Saudi Arabia will open the AFC Asian Cup 2027 against Palestine in Riyadh on 7 January, after the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) confirmed the tournament schedule and venues on Monday 26 October 2026.

The opening match will be played at Riyadh's King Fahd Sports City Stadium, which will also host the final. It is the first time Saudi Arabia has hosted the continental championship, seven years before the country stages the 2034 World Cup.

Tournament dates and venues

The 24-team tournament will run from 7 January to 5 February 2027 and will feature 51 matches across eight stadiums in three cities: five venues in Riyadh, two in Jeddah and one in Al Khobar.

The group stage is scheduled to conclude on 20 January, with the knockout rounds beginning on 22 January. The quarter-finals follow on 28 and 29 January, the semi-finals on 1 and 2 February, and the final on 5 February.

Opening-round fixtures

Defending champions Qatar are scheduled to begin their title defence against Thailand on 11 January, while Japan open against Indonesia on the same day. South Korea face Yemen, Australia take on Singapore and Iran meet China in their opening matches, according to Reuters' summary of the AFC announcement.

The schedule confirmation comes after questions about the tournament's timing. Reuters notes the tournament remains under scrutiny amid regional security concerns, and that AFC President Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa had earlier said postponement to 2028 remained a possibility if required. The confirmed schedule, however, keeps the tournament in its January to February window for now.