RIYADH : Saudi Arabia were drawn in an all-Arab Group A for the AFC Asian Cup 2027, while two-time defending champions Qatar will meet Japan after the tournament draw was held in Riyadh on Saturday.
The draw had originally been scheduled for April 11 but was postponed due to the conflict in the Middle East to allow full participation from national associations and tournament partners.
Hosts Saudi Arabia, staging the Asian Cup for the first time, were placed alongside Kuwait, Oman and Palestine in Group A.
Group B features Uzbekistan, Bahrain, North Korea and Jordan, with Uzbekistan and Jordan having already secured qualification for next month’s World Cup.
Qatar were drawn with Japan in Group F in a repeat of the 2019 Asian Cup final, which Qatar won before successfully defending their title at the 2023 tournament.
The competition will run from Jan. 7 to Feb. 5, 2027, with 24 teams participating.
The full draw for the group stage is as follows:
Group A: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Palestine
Group B: Uzbekistan, Bahrain, North Korea, Jordan
Group C: Iran, Syria, Kyrgyzstan, China
Group D: Australia, Tajikistan, Iraq, Singapore
Group E: South Korea, United Arab Emirates, Vietnam, Lebanon/Yemen
Group F: Japan, Qatar, Thailand, Indonesia
