A decisive step from the Asian Football Confederation settles the fate of the Asian Cup
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The Asian Football Confederation and the Local Organising Committee have confirmed the dates and host stadiums for the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027. The 19th edition kicks off on 7 January, when Saudi Arabia meet Palestine in the capital, Riyadh.
That opener gets under way at 8pm at the King Fahd Sports City Stadium, which holds around 72,000. Saudi Arabia are hosting the tournament for the first time in their history, with 24 teams chasing the continental title.
Under the announced schedule, the group stage wraps up on 20 January. The round of 16 begins on 22 January, the quarter-finals follow on 28 and 29 January, and the semi-finals take place on 1 and 2 February. The final brings down the curtain on 5 February, kicking off at 8pm at the same stadium.
Eight stadiums across three Saudi cities will stage the tournament's 51 matches, with five in Riyadh, two in Jeddah and one in Khobar.
Six groups make up the tournament. The top two from each, along with the four best third-placed sides, advance to the round of 16.
The group draw was as follows:
- Group A: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Palestine.
- Group B: Uzbekistan, Bahrain, North Korea, Jordan.
- Group C: Iran, Syria, Kyrgyzstan, China.
- Group D: Australia, Tajikistan, Iraq, Singapore.
- Group E: South Korea, the UAE, Vietnam, Yemen.
- Group F: Japan, Qatar, Thailand, Indonesia.
Organisers scheduled the fixtures to suit both television and commercial demands, while local arrangements aim to boost attendance and sharpen the fan experience.
The schedule drops amid questions over a possible postponement to 2028 against the backdrop of regional developments.
AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa has confirmed the confederation is monitoring the situation. A final decision may wait until the end of November, with postponement still on the table if circumstances demand it.
Saudi Arabia's Local Organising Committee, by contrast, confirmed on 15 October that preparations continue as planned, in coordination with the AFC and the relevant authorities. The message was clear: the hosts are pressing ahead.
You can view the match schedule here
