections among Saudi fans on social media platforms, who demanded his continuation and refused to sign a contract with Martinez, usually because his experiences with Belgium and Portugal did not live up to the level of expectations, especially in major tournaments. The postponement gives the Saudi Federation additional time to decide the future of the technical staff, but it puts it before the option of extending Donis’ contract or proceeding with changing the coach before the tournament.
The Saudi national team is not unique in this situation, as press reports published after the postponement revealed that a number of Asian teams were required to review the contracts of their coaches, after the end of the tournament in February 2027 represented a stage for evaluating or changing the technical staff.
Japan stands out among the affected teams, after its federation announced that Hajime Moriyasu would continue until the end of the Asian Cup, with Go Oiwa taking over after that. According to the Korean "Star News", citing the Japanese "Sponichi", the Japanese Federation may proceed with handing over the task to Oiwa despite the postponement, in order to avoid reducing the period of its preparation for the upcoming benefits. But a technical official in the Japanese Federation confirmed that the decision had not been decided.
In Australia, Tony Popovic faces a similar situation, after he chose a short extension to lead the national team until the tournament on its original date, despite a longer agreement being offered to him. The Australian News Agency stated, in a report published by The Guardian, that the postponement may affect his future, as he was waiting for the end of the competitions to determine his next step, which requires discussing his continued association with the national team for an additional period.
As for South Korea, it faces a more urgent decision regarding Spaniard Robert Moreno, who was appointed interim coach with a contract that expires this November, with the possibility of extending his term to lead the Asian Cup. According to Yonhap Agency, the Korean Federation intended to evaluate the coach after six international matches, but the postponement requires that his future be decided more than a year before the new date of the tournament.
In Iraq, the issue is related to financial burdens, after Australian Graham Arnold chose to extend his contract for only six months, despite the offer of a four-year agreement.
The Vietnamese newspaper Tui Tre reported that his contract expires in February 2027, noting that the salaries of the technical staff, which range in total between 150 and 160 thousand dollars per month, will constitute an important factor in the extension negotiations.
The effect of the postponement extends to Vietnam, where the contract of Korean Kim Sang Sik expires in early 2027, according to “Tui Tre”, as well as Fabio Cannavaro with Uzbekistan in October 2027, and Helio Souza with Kuwait next summer. The newspaper also discussed the bright future of Badu with Jordan, and Julen Lopetegui with Qatar, in addition to the technical staff of other teams.
These cases reveal that postponement is not limited to rearranging camps and matches, but rather extends to the contractual and financial accounts of national federations, which have become required to balance technical stability with the costs of extending or changing coaches.
