2027 AFC Asian Cup
AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027
كأس آسيا المملكة العربية السعودية 2027
Tournament details
Host country Saudi Arabia
Dates 7 January – 5 February
Teams 24 (from 1 confederation)
Venue 8 (in 3 host cities)
← 2023
2031 →

The 2027 AFC Asian Cup will be the 19th edition of the AFC Asian Cup, the quadrennial international men's football championship of Asia organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). The tournament will involve 24 national teams after the expansion in 2019. It will be held in Saudi Arabia from 7 January to 5 February 2027.[1][2]

The tournament will return to its usual four-year cycle, after the 2023 edition was postponed to 2024 due to the removal of China as hosts and high summer temperatures in Qatar. This will be the final time the tournament is held on an odd-numbered year, having been so since 2007, as the tournament moves to even-numbered year, last in 2004 due to FIFA concerning a potential revision to the international match calendar.[3]

Qatar are the two-time defending champions.

Host selection

Main article: 2027 AFC Asian Cup bids

AFC confirmed the list of member associations expressed their interests to host 2027 Asian Cup before the 30 June 2020 deadline,[4] and they gave their necessary letters of undertaking in November.[5] On 17 October 2022, the AFC Executive Committee announced that the host of the 2027 AFC Asian Cup would be chosen by the AFC Congress at its next meeting on 1 February 2023 in Manama, Bahrain.[6][7] However, India, one of the last two bidders, withdrew on 5 December[8] leaving Saudi Arabia as the only remaining bidder. On 1 February, the AFC confirmed that Saudi Arabia won the bid and will host the tournament for the first time.[1]

Venues

Map
About OpenStreetMaps
Maps: terms of use
500km
311miles
Riyadh
Riyadh
Riyadh
Khobar
Khobar
Khobar
Jeddah
Jeddah
Jeddah
   
Location of the host cities of the 2027 AFC Asian Cup.

The 2027 AFC Asian Cup will be held in Saudi Arabia from 7 January to 5 February 2027. The tournament will be played across eight stadiums in the cities of Riyadh, Jeddah, and Khobar.[9][10][11]

City Stadium Capacity Image
Riyadh King Fahd Sports City Stadium 70,200
(after renovation)
King Saud University Stadium 26,004
Kingdom Arena 30,000
Imam Mohammed Ibn Saud University Stadium 21,000
Al Shabab Stadium 13,537
Jeddah King Abdullah Sports City Stadium 62,345
Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Sports City Stadium 27,000
Khobar Aramco Stadium 46,096
(new)

Teams

Main article: 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualification
Qualification status
  Teams qualified
  Teams still able to qualify
  Teams failed to qualify
  Withdrew or excluded
  Not an AFC member

The first two rounds of qualification acted as part of the Asian qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Saudi Arabia, which received automatic qualification for the Asian Cup as host, also participated in the qualifiers to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.[12]

The Northern Mariana Islands, whose football association became the 47th full AFC member during the confederation's 30th Congress on 9 December 2020,[13] was only eligible to enter the qualification tournament for the Asian Cup, but was ultimately excluded.[14]

Qualified teams

Singapore has qualified for the first time on merit, having only previously appeared in 1984 as hosts.[15][16] North Korea returned after missing the previous tournament in 2023, while Kuwait return to the tournament having last appeared in 2015.

Three nations from the previous edition failed to qualify — India, Hong Kong and Malaysia. India and Hong Kong were eliminated by Singapore after respectively placing fourth and second in their third round group. Malaysia was found guilty using falsified eligibility documents and effectively ousted after having two victories being overturned, handing the ticket to its ASEAN competitor Vietnam.

Iran meanwhile extended their qualification record; this was their sixteenth straight appearance in the tournament, having qualified for every edition since 1968.

