Saudi Arabia set for 24-team Asian Cup as 2027 tournament dates and venues confirmed

The Asian Football Confederation and the local organising committee have confirmed the schedule and host venues for the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027, with the tournament beginning on 7 January 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. It will be the first time Saudi Arabia has staged the continental competition, with 24 national teams competing for the title.

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

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

In total, the tournament will feature 51 matches at eight stadiums across three Saudi cities. Riyadh will provide five venues, while Jeddah will host matches at two stadiums and Al Khobar at one.

Six groups confirmed

The 24 teams have been divided into six groups. The top two sides in each group, together with the four best third-placed teams, 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 arranged with television broadcasting and commercial requirements in mind. The organisers also said the timings reflected domestic planning intended to encourage strong 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 said the confederation was monitoring the latest situation and that a final decision might not be made until the end of November. He added that 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 said it was working with the Asian Football Confederation and the relevant authorities, signalling that planning for the continental tournament was proceeding as scheduled.