Saudi Arabia map out two camps and four-match build-up for 2027 Asian Cup

Saudi Arabia will prepare for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup with two training camps and four international friendlies against fellow Asian sides, the national team has announced.

The tournament will be hosted by Saudi Arabia from 7 January to 5 February, with the hosts drawn in Group A alongside Arab neighbours Kuwait, Oman and Palestine.

The Saudi Football Federation confirmed the preparation schedule in a statement published on the national team’s official account on X on Thursday. The programme will begin with a camp in Qatar from 9 to 17 November.

During that first phase, Saudi Arabia will play South Korea on 13 November before facing Uzbekistan four days later on 17 November.

The team will then return to Saudi Arabia for its second camp, which will be held in Al Khobar from 21 December to 3 January. Two further friendlies have been arranged during that period, against Qatar on 27 December and Jordan on 2 January.

The match against Jordan will be played behind closed doors.

The national team’s announcement described the programme as “two camps and four friendlies” as preparations begin for the continental tournament.

Saudi Arabia announced its Asian Cup group-stage fixtures on Tuesday, confirming that the opening match will be against Palestine on 7 January at King Fahd Sports City Stadium.

The hosts will remain at the same venue for their second Group A match, when they meet Oman on 12 January.

Their final group fixture will be against Kuwait on 17 January at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium.

The four warm-up matches will give Saudi Arabia the opportunity to face opponents from across the region and Asia before beginning their campaign on home soil. The schedule includes two fixtures in Qatar during the first camp and two in Saudi Arabia during the final stage of preparation.

Saudi Arabia’s group contains three Arab teams, with Palestine providing the opposition in the opening game before the matches against Oman and Kuwait complete the first phase of the hosts’ tournament.

The 2027 Asian Cup will run for one month, beginning on 7 January and concluding on 5 February. With Saudi Arabia hosting the competition, the national team’s preparations will take place across Qatar and the cities of Al Khobar and Riyadh, where their group matches are scheduled.