Team Method of
qualification		 Date of
qualification		 Finals
appearances		 First
appearance		 Last
appearance		 Previous best
performance
 Saudi Arabia Hosts 1 February 2023
12th
1984
2023
Winners (1984, 1988, 1996)
 Australia Second round Group I winners 26 March 2024
6th
2007
2023
Winners (2015)
 Iraq Second round Group F winners 26 March 2024
11th
1972
2023
Winners (2007)
 Iran Second round Group E winners 26 March 2024
16th
1968
2023
Winners (1968, 1972, 1976)
 Uzbekistan Second round Group E runners-up 26 March 2024
9th
1996
2023
Fourth place (2011)
 Qatar Second round Group A winners 26 March 2024
12th
1980
2023
Winners (2019, 2023)
 United Arab Emirates Second round Group H winners 26 March 2024
12th
1980
2023
Runners-up (1996)
 Japan Second round Group B winners 2 April 2024
11th
1988
2023
Winners (1992, 2000, 2004, 2011)
 South Korea Second round Group C winners 6 June 2024
16th
1956
2023
Winners (1956, 1960)
 Oman Second round Group D winners 6 June 2024
6th
2004
2023
Round of 16 (2019)
 Palestine Second round Group I runners-up 6 June 2024
4th
2015
2023
Round of 16 (2023)
 Bahrain Second round Group H runners-up 6 June 2024
8th
1988
2023
Fourth place (2004)
 Jordan Second round Group G winners 6 June 2024
6th
2004
2023
Runners-up (2023)
 China Second round Group C runners-up 11 June 2024
14th
1976
2023
Runners-up (1984, 2004)
 Indonesia Second round Group F runners-up 11 June 2024
6th
1996
2023
Round of 16 (2023)
 North Korea Second round Group B runners-up 11 June 2024
6th
1980
2019
Fourth place (1980)
 Kuwait Second round Group A runners-up 11 June 2024
11th
1972
2015
Winners (1980)
 Kyrgyzstan Second round Group D runners-up 11 June 2024
3rd
2019
2023
Round of 16 (2019)
 Syria Third round Group E winners 14 October 2025
8th
1980
2023
Round of 16 (2023)
 Singapore Third round Group C winners 18 November 2025
2nd
1984
1984
Group stage (1984)
 Vietnam Third round Group F winners 17 March 2026[a]
6th
1956
2023
Fourth place (1956, 1960)
 Thailand Third round Group D winners 31 March 2026
9th
1972
2023
Third place (1972)
 Tajikistan Third round Group A winners 31 March 2026
2nd
2023
2023
Quarter-finals (2023)
 Lebanon /  Yemen Third round Group B winners 4 June 2026

Draw

The draw was originally to be held in Riyadh on 11 April 2026 at the Diriyah Salwa Palace.[19] However, on 25 March 2026, the AFC announced that the draw would be postponed amidst concerns over the 2026 Iran war.

From the April 2026 FIFA World Rankings[20]
Pot 1 Pot 2 Pot 3 Pot 4
 Saudi Arabia (61) (hosts)
 Japan (18)
 Iran (21)
 South Korea (25)
 Australia (27)
 Uzbekistan (50)		  Qatar (55)
 Iraq (57)
 Jordan (63)
 United Arab Emirates (68)
 Oman (79)
 Syria (84)		  Bahrain (91)
 Thailand (93)
 China (94)
 Palestine (95)
 Vietnam (99)
 Tajikistan (103)
  Kyrgyzstan (107)
 North Korea (118)
 Indonesia (122)
 Kuwait (134)
 Singapore (147)
Third round Group B winners

Group stage

All times are local, SAST (UTC+3).

Group A

Pos Team
  • v
  • t
  • e
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Saudi Arabia (H) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Advance to knockout stage
2 A2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 A3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Possible knockout stage based on ranking
4 A4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
First match(es) will be played: 7 January 2027. Source: AFC
(H) Hosts
Saudi Arabia  Match 1 A4
King Fahd Sports City Stadium, Riyadh
A2 Match A3
A3 Match 13  Saudi Arabia
King Fahd Sports City Stadium, Riyadh
A4 Match A2
Saudi Arabia  Match 27 A2
King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, Jeddah
A3 Match A4

Group B

Pos Team
  • v
  • t
  • e
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 B1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Advance to knockout stage
2 B2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 B3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Possible knockout stage based on ranking
4 B4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
First match(es) will be played: January 2027. Source: AFC
B1 Match B4
B2 Match B3
B3 Match B1
B4 Match B2
B1 Match B2
B3 Match B4

