AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027™

The AFC Asian Cup is the biggest national team football tournament in Asia. Clearly, the 2027 edition is special. Saudi Arabia will host it for the first time. This guide covers the dates, stadiums, groups, tickets and travel details.Event Details at a GlanceDetailInformationEvent nameAFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027™Edition19th AFC Asian CupOrganizerAsian Football Confederation (AFC), with the Local Organising CommitteeStart dateThursday, January 7, 2027End dateFriday, February 5, 2027Host countrySaudi Arabia, hosting for the first timeHost citiesRiyadh, Jeddah and Al KhobarTeams24 national teamsMatches51Stadiums8Opening matchSaudi Arabia vs Palestine, King Fahd Sports City Stadium, RiyadhFinalKing Fahd Sports City Stadium, RiyadhTicket pricesFrom SAR 30, with premium tickets from SAR 100Official ticket siteahlan.saWhen Is the AFC Asian Cup 2027?The tournament starts on January 7, 2027 and ends on February 5, 2027. It is now less than three months away. Moreover, the AFC has already set the main stages of the schedule.Group stage: January 7 to January 20Round of 16: January 22 to January 25Quarter-finals: January 28 and 29Semi-finals: February 1 and 2Final: February 5Kickoff times for each match are set by the AFC, so check the official schedule before you buy tickets or book travel.Where Is It Played?Matches take place across three cities and eight stadiums. What's more, each city has its own main venue.Riyadh (5 stadiums)King Fahd Sports City Stadium, the largest venue with 72,000 seatsKing Saud University StadiumKingdom ArenaImam Mohammed Ibn Saud University StadiumAl-Shabab Club StadiumJeddah (2 stadiums)King Abdullah Sports City StadiumPrince Abdullah Al-Faisal Sports City StadiumAl Khobar (1 stadium)The new Al Khobar Stadium, with 45,000 seats. It hosts matches at every stage except the final.King Fahd Sports City Stadium stages the opening match and the final. Most importantly, it also hosts Saudi Arabia's national team games, group matches, Round of 16 games and quarter-finals.The GroupsThe final draw took place on May 9, 2026 at Salwa Palace in the At-Turaif District of Diriyah, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was first planned for April 11, then moved to May 9 to allow full participation. The 24 teams were placed into six groups.GroupTeamsGroup ASaudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, PalestineGroup BUzbekistan, Bahrain, DPR Korea, JordanGroup CIR Iran, Syria, Kyrgyz Republic, China PRGroup DAustralia, Tajikistan, Iraq, SingaporeGroup EKorea Republic, UAE, Vietnam, YemenGroup FJapan, Qatar, Thailand, IndonesiaYemen took the last place after a play-off win over Lebanon, according to a tournament guide published after the draw. Clearly, Group F stands out. It brings Japan, Qatar, Thailand and Indonesia together.Saudi Arabia's PathThe host team is in Group A. Saudi Arabia won the Asian Cup in 1984, 1988 and 1996. Moreover, the team will chase a fourth title on home soil.The opening game is against Palestine on January 7 at King Fahd Sports City Stadium. Saudi Arabia then faces Kuwait and Oman in the group stage.Tickets and PricesTickets are on sale through ahlan.sa, the official ticketing site.Standard tickets: From SAR 30Premium tickets: From SAR 100, with an upgraded matchday experienceThese prices make the tournament open to a wide range of fans. Additionally, Visit Saudi offers travel packages for Riyadh, Jeddah and Al Khobar. These can include flights, hotel stays, match tickets and transfers. One listed package covers a quarter-final trip to Riyadh with a three-night hotel stay and a city tour.Why This Tournament Matters?The AFC Asian Cup is Asia's oldest national team competition. Given that history, hosting it for the first time is a major moment for Saudi Arabia. Clearly, the Kingdom has already hosted large football events, including the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup.Beyond the football, the tournament puts Riyadh, Jeddah and Al Khobar in front of fans across the continent. What's more, it is the second Asian Cup in a row in the Gulf region, after Qatar hosted the previous edition.Planning Your VisitA few practical points to keep in mind:Buy tickets only through ahlan.sa, the official siteCheck match dates and kickoff times once the full schedule is confirmedBook flights and hotels early, since January and February will be busy in all three citiesPlan travel between cities in advance if you want to follow one team across the group stageConsider a Visit Saudi package if you want flights, hotel and tickets in one bookingFinal ThoughtsThe AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027™ runs from January 7 to February 5, 2027. It brings 24 teams, 51 matches and eight stadiums across three cities. With tickets from SAR 30 and a strong host team in Group A, it is set to be one of the biggest sports events in the region.