The AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 is the 19th edition of the AFC Asian Cup, the quadrennial international men’s football championship of Asia organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). It will be held in Saudi Arabia from 7 January to 5 February 2027.

• Hosts: Saudi Arabia (first time)
• Teams: 24 (including the host)
• Matches: 51
• Venues: 8 stadiums across 3 host cities (Riyadh, Jeddah, Khobar)
• Defending champions: Qatar (winners in 2019 and 2023)
• Official slogan: Ahlan Asia

Qatar are the two-time defending champions and will be chasing a third consecutive title, a feat no nation has achieved since Iran won in 1968, 1972 and 1976.

The Final Draw was held on 9 May 2026 at the historic Salwa Palace in Diriyah’s At-Turaif District, confirming the six groups and the full match schedule. The AFC, in coordination with the Local Organising Committee (LOC), had announced the match schedule on 2 March 2026.

AFC Asian Cup 2027 Schedule

AFC Asian Cup 2027 Teams

AFC Asian Cup 2027 will have 24 national teams. A list of all the nations that will be the part of AFC Asian Cup 2027 is updated below.

1. Saudi Arabia – Host
2. Australia
3. Iraq
4. IR Iran (Iran)
5. Uzbekistan
6. Qatar
7. United Arab Emirates
8. Japan
9. Korea Republic (South Korea)
10. Oman
11. Palestine
12. Bahrain
13. Jordan
14. China PR (China)
15. Indonesia
16. DPR Korea (North Korea)
17. Kuwait
18. Kyrgyz Republic (Kyrgyzstan)
19. Syria
20. Singapore
21. Vietnam
22. Thailand
23. Tajikistan
24. Yemen

Qualification note: Yemen were the last team to complete the 24-team field, beating Lebanon 2–0 on 4 June 2026 to claim the final place. It is Yemen’s second Asian Cup appearance (after 2019).

AFC Asian Cup 2027 Groups

The final draw was held on 9 May 2026. Teams were divided into six groups of four, with the host in Group A.

Group A

Group B

Group C

Group D

Group E

Group F

Ranking of third-placed teams

The four best third-placed teams from the six groups advance to the knockout stage along with the six group winners and six runners-up.

AFC Asian Cup 2027 Venues

8 stadiums in 3 host cities will be used to play the tournament:

1. King Fahd Sports City Stadium – Riyadh
2. King Saud University Stadium – Riyadh
3. Kingdom Arena – Riyadh
4. Imam Mohammed Bin Saud University Stadium (Riyadh).
5. Al Shabab Stadium (Riyadh)
6. King Abdullah Sports City Stadium – Jeddah
7. Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Sports City Stadium – Jeddah
8. Aramco Stadium – Khobar

Tickets

• Tickets are on sale through the official Ahlan platform (ahlan.sa or the Ahlan app) — the only authorised channel.
• General admission from SAR 30 (~$8); premium from SAR 100 (~$27).
• Knockout-round tickets are already bookable by bracket position (e.g. “1A v 3CDE”) before the teams are known.

Tournament Guide & Previews

About the Tournament

The AFC Asian Cup is the primary international competition for the senior men’s national teams of Asia and the second-oldest continental championship in the world, behind only South America’s Copa América. First held in 1956, it now brings together the continent’s 24 best sides every four years to crown the champion of Asia.

Saudi Arabia 2027 marks the third edition since the tournament expanded to 24 teams in 2019, and the first time the Kingdom has hosted the competition. For a nation that has invested heavily in football in recent years — from the domestic Saudi Pro League to a successful bid for the 2034 FIFA World Cup — hosting the continent’s flagship event is a significant milestone.

How the Format Works

The 24 teams are split into six groups of four. Over three rounds of group matches, each team plays the other three in its group once.

• Group stage: The top two teams from each of the six groups advance automatically — that is 12 teams.
• Best third-placed teams: The four best third-placed sides across the six groups also progress, completing the 16-team knockout bracket.
• Knockout rounds: From the Round of 16 onward, it is single-elimination. Matches level after 90 minutes go to extra time, and then to a penalty shootout if still tied.
• The final is a one-off match to decide the champion.

In total, 51 matches are played across roughly a month, from the opening game on 7 January to the final on 5 February 2027.

History & Past Champions

Japan is the most successful nation in the competition’s history with four titles, while Iran and Saudi Arabia have three apiece. The current holders, Qatar, are two-time winners and now aim to become the first team since Iran (1968, 1972, 1976) to win three consecutive editions.

Titles by nation:

Recent finals:

In the 2023 final (played in early 2024), Qatar beat first-time finalists Jordan 3–1, with Akram Afif scoring a hat-trick of penalties and finishing as the tournament’s leading scorer and Most Valuable Player.

Storylines to Watch

Qatar chasing a historic three-peat. Back-to-back champions in 2019 and 2023, Qatar have a rare chance to match Iran’s run of three straight titles from the late 1960s and ’70s — a feat unmatched for half a century.

Saudi Arabia’s home hunt. The hosts have lifted the trophy three times, but their last title came in 1996 — three decades ago. Roared on by home crowds in Riyadh, Jeddah and Khobar, ending that drought on home soil would be the story of the tournament.

Japan’s pursuit of a fifth star. The continent’s most decorated side and a perennial favourite, Japan will look to reclaim the crown they last won in 2011 and stretch their record further clear of the field.

Jordan’s rise. Runners-up in 2023 after reaching their first-ever final, Jordan arrive as a genuine force rather than a surprise package.

The next wave. Tajikistan stunned observers by reaching the quarter-finals on their debut in 2023, and Palestine reached the knockout stage for the first time. Both are back, along with Yemen and a Singapore side returning to the finals after a long absence.

Group-by-Group Preview

Group A — Hosts Saudi Arabia headline a group with Kuwait, Oman and Palestine, and open the whole tournament against Palestine on 7 January. On paper the Saudis are favourites, but a spirited Palestine and a physical Oman will make qualification far from routine.

Group B — Arguably the toughest to call. Uzbekistan, a rising power in Asian football, share the group with 2023 finalists Jordan, an organised Bahrain and an unpredictable DPR Korea. Any of the four could realistically advance.

Group C — Three-time champions Iran are the clear standard-bearers alongside Syria, Kyrgyz Republic and China PR. Iran should top the group; the battle for second and a third-place spot looks wide open.

Group D — Australia bring pedigree and depth against Tajikistan, Iraq and Singapore. Tajikistan’s fearless 2023 run and a resurgent Iraq mean the Socceroos cannot take anything for granted.

Group E — South Korea, packed with European-based talent, are strong favourites alongside the UAE, Vietnam and Yemen. Expect a tight contest behind the Koreans for the remaining knockout places.

Group F — The group of the defending champions. Qatar face record four-time winners Japan, plus Thailand and Indonesia, in what is the standout group on quality. The Qatar–Japan meeting on the final matchday could decide top spot.

Host Cities

• Riyadh — The capital and heart of the tournament, hosting five of the eight venues, including the 72,000-seat King Fahd Sports City Stadium for the opening match and the final.
• Jeddah — The Red Sea city stages matches at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium and Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Sports City Stadium.
• Khobar — In the Eastern Province, making its debut as a host city with the brand-new Aramco Stadium.