Riyadh, May 10, 2026: The ultimate stage has been set for Asia’s top 24 men’s national teams following the glittering AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027™ Final Draw that took place on Saturday evening. Amid the stunning backdrop of the Salwa Palace in Diriyah’s historic At-Turaif District, the six groups for next year’s showpiece were revealed and the official match schedule has now been confirmed. To get underway on January 7, the 19th edition of Asia’s crown jewel will run until February 5, 2027, with kick-off times to be finalised and updated in due course.

Further exemplifying the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s readiness to welcome the rest of Asia and the world, the official slogan of the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027™ was unveiled during the Final Draw as Ahlan Asis a warm invitation to all to come together.

Eyes on prize at home

For the first time ever, Saudi Arabia are serving as tournament hosts and their quest for glory on home soil starts in the capital city of Riyadh with the opening clash against Palestine on January 7 (Thursday) at the King Fahd Sports City Stadium, which can hold 72,000 spectators.

It will be the Green Falcons’ second time contesting an opening match in the AFC Asian Cup™ after the 1992 edition, where they drew 1-1 with China PR. They will face Palestine for the first time in the competition; it will be the latter’s first involvement in a tournament opener and only their 11th match ever. Taking part in their fourth consecutive Finals since making their debut in 2015, Palestine advanced to the Knockout Stage for the first time in the previous edition and will hope to repeat the feat.

The Group A showdown marks the West Asians’ 53rd match in tournament history and Georgios Donis’ side will aim to go all the way and add to their three titles from 1984, 1988 and 1996, which would see them match Japan’s record haul of four crowns and also become the eighth host nation to triumph.

Showdowns to watch for
Jordan v Uzbekistan: Asia’s newest FIFA World Cup debutants will go head-to-head on January 8 when they kickstart their Group B campaign, 16 years after their first meeting in the 2011 edition. Uzbekistan edged Jordan 2-1 in the Quarter-finals as they eventually finished fourth for their best-ever placing at the AFC Asian Cup™, but the Central Asians will be aware that their West Asian opponents are likely to pose a bigger threat this time after a barnstorming run to their maiden Final in 2023, where they fell to Qatar.

Iraq v Australia: Graham Arnold will have to plot the demise of his home country as head coach of Iraq when they meet Australia on January 14 in the second matchday of Group D. The 62-year-old, who had two stints in charge of the Socceroos from 2006-2007 and 2018-2024, took the Iraq hotseat in May 2025 and became a national hero in April this year after leading them to their first FIFA World Cup since 1986. The West Asians have met Australia twice in the AFC Asian Cup™ previously, winning 3-1 in 2007 en-route to their only title to date, and suffering a 1-0 loss after extra-time in the 2011 Quarter-finals as Australia went on to finish as runners-up. Arnold’s successor, Tony Popovic, will hope to get one over his compatriot as he attempts to steer the 2015 champions to a second Asian crown.

Japan v Qatar: The final Group F matchday on January 20 will feature a titanic showdown between reigning two-time champions Qatar and record four-time winners Japan, in what is shaping up to be one of the classic rivalries in AFC Asian Cup™ history as they meet for a sixth occasion. The first encounter in 1988 saw Qatar take a 3-0 win, while Japan were held 1-1 in the Group Stage when they claimed their second title in 2000 and again in 2007 when they finished fourth. The Samurai Blue edged Qatar 3-2 in the last eight with an 89th-minute strike on their way to securing their fourth Continental trophy, but the West Asians gained sweet revenge in 2019 with a stunning 3-1 victory in the Final to win their maiden title.

Openers by venue
A day after the opener between Saudi Arabia and Palestine, a trio of matches are pencilled in for January 8 (Friday). Both in Riyadh, the King Saud University Stadium (26,000-seater) will open with the Group A clash between Kuwait and Oman, while the Imam Mohammed Ibn Saud University Stadium (25,000) begins with the Group B fixture between Bahrain and DPR Korea. Over at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium (60,000) in Jeddah, Group B duo Uzbekistan and Jordan will cross paths.

On January 9 (Saturday), Riyadh’s Kingdom Arena (26,000) welcomes its first pair of teams as Islamic Republic of Iran and China PR kick off their Group C campaign, while the (45,000) in Al Khobar does likewise with a meeting between Group D’s Australia and Singapore.

The Al Shabab Stadium (13,000) in Riyadh swings into action on January 10 (Sunday) with the Group D match between Tajikistan and Iraq, while Jeddah’s Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Sports City Stadium (26,000) ignites on January 11 (Monday) as Japan and Indonesia go head-to-head in Group F. With the conclusion of the Group Stage on January 20 (Wednesday), the Round of 16 will take place between January 22 to 25, before the tournament moves into the Quarter-finals on January 28 and 29, and the Semi-finals on February 1 and 2.

The spectacular AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027™ will culminate in the grand Final on February 5 (Friday) at the King Fahd Sports City Stadium, where the kings of Asia will be crowned.