Asia Cup Schedule 2027
Key Takeaways
- The tournament runs from 7 January to 5 February 2027.
- Saudi Arabia hosts for the first time with 24 teams in six groups.
- The event has 51 matches across eight stadiums in three cities.
- Saudi Arabia opens against Palestine on 7 January in Riyadh.
- Tickets start at SAR 30 on the official Ahlan platform.
- No South Asian team qualified, so India and Pakistan are absent.
Asia Cup Schedule 2027 at a Glance
This table gives you the core facts in one place. Use the official AFC Asian Cup page as your final check before you book anything.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Tournament | AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 (19th edition) |
| Dates | 7 January to 5 February 2027 |
| Host | Saudi Arabia (first time hosting) |
| Teams | 24 teams in six groups of four |
| Total matches | 51 |
| Opening match | Saudi Arabia vs Palestine, 7 January |
| Final | Friday, 5 February, at King Fahd Sports City Stadium, Riyadh |
| Defending champions | Qatar (winners in 2019 and 2023) |
Key Dates and Stages
The group stage runs from 7 to 20 January, and each team plays three matches. The knockout rounds then follow, with rest days between each stage. The AFC lists these windows in its official match schedule PDF.
Group Stage: 7 to 20 January
Six group winners and six runners-up advance. The four best third-placed teams join them to fill the 16 knockout places.
Round of 16: 22 to 25 January
Every match is single elimination. A draw goes to extra time and then to penalties.
Quarter-finals: 28 and 29 January
Only eight teams remain by this point. Expect tight games and few mistakes.
Semi-finals and Final: Early February
The two semi-finals take place in early February. The final closes the tournament on Friday, 5 February.
All Six Groups
The AFC held the final draw on 9 May 2026 in Diriyah near Riyadh. Hosts Saudi Arabia landed in an all-West Asian Group A, while Qatar and Japan share Group F.
Group C looks tricky for every side. Iran, Syria, Kyrgyzstan, and China will all fight for two qualifying spots.
| Group | Teams |
|---|---|
| Group A | Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Palestine |
| Group B | Uzbekistan, Bahrain, DPR 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 |
Group Stage Fixtures by Round
This table follows the AFC match numbers (M1 to M36). Each team plays once in each round. Exact dates, kickoff times, and stadiums for each match are in the AFC schedule PDF.
| Group | Round 1 | Round 2 | Round 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | M1 Saudi Arabia v. Palestine; M2 Kuwait v. Oman | M13 Oman v Saudi Arabia; M15 Palestine v Kuwait | M25 Oman v. Palestine; M27 Saudi Arabia v. Kuwait |
| B | M3 Bahrain v DPR Korea; M4 Uzbekistan v Jordan | M14 DPR Korea v. Uzbekistan; M17 Jordan v. Bahrain | M26 DPR Korea v Jordan; M28 Uzbekistan v Bahrain |
| C | M5 Syria v Kyrgyzstan; M6 Iran v China | M16 Kyrgyzstan v. Iran; M20 China v. Syria | M29 Iran v. Syria; M30 Kyrgyzstan v China |
| D | M7 Australia v Singapore; M8 Tajikistan v Iraq | M18 Iraq v Australia; M19 Singapore v Tajikistan | M31 Australia v Tajikistan; M32 Iraq v Singapore |
| E | M9 South Korea v. Yemen; M10 UAE v. Vietnam | M21 Yemen v. UAE; M22 Vietnam v. South Korea | M33 South Korea v UAE; M36 Vietnam v Yemen |
| F | M11 Qatar v Thailand; M12 Japan v Indonesia | M23 Thailand v Japan; M24 Indonesia v Qatar | M34 Japan vs. Qatar; M35 Thailand vs. Indonesia |
Knockout Bracket
The tournament has 51 matches in total. That covers 36 group games, eight in the Round of 16, four quarter-finals, two semi-finals, and the final. The bracket has no third-place match.
| Match | Pairing |
|---|---|
| M37 (Round of 16) | Runner-up A vs. Runner-up C |
| M38 (Round of 16) | Winner B vs. Third place A, C, or D |
| M39 (Round of 16) | Winner D vs. Third place B, E, or F |
| M40 (Round of 16) | Winner A vs. Third place C, D, or E |
| M41 (Round of 16) | Winner F vs. Runner-up E |
| M42 (Round of 16) | Runner-up B vs. Runner-up F |
| M43 (Round of 16) | Winner E vs. Runner-up D |
| M44 (Round of 16) | Winner C vs. Third place A, B, or F |
| M45 to M48 (Quarter-finals) | W37 v W39; W38 v W41; W44 v W43; W40 v W42 |
| M49 and M50 (Semi-finals) | W45 v W46; W47 v W48 |
| M51 (Final) | W49 v W50 |
Stadiums and Host Cities
Eight stadiums will stage matches across Riyadh, Jeddah, and Al Khobar. The King Fahd Sports City Stadium in Riyadh is the largest venue and hosts both the opener and the final.
| City | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Riyadh | King Fahd Sports City Stadium | 72,000 |
| Riyadh | King Saud University Stadium | 26,000 |
| Riyadh | Kingdom Arena | 26,000 |
| Riyadh | Imam Mohammed Bin Saud University Stadium | 25,000 |
| Riyadh | Al Shabab Stadium | 13,000 |
| Jeddah | King Abdullah Sports City Stadium | 60,000 |
| Jeddah | Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Sports City Stadium | 26,000 |
| Al Khobar | Aramco Stadium | 45,000 |
Opening Match and Final
Saudi Arabia opens against Palestine on 7 January in Riyadh. The hosts chase their first continental title since 1996.
