AFC confirms dates and venues for Saudi Arabia 2027 Asian Cup

The AFC and the local organising committee have confirmed the full schedule and venues for the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027, with the tournament set to begin on 7 January next year when Saudi Arabia face Palestine in Riyadh.

The opening match will kick off at 20:00 at King Fahd Sports City Stadium, which has a capacity of about 72,000. Saudi Arabia will host the Asian Cup for the first time, with 24 national teams competing for the continental title.

The group stage will conclude on 20 January, followed by the round of 16 from 22 January. The quarter-finals will be played on 28 and 29 January, while the semi-finals are scheduled for 1 and 2 February.

The final will take place at 20:00 on 5 February at King Fahd Sports City Stadium.

A total of 51 matches will be staged across eight venues in three Saudi cities. Riyadh will host matches at five stadiums, with two venues in Jeddah and one in Al Khobar.

The 24 teams have been divided into six groups. The top two teams in each group, along with the four best third-placed sides, will progress to the round of 16.

The groups are:

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, United Arab Emirates, Vietnam, Yemen

Group F: Japan, Qatar, Thailand, Indonesia

The match schedule was drawn up with television broadcasting and commercial requirements in mind. Local arrangements have also been taken into account, with the organisers aiming to support attendances and improve the experience for supporters.

The announcement comes after questions were raised over whether the tournament could be postponed until 2028 because of regional developments.

AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa had previously said the organisation was monitoring the latest situation and that a final decision might not be made until the end of November. He also said postponement remained an option if circumstances required it.

However, the Saudi local organising committee said on 15 October that preparations were continuing in line with the announced schedule. It confirmed that work was being carried out in coordination with the AFC and the relevant authorities, signalling that plans for Saudi Arabia to host the continental tournament were moving forward.