The Asian Cup will no longer take place in the middle of the Premier League season and three clubs have brought back key players for the busiest period of the winter.
The Asian Football Confederation held the tournament to be held in Saudi Arabia from January 7 to February 5, 2027. “in light of the current exceptional circumstances arising from developments in the region, including significant logistical difficulties and travel disruptions”and the new dates must still be submitted to FIFA for approval.
For Aston Villa, Hull City and Ipswich Town, this means no January without a first-choice goalkeeper, central defender or big striker. Here’s what each of them got away with, starting with Villa.
Asian Cup postponed: why Villa are the big winners
Sion Suzuki was due to join Japan just after the New Year, which meant his last game before leaving would be Villa’s meeting with Bournemouth on January 2. Japan were among the favourites, so a run to the finals was a real possibility, and that could cost Unai Emery his keeper in nine matches in all competitions.
Everton, Manchester United, Fulham, Ipswich and Sunderland were the league opponents Villa would face before the final. The bigger concern was Europe: Suzuki would miss Villa’s last two Champions League games against Borussia Dortmund and Slavia Praha.
Villa paid an initial £25million to Parma for Suzuki in the summer and he has made 12 appearances so far. Villa’s European campaign is in tatters after Tuesday night’s 3-0 defeat to Barcelona, which only makes the final two league games all the more important. Losing him in two Champions League games that could decide the play-off places would be a severe blow for Emery.
Who misses Hull City’s January?
Nobody now and that’s a huge relief for Hull City. At just 19, Lucas Herrington has become a regular for Australia and impressed for the Socceroos at the World Cup over the summer. According to initial dates, he would miss at least seven Premier League games, plus Hull’s FA Cup third-round tie.
The timing would be brutal. Hull’s New Year’s run takes them at Sunderland, Nottingham Forest, Arsenal and Crystal Palace, and would test a squad resurgent in the top flight if it weren’t for one of their most promising defenders.
There was a second, smaller risk. Hidemasa Morita, who joined Hull in the summer, has been absent from the Japan squad in recent weeks and missed the World Cup, but a recall would take him out for a large part of the campaign.
Daizen Maeda remains Ipswich’s main running back
At Ipswich Town, former Celtic striker Daizen Maeda, 29, who has made 33 appearances and scored five goals for Japan since 2019, is likely to miss five Premier League games and the third round of the FA Cup.
The list makes a point in itself: Coventry City at home, Bournemouth away, Hull at home, Aston Villa away and Spurs at home on January 6. Maeda could also miss the home game against Arsenal, depending on how much rest he is given after the tournament.
Ipswich and Hull have already shown how tight they are after their 2-2 draw at Hull on Saturday. Maeda’s return at Portman Road is a real lift for Gary O’Neil.
He will still be away this month. Japan will play Brazil on November 14 and Paraguay in Singapore on the 17th, and Maeda is almost certain to feature.
Verdict: Asian Cup postponement is a winter gift
Under the old dates, the Asian Cup would hit Villa, Hull and Ipswich in weeks when the matches came thick and fast, with the FA Cup round thrown in.
Emery now has the No.1 for two Champions League nights, Hull retain the teenage defender for a run that also includes Arsenal and Ipswich retain the experienced international striker for a five-game league run that includes Hull, Villa and Spurs. The headache did not go away for good: the new dates fall on the festive period of 2027-28. But for this season, all three clubs can plan January with full squad.