Group C

Pos Team
  • v
  • t
  • e
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 C1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Advance to knockout stage
2 C2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 C3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Possible knockout stage based on ranking
4 C4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
First match(es) will be played: January 2027. Source: AFC
C1 Match C4
C2 Match C3
C3 Match C1
C4 Match C2
C1 Match C2
C3 Match C4

Group D

Pos Team
  • v
  • t
  • e
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 D1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Advance to knockout stage
2 D2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 D3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Possible knockout stage based on ranking
4 D4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
First match(es) will be played: January 2027. Source: AFC
D1 Match D4
D2 Match D3
D3 Match D1
D4 Match D2
D1 Match D2
D3 Match D4

Group E

Pos Team
  • v
  • t
  • e
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 E1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Advance to knockout stage
2 E2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 E3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Possible knockout stage based on ranking
4 E4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
First match(es) will be played: January 2027. Source: AFC
E1 Match E4
E2 Match E3
E3 Match E1
E4 Match E2
E1 Match E2
E3 Match E4

Group F

Pos Team
  • v
  • t
  • e
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 F1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Advance to knockout stage
2 F2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 F3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Possible knockout stage based on ranking
4 F4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
First match(es) will be played: January 2027. Source: AFC
F1 Match F4
F2 Match F3
F3 Match F1
F4 Match F2
F1 Match F2
F3 Match F4

Ranking of third-placed teams

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

Pos Grp Team
  • v
  • t
  • e
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 A Third place Group A 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Advance to knockout stage
2 B Third place Group B 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 C Third place Group C 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 D Third place Group D 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5 E Third place Group E 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
6 F Third place Group F 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
First match(es) will be played: 15 January 2027. Source: AFC

Knockout stage

In the knockout stage, extra time and a penalty shoot-out will be used to decide the winner if necessary.

Third-placed teams
qualify from groups		 1A
vs		 1B
vs		 1C
vs		 1D
vs
A B C D 3C 3D 3A 3B
A B C E 3C 3A 3B 3E
A B C F 3C 3A 3B 3F
A B D E 3D 3A 3B 3E
A B D F 3D 3A 3B 3F
A B E F 3E 3A 3B 3F
A C D E 3C 3D 3A 3E
A C D F 3C 3D 3A 3F
A C E F 3C 3A 3F 3E
A D E F 3D 3A 3F 3E
B C D E 3C 3D 3B 3E
B C D F 3C 3D 3B 3F
B C E F 3E 3C 3B 3F
B D E F 3E 3D 3B 3F
C D E F 3C 3D 3F 3E

Bracket

 
Round of 16 Quarter-finals Semi-finals Final
 
                           
 
22 January – Riyadh (Kingdom)
 
 
Runner-up Group A
 
28 January – Riyadh (Kingdom)
 
Runner-up Group C
 
Winner Match 37
 
23 January – Riyadh (Imam Mohamed)
 
Winner Match 39
 
Winner Group D
 
1 February – Al Khobar
 
Third Group B/E/F
 
Winner Match 45
 
22 January – Riyadh (Al - Shabab)
 
Winner Match 46
 
Winner Group B
 
28 January – Jeddah (King Abdullah)
 
Third Group A/C/D
 
Winner Match 38
 
24 January – Riyadh (King Fahd)
 
Winner Match 41
 
Winner Group F
 
5 February – Riyadh (King Fahd)
 
Runner-up Group E
 
Winner Match 49
 
25 January – Jeddah (King Abdullah)
 
Winner Match 50
 
Winner Group C
 
29 January – Riyadh (King Fahd)
 
Third Group A/B/F
 
Winner Match 44
 
25 January – Riyadh (King Saud)
 
Winner Match 43
 
Winner Group E
 
2 February – Jeddah (King Abdullah)
 
Runner-up Group D
 
Winner Match 47
 
23 January – Al Khobar
 
Winner Match 48
 
Winner Group A
 
29 January – Al Khobar
 
Third Group C/D/E
 
Winner Match 40
 
24 January – Jeddah (Prince Abdullah)
 
Winner Match 42
 
Runner-up Group B
 
 
Runner-up Group F
 

All times are local, SAST (UTC+3).

