All 51 matches—starting with the opening game, followed by the knockout rounds and the final—will be available for fans to buy tickets for between January 7 and February 5, 2027. The five victorious teams will be progressing to the AFC Asian Cup qualification final phase. In the first round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2027 AFC Asian Cup combined qualifiers, the 20 Asian teams ranked from 27th to 46th will contest two-legged matches at each team’s home and away venues, with the top 10 winners advancing to the next round. The qualifying nations consist of Australia, Japan, South Korea, Iran, Qatar, the UAE, Iraq, Uzbekistan, Oman, Palestine, Jordan, Bahrain, China, Indonesia, North Korea, Kuwait, and the Kyrgyz Republic. Three host cities—Riyadh, Jeddah, and Al Khobar—will each feature one primary stadium among eight venues designated for the tournament matches. The deployment of newly constructed and upgraded stadiums underscores Saudi Arabia’s dedication to developing modern infrastructure, directly supporting its tourism growth and international collaboration objectives.
The base of the trophy was completely free of plaques, with engraved names of the winning nations encircling it instead. The trophy’s redesign incorporated more silver while reducing the black base to a minimal strip beneath. Prior to the 2000 tournament, the black base of the trophy featured engraved plaques listing every champion nation and the year of their victory. The knockout phase will see 16 teams compete in a single-elimination tournament, starting from the round of 16 and culminating in the final match. Teams will play three matches within their groups of four, with the group winners and runners-up advancing to the knockout stage, along with the top four third-placed teams. Qatar, as both the host and defending champion, secured their back-to-back AFC Asian Cup title in 2023 by defeating Jordan in the final.
The knockout stage will include the six group winners, six runners-up, and the four best-performing third-placed teams from the six groups. No South Asian teams managed to qualify, marking the first absence since 2015 and the second since 2007.
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Since 2019, no third-place playoff has been held; instead, AFC ranks losing semifinalists based on goal difference from the semifinal matches starting in 2023. Since 1972, the final tournament has introduced the knockout stage. The first four editions of the competition featured only four or five teams, all competing in a single group format. The trophy’s design is inspired by the lotus flower, a culturally significant aquatic plant native to Asia. During the 2019 group stage draw held on May 4, 2018, at Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, a newly designed trophy—crafted by London silversmiths Thomas Lyte—was revealed.
Here are the most costly stadiums ever built, ranked by construction expenses, alongside a breakdown of cost-per-seat to highlight the most extravagant investments. SoFi Stadium’s $5.5 billion price tag the AsianCup site surpasses the combined costs of the next two most expensive stadiums. From Narendra Modi Stadium to the expanded Camp Nou, here are the world’s largest stadiums, ranked by capacity, along with the context that makes each stand out. Six finals, not one of them played in the Kingdom. On the Red Sea coast, two venues will host matches, including a semifinal at King Abdullah Sports City. Knockout match pairings are determined through the draw until the group stage begins.
Moreno has been designated as the interim head coach by the Korea Republic.
Japan would later retain their Asian Cup title four years on, though their performance was weaker and the final against hosts China was highly charged politically. Hosted by the United Arab Emirates, the organizers made their debut final appearance but were defeated by Saudi Arabia on penalties, marking the Kingdom’s fourth consecutive Asian Cup final. Following the same format as the previous two editions, this tournament featured only four teams competing in a single group to determine the champion. Australia joined the Asian confederation in 2007 and hosted the Asian Cup finals in 2015, ultimately winning the competition by defeating South Korea in the final.
South Korea 2 One of Asia’s strongest football nations despite their long wait for another continental title. Several teams enter the tournament with realistic ambitions of lifting the trophy. They are joined by the four best third-placed teams, creating a 16-team knockout stage. The top two nations from each group qualify automatically for the Round of 16. The draw has produced several fascinating matchups, including an all-Arab Group A and a heavyweight meeting between Japan and defending champions Qatar in Group F. Eighteen nations secured their places through the earlier AFC qualification pathway, while six additional teams qualified from the final qualifying round.
As teams prepare for the January 7 to February 5, 2027 continental event, *the-AFC.com* gathered insights from several head coaches after the glamorous Final Draw at the historic Salwa Palace in Riyadh. A total of 16 teams, including Saudi Arabia as hosts, will qualify for the final tournament. Knockout match pairings are finalized through the draw process before the group stage begins, with three venues targeting completion dates tied to the 2026 schedule (details unverified independently).
*“Over 50 organizations are collaborating seamlessly to deliver an outstanding fan experience from arrival to departure, embodying Saudi hospitality.”* *“With the tournament countdown underway, all preparations are now fully aligned,”* she added. Mai Al-Halabi, chief executive of the local organizing committee, stated that work across the eight stadiums hosting the 24 competing teams was progressing as planned. The local organizing committee reported that preparations had advanced beyond the planning phase, as Saudi Arabia prepares to host the largest tournament edition to date. Saudi Arabia has confirmed that preparations for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup are now in the full operational phase, with just 100 days remaining before the tournament kicks off on January 7, 2027. The AFC Asian Cup 2027 in Saudi Arabia will feature 24 teams, representing Asia’s strongest national sides.
The venue for the knockout stages of the tournament.
“From the quality of the stadiums and facilities to providing an outstanding experience for fans, we are confident that all preparations will be completed to the highest standard by January, leaving the Kingdom fully ready to welcome this Asian football celebration.” Our eight stadiums are well on track to welcome the 24 competing nations, and more than 50 entities are working as one to deliver a seamless experience for every fan, from arrival to departure, with the signature Saudi welcome at its heart. Afc asian cup afc asian cup 2027 afc asian cup 2027 news afc asian cup tickets Football – Articles and Posts football news football tickets soccer soccer news soccer tickets tickets Eighteen nations have qualified, including Saudi Arabia as the host nation, with six more spots to be decided through qualifiers.