The final takes place on Friday, 5 February. That is the first day of the Saudi weekend, so expect heavy travel demand.
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How All 24 Teams Qualified
Saudi Arabia entered automatically as hosts. The other 23 teams earned their places through the AFC qualifiers, which ran for about three years. Yemen booked the last spot in a June 2026 playoff.
| Team | Route | Previous best finish |
|---|---|---|
| Saudi Arabia | Host | Winners (1984, 1988, 1996) |
| Australia | Second round winner | Winners (2015) |
| Iraq | Second round winner | Winners (2007) |
| Iran | Second round winner | Winners (1968, 1972, 1976) |
| Uzbekistan | Second round runner-up | Fourth place (2011) |
| Qatar | Second round winner | Winners (2019, 2023) |
| United Arab Emirates | Second round winner | Runners-up (1996) |
| Japan | Second round winner | Winners (1992, 2000, 2004, 2011) |
| South Korea | Second round winner | Winners (1956, 1960) |
| Oman | Second round winner | Round of 16 (2019) |
| Palestine | Second round runner-up | Round of 16 (2023) |
| Bahrain | Second round runner-up | Fourth place (2004) |
| Jordan | Second round winner | Runners-up (2023) |
| China | Second round runner-up | Runners-up (1984, 2004) |
| Indonesia | Second round runner-up | Round of 16 (2023) |
| DPR Korea | Second round runner-up | Fourth place (1980) |
| Kuwait | Second round runner-up | Winners (1980) |
| Kyrgyzstan | Second round runner-up | Round of 16 (2019) |
| Syria | Third round winner | Round of 16 (2023) |
| Singapore | Third round winner | Group stage (1984) |
| Vietnam | Third round winner | Fourth place (1956, 1960) |
| Thailand | Third round winner | Third place (1972) |
| Tajikistan | Third round winner | Quarter-finals (2023) |
| Yemen | Third round winner | Group stage (1976, 2019) |
Vietnam earned its place after the AFC overturned two Malaysia results in March 2026. Singapore qualified on merit for the first time. No South Asian team made the field, so India and Pakistan are out.
Past Champions and Records
Eight former champions are in the 2027 field. Japan leads the list with four titles.
| Team | Titles | Winning years |
|---|---|---|
| Japan | 4 | 1992, 2000, 2004, 2011 |
| Iran | 3 | 1968, 1972, 1976 |
| Saudi Arabia | 3 | 1984, 1988, 1996 |
| South Korea | 2 | 1956, 1960 |
| Qatar | 2 | 2019, 2023 |
| Iraq | 1 | 2007 |
| Australia | 1 | 2015 |
| Kuwait | 1 | 1980 |
Qatar can win a third straight title. Only Iran has done that before. Iran also makes its 16th consecutive appearance, which tells you how steady that program has been.
Tickets and Prices
Fans can buy tickets for all 51 matches on the official Ahlan platform. Prices start at SAR 30 for general admission, and premium categories start at SAR 100. The AFC and local organizers confirmed these details in their ticket launch announcement.
Sales have run in phases since May 2026. Check Ahlan for the current phase and remaining seats. Avoid resale sites, because unofficial tickets may fail at the gate.
Visa and Entry Rules
A match ticket alone does not get you into Saudi Arabia. Travelers from eligible countries can apply online for the tourist eVisa, which allows multiple entries and stays of up to 90 days. Saudi Arabia also offers a package visa through licensed providers that bundle flights, hotels, and match tickets.
As of mid-2026, I found no dedicated fan visa for this tournament. Rules can change, so check the official Visit Saudi portal before you pay for flights. [LINK: Visit the Saudi eVisa page.]
Getting Between Host Cities
Riyadh, Jeddah, and Al Khobar sit far apart. Treat each city as its own trip and leave a full day between matches in different cities.
Knockout opponents depend on group results. Book flexible hotels for the knockout rounds. Convert kickoff times with Arabia Standard Time, which is UTC+3 all year.
Conclusion
The confirmed Asia Cup schedule runs from 7 January to 5 February 2027 in Saudi Arabia. You now have the groups, the 51-match structure, the stadiums, the ticket prices, and the visa basics. Save your key matches, double-check each time on the AFC site, and enjoy the tournament.
People Also Ask
The tournament starts on 7 January 2027 with Saudi Arabia vs. Palestine in Riyadh. The final takes place on 5 February.
The tournament has 51 matches. That includes 36 group games and 15 knockout games.
Saudi Arabia sits in Group A with Kuwait, Oman, and Palestine.
Qatar won the 2023 edition, played in early 2024, after beating Jordan 3 to 1 in the final. It was their second title in a row.
Rights vary by region. beIN Sports covers the Middle East and North Africa, DAZN covers Japan, and Paramount covers the United States. Check your national broadcaster for the full list.
Most visitors need a visa. Eligible nationalities can use the tourist eVisa, and the package visa is another route through licensed providers.