Round of 16

Runner-up Group A Match 37 Runner-up Group C
Kingdom Arena, Riyadh
Winner Group B Match 38 Third Group A/C/D
Al-Shabab Club Stadium, Riyadh
Winner Group D Match 39 Third Group B/E/F
Imam Mohammed Ibn Saud University Stadium, Riyadh
Winner Group A Match 40 Third Group C/D/E
Al Khobar Stadium, Al Khobar
Winner Group F Match 41 Runner-up Group E
King Fahd Sports City Stadium, Riyadh
Runner-up Group B Match 42 Runner-up Group F
Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Sports City Stadium, Jeddah
Winner Group E Match 43 Runner-up Group D
King Saud University Stadium, Riyadh
Winner Group C Match 44 Third Group A/B/F
King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, Jeddah

Quarter-finals

Winner Match 37 Match 45 Winner Match 39
Kingdom Arena, Riyadh
Winner Match 38 Match 46 Winner Match 41
King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, Jeddah
Winner Match 44 Match 47 Winner Match 43
King Fahd Sports City Stadium, Riyadh
Winner Match 40 Match 48 Winner Match 42
Al Khobar Stadium, Al Khobar

Semi-finals

Winner Match 45 Match 49 Winner Match 46
Al Khobar Stadium, Al Khobar
Winner Match 47 Match 50 Winner Match 48
King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, Jeddah

Final

Winner Match 49 Match 51 Winner Match 50
King Fahd Sports City Stadium, Riyadh

Marketing

Brand

The official logo was unveiled on 24 January 2026. It consists of a wordmark and a trophy symbol derived from Najdi stepped geometry, an architectural and decorative style native to Saudi Arabia. This geometric form, traditionally found in carved patterns, Al Sadu textiles, and regional ornamentation, is characterized by a stepped structure that emphasizes rhythm and balance. The logo is accompanied by decorative patterns referencing Najdi architectural motifs and traditional Saudi craftsmanship, commonly used in homes and doorways, symbolizing hospitality.[21]

Sponsorship

Official Global Partners

  • Credit Saison
  • Neom[22]
  • Qatar Airways[23]
  • Visit Saudi

Official Global Supporters

Broadcasting rights

The broadcasters around the world that acquired the rights to the tournament included:

Territory Broadcaster(s) Ref.
Australia Paramount+ and Network 10 [27]
India FanCode [28]
Indonesia MNC Media [29]
MENA beIN Sports [30][31]
South Korea Coupang [32]
Thailand BG Sports [33]
Vietnam TV360 [34]

See also

  • Football in Saudi Arabia

Notes

  1. ^ On 26 September 2025, FIFA sanctioned the Football Association of Malaysia and seven players for using falsified eligibility documents. These players played in the match against Nepal and Vietnam.[17] On 5 March 2026, the CAS uphold the sanctions against Malaysia for which AFC overturned Malaysia wins against Nepal (on 25 March 2025) and Vietnam (on 10 June 2025) were overturned to 0–3 defeats on 17 March 2026.[18] The decision effectively qualified Vietnam and eliminated Malaysia, and this date represents the day that the decision was announced.

