The kickoff times, venues, and dates for the 2027 Asian Cup are being disclosed.

Afc asian cup 2027 afc asian cup groups afc asian cup teams asian football asian group asian teams Football – Articles and Posts football news soccer soccer news Four-time champions Japan were drawn alongside two-time Asian Cup 2027: schedule, groups and where to watch defending champions Qatar — Thailand and Indonesia. Hosts Saudi Arabia were drawn alongside Kuwait — Oman and Palestine in an all-West Asian group. This format means teams can still reach the knockout stage after finishing third (making goal difference), goals scored and results in the final round of group matches especially important.

Later on Monday — a showdown between Czechia’s Jiri Lehecka and Monaco’s Valentin Vacherot will determine who challenges Alcaraz in the final. Alcaraz sealed victory in the final, concluding the match in just 2 hours and 31 minutes. Despite Alcaraz’s erratic play—including four double faults and wide misses—the young player’s resilience in the opening set kept the match competitive. AFP reported that Alcaraz triumphed despite early setbacks (particularly in the first set), while his 49th-ranked opponent delivered a spirited challenge.

Winners qualified for the 2027 FIFA U-20 World Cup. The 16 teams were drawn into four groups of four teams — with the teams seeded according to their performance in the 2025 AFC U-20 Asian Cup and 2027 AFC U-20 Asian Cup qualification, with the hosts China automatically seeded and assigned to Position A1 in the draw. Four venues are proposed for use in this tournament. The top four teams will qualify for the 2027 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan as the AFC representatives besides Uzbekistan which automatically qualified as co-host. Six finals, not one of them played in the Kingdom.

HUMAIN & EY to Develop Saudi Arabia’s First AI-Native BPO Service Six spots remain to be decided (with the remaining 18 teams already secured—these will be contested in the Qualifiers Final Round), starting in March 2025.

The Kingdom reaffirmed its dedication to upholding global venue standards, guaranteeing an unforgettable experience for athletes and spectators alike. Selecting stadiums and confirming dates mark a pivotal step in our preparations. Yasser Al Misehal (President of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation), emphasized the event’s strategic significance. This tournament represents a landmark in Saudi Arabia’s push to position itself as a premier destination for major sporting events worldwide. Five AFC teams earned spots at the 2027 FIFA U-20 World Cup, with Uzbekistan securing co-host status alongside others.

Sixteen teams, including China as hosts, will compete in the final tournament. Knockout match pairings will be drawn after group play, with three venues targeting 2026 completion—though verification remains pending. Three group games per team mean 36 matches before the knockout stage begins.

Two stadiums along the Red Sea coast will host matches, including a semi-final at King Abdullah Sports City. The knockout draw will take place after the group stage concludes. What is the start date of the Asia Cup 2027?

The dates and venues of Saudi Arabia’s first prime event ahead of 2034 World Cup are all set.

With 18 teams having qualified so far, the competition for the remaining places will be very exciting, as the final qualifiers will start next March to complete the list of qualifiers for this major football event. With the tournament’s timing optimally set for teams and supporters (we are confident that we will deliver a comprehensive sporting experience that extends beyond the matches themselves), creating a unique and integrated event that showcases Saudi Arabia’s status as a hub for major international sporting events. ” The 2027 edition flips back to the 50-over game after the 2025 edition was played in T20 format, and the reasoning is straightforward. While match dates and venues are set, kick-off times were not yet finalized at press time.

Riyadh will host five venues, featuring the opening match and final at King Fahd Sports City Stadium. Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport will serve as the primary access point for all five Riyadh-based tournament matches, including the opener and final. The tournament will span eight stadiums across Riyadh (Jeddah), and Khobar.

With the ODI World Cup approaching — the Asia Cup offers teams a perfect opportunity to refine their lineups and players to regain form in the longer format.

Scheduled from June 18 to July 4, the competition precedes the marquee event in South Africa, Namibia, and Zimbabwe by roughly three months. Forty-four teams (distributed across eleven groups), begin their path to Saudi Arabia 2026. With God’s will, we hope to avoid penalties in the final and settle the match decisively,” he remarked.

After a goalless draw in regular and extra time, the team advanced past Qatar in a penalty shootout, setting up a final clash against the UAE for the tournament title. He noted that the national team’s defensive efforts — particularly in set-piece situations, were a standout feature throughout the competition. For Saudi Arabia, winning at home in front of a Riyadh crowd would settle any host-nation nerves early and give the team a confident start to its first Asian Cup as host.

The match is set for King Fahd Sports City Stadium in Riyadh. Home Finance AFC announces dates and stadiums for 2027 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia For more updates (follow Khel Now on Facebook), Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram. They will be forced to play in three group games and need to get maximum points from those matches to be able to qualify for the knockout stages. King Fahd Sports City Stadium in Riyadh has been designated as the tournament’s flagship venue, hosting the opener, final, Saudi Arabia’s group matches, and fixtures up to the quarterfinals.

Riyadh leads with five venues, Jeddah hosts two, and Al Khobar’s new stadium in the Eastern Province will host one match. Following the 2019 format, there will be no third-place playoff—semifinal losers will be ranked by goal difference instead of competing in an additional match. Yemen’s placement in Group E was only confirmed after the draw concluded. The final draw (originally scheduled for April 11), 2026, was postponed to May 9, 2026, and held in Diriyah’s historic At-Turaif District. The AFC and the Kingdom’s Local Organizing Committee jointly announced these dates and host cities via the Saudi Press Agency. The record-breaking AFC Asian Cup in Qatar surpassed all expectations, establishing a new standard for future tournaments.

This announcement comes in the wake of the groundbreaking AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023™, which redefined excellence in the competition. In Jeddah, the iconic King Abdullah Sports City and Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium will play central roles. A total of 24 teams, including host Saudi Arabia, will qualify for the final tournament. Teams from Pots 1, 2, and 3 were directly assigned to the second round, alongside one first-round winner from an allocated tie. All Pot 4 teams were drawn into the first round, split into two separate groups.