RIYADH, Saudi Arabia- Saudi Arabia’s soccer federation has said its clubs will not play Asian Champions League matches in Iran amid rising diplomatic tension, Associated Press reported JAN 8, 2016.
The decision at a SAFF executive meeting comes days after individual clubs refused to travel to Iran for safety reasons when the competition kicks off next month.
Two Saudi clubs are already scheduled to play in Iran and a playoff round could create two more matches there.
Sporting tensions increased days before the countries’ national under-23 teams begin the 2016 Olympic qualifying tournament in Qatar.
Saudi Arabia severed diplomatic ties with Iran on Sunday.
On Thursday, the Saudi soccer body said it awaits an Asian Football Confederation response to its request to order matches for its clubs in Iran moved to neutral countries.
An AFC spokesman said Thursday it is “monitoring the situation.”
The Asian body’s president, and FIFA presidential candidate, Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim al Khalifa is a royal family member in Bahrain which has also cut ties with Iran.
The decision at a SAFF executive meeting comes days after individual clubs refused to travel to Iran for safety reasons when the competition kicks off next month.
Two Saudi clubs are already scheduled to play in Iran and a playoff round could create two more matches there.
Sporting tensions increased days before the countries’ national under-23 teams begin the 2016 Olympic qualifying tournament in Qatar.
Saudi Arabia severed diplomatic ties with Iran on Sunday.
On Thursday, the Saudi soccer body said it awaits an Asian Football Confederation response to its request to order matches for its clubs in Iran moved to neutral countries.
An AFC spokesman said Thursday it is “monitoring the situation.”
The Asian body’s president, and FIFA presidential candidate, Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim al Khalifa is a royal family member in Bahrain which has also cut ties with Iran.
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