RIYADH — The AFC Asian Cup 2027, hosted by Saudi Arabia, will take place from January 7 to February 5, 2027. The tournament will kick off with the opening match on January 7 and conclude with the final on February 5. The matches will be held across eight stadiums in three cities: Riyadh, Jeddah, and Al-Khobar. In Riyadh, King Fahd International Stadium, currently undergoing comprehensive renovations to meet international standards, will serve as a primary venue. Other Riyadh-based stadiums include King Saud University Stadium, Al-Shabab Club Stadium, and the newly constructed Kingdom Arena. Additionally, Imam Muhammad bin Saud University's stadium is undergoing upgrades to increase its seating capacity to 21,000, alongside other improvements to meet AFC requirements. In Jeddah, the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, known as Al-Jawhara, will host matches after recently staging the FIFA Club World Cup 2023 final. The city's Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium will also feature prominently. Meanwhile, Al-Khobar is preparing a state-of-the-art stadium to host its share of the matches, ensuring that the tournament meets the highest standards across all venues. Yasser Al-Misehal, President of the Saudi Football Federation, highlighted the importance of this announcement in the planning and preparation for the tournament. He expressed gratitude for the support of Saudi leadership and praised the ongoing efforts to deliver an exceptional competition that aligns with the aspirations of the Asian continent. Al-Misehal also thanked AFC President Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa for his continued collaboration and support. The Kingdom has recently hosted a string of high-profile events, including the FIFA Club World Cup 2023, the Spanish and Italian Super Cups, and the upcoming AFC Champions League stages for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 seasons. These efforts aim to position Saudi Arabia as a premier destination for international sporting events. Eighteen nations, including host Saudi Arabia, have already secured their spots in the 2027 tournament. Among the confirmed teams are football heavyweights such as Japan, South Korea, and Australia, alongside regional powerhouses like Iran, Qatar, and the UAE. Oman, Jordan, Bahrain, and Palestine are also among the qualified teams. The remaining six places will be determined through the final qualification stages, where 24 teams will compete for the chance to join the tournament.