References

  1. ^ a b "Saudi Arabia confirmed as hosts of the AFC Asian Cup 2027". the-AFC.com. Asian Football Confederation. 1 February 2023. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  2. ^ "Men's International Match Calendar 2023-2030" (PDF). FIFA. April 2023. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  3. ^ "AFC announces discontinuation of bidding process for AFC Asian Cup™ 2031 and 2035". the-AFC.com. Asian Football Confederation. 20 March 2026. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
  4. ^ "Five Member Associations express interest to host 2027 AFC Asian Cup". aseanfootball.org. ASEAN Football Federation. 2 July 2020.
  5. ^ "All five 2027 Asian Cup bidders meet latest deadline to submit documents". Inside the Games. Dunsar Media Company Limited. 13 November 2020.
  6. ^ "Qatar to host AFC Asian Cup 2023; India and Saudi Arabia shortlisted for 2027 edition". Asian Football Confederation. 17 October 2022. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
  7. ^ "AFC Executive Committee (term 2023-2027): Final list of candidates confirmed". AFC. 1 December 2022. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  8. ^ "AIFF Statement". All India Football Federation. 5 December 2022. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  9. ^ "Two-year countdown: Dates for AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 confirmed". The Asian Football Confederation. 7 January 2025. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
  10. ^ "AFC announces schedule, venues for 2027 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia". ArgaamPlus. Retrieved 11 December 2025.
  11. ^ "Football chiefs set dates, name the eight stadiums for 2027 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia". Arab News. 8 January 2025. Retrieved 11 December 2025.
  12. ^ "ExCo approves expanded AFC Asian Cup finals". Asian Football Confederation. 16 April 2014. Archived from the original on 3 May 2015.
  13. ^ "AFC Congress approves NMIFA's membership". AFC. 10 December 2020. Retrieved 20 March 2021.
  14. ^ "Six teams to contest Qualifiers Playoff for Saudi Arabia 2027". AFC. 2 May 2024. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
  15. ^ Lee, David (18 November 2025). "Singapore secure historic Asian Cup qualification with spirited comeback 2-1 win over Hong Kong". The Straits Times.
  16. ^ Mohan, Matthew (19 November 2025). "Asian Cup 'milestone' belongs to all of Singapore, say matchwinner Ilhan Fandi and Gavin Lee". CNA. Retrieved 19 November 2025.
  17. ^ "FIFA sanctions Football Association of Malaysia and seven players". FIFA. Retrieved 28 September 2025.
  18. ^ "VVC 20260317DC01" (PDF). Asian Football Confederation. 17 March 2026. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 March 2026. 2. The AFC Asian Cup 2027 (Qualifiers Final Round) match between Malaysia and Nepal which took place on 25 March 2025 is forfeited by Malaysia. Accordingly, applying Article 25.1 of the AFC Disciplinary and Ethics Code, Malaysia shall be considered to have lost the AFC Asian Cup 2027 (Qualifiers Final Round) match between Malaysia and Nepal which took place on 25 March 2025 by a score of 0–3. 3. The AFC Asian Cup 2027 (Qualifiers Final Round) match between Malaysia and Vietnam which took place on 10 June 2025 is forfeited by Malaysia. Accordingly, applying Article 25.1 of the AFC Disciplinary and Ethics Code, Malaysia shall be considered to have lost the AFC Asian Cup 2027 (Qualifiers Final Round) match between Malaysia and Vietnam which took place on 10 June 2025 by a score of 0–3.
  19. ^ "The Asian Football Confederation Announces the Date for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup Draw". ysscores.com. 25 December 2025. Retrieved 11 February 2026.
  20. ^ "FIFA World Rankings". FIFA. 1 April 2026.
  21. ^ "New AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 brand built to inspire". the-AFC. Retrieved 24 January 2026.
  22. ^ "AFC and NEOM announce global multi-year partnership extension". the-AFC. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  23. ^ "AFC and Qatar Airways announce global partnership". the-AFC. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
  24. ^ "AFC and KELME extend multi-year partnership". the-AFC. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  25. ^ "Midea becomes Global Supporter of the AFC's National Team Competitions". the-AFC. Retrieved 5 June 2025.
  26. ^ "Visa named Official Global Supporter of AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 and AFC U23 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026". the-AFC. 19 January 2026.
  27. ^ "Guide: AFC Competitions on 10 Play and Paramount+". 10play.com.au. 27 September 2023. Retrieved 24 November 2023.
  28. ^ "AFC partners with Fancode to stream Asian football competitions in India". AFC. 11 June 2024. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
  29. ^ "MNC Media dan AFC Resmi Perpanjang Kerja Sama Hak Siar". MNC Media. 23 September 2024.
  30. ^ Nicholson, Paul (6 April 2021). "Saudi Sports Company wins AFC media rights in regional new deal". Inside World Football. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
  31. ^ "AFC enters into landmark agreement with Saudi Sports Company".
  32. ^ "AFC confirms media rights deal for the 2025-2028 cycle with Korea Republic's Coupang Play". the-AFC. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
  33. ^ "BG Sports to become home of AFC competitions in Thailand". the-AFC. Retrieved 7 January 2026.
  34. ^ niên, Báo Thanh (29 December 2025). "AFC and Viettel sign historic agreement, TV360 acquires full broadcasting rights for Asian football in Vietnam". vietnam.vn. Retrieved 29 December 2025.