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The Asian Football Confederation and Local Organising Committee announced the finalised match schedule for the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 on October 26, 2026, setting the opening fixture as hosts Saudi Arabia against Palestine on January 7 at 8pm local time. The match will be staged at the 72,000-capacity King Fahd Sports City Stadium in Riyadh, which will also host the final on February 5 at the same hour. The 19th edition of the tournament will feature 51 matches from January 7 to February 5 across eight venues in three cities, with the group stage ending on January 20. The AFC stated that the schedule accounts for commercial, broadcast and spectator requirements to maximise attendance and experience.
The knockout rounds will begin with the round of 16 on January 22, followed by quarter-finals on January 28 and 29 and semi-finals on February 1 and 2. A total of five stadiums in Riyadh, two in Jeddah and one in Al Khobar will be used during the competition. The AFC noted that venue allocation and kick-off times were determined in coordination with the local organising committee.
Six groups of four teams each were confirmed earlier, placing Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman and Palestine in Group A. Group B comprises Uzbekistan, Bahrain, North Korea and Jordan, while Group C includes Iran, Syria, Kyrgyzstan and China. Australia, Tajikistan, Iraq and Singapore form Group D, with South Korea, United Arab Emirates, Vietnam and Yemen in Group E and Japan, Qatar, Thailand and Indonesia in Group F.
Saudi Arabia enters as three-time champions, having lifted the title in 1984, 1988 and 1996, and will seek to end a 31-year drought on home ground for the first time. Japan holds the record with four victories, the most recent in 2011, according to AFC historical records. The tournament has expanded from four teams in its 1956 debut to the current 24, allowing greater continental participation.
The confederation emphasised that the detailed schedule supports efforts to enhance fan engagement across the host cities. Saudi Arabia’s hosting comes seven years before it stages the 2034 FIFA World Cup, highlighting its expanding role in global football. The event proceeds despite earlier mentions by AFC President Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa of a possible shift to 2028 over regional security issues.
Full group-stage fixtures include Kuwait versus Oman on January 8 at King Saud University Stadium and Uzbekistan against Jordan later that day at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium. Additional matches will see Iran play China on January 9 at Kingdom Arena and Japan face Indonesia on January 11. The AFC has made the complete calendar available for fans and broadcasters ahead of the tournament kickoff.
