Kuala Lumpur, Jan 7 (NationPress) The AFC Asian Cup 2027 is scheduled to be held from January 7 to February 5 across three cities – Riyadh, Jeddah, and Al Khobar - in Saudi Arabia, according to an announcement made by the AFC on Tuesday.

A total of five stadiums in Riyadh will host the matches of the tournament: the King Fahd Sports City Stadium, the King Saud University Stadium, Imam Mohammed Ibn Saud University Stadium, Kingdom Arena, and Al Shabab Stadium.

In Jeddah, two stadiums have been confirmed: King Abdullah Sports City and Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Sports City Stadium. Additionally, a new state-of-the-art venue is slated for construction in Al Khobar, enhancing the world-class infrastructure that will serve as the stage for Asia’s premier 24 national teams.

Saudi Arabia was designated as the host nation for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup in 2023. This marks the inaugural occasion that Saudi Arabia will host the tournament.

“Confirming the dates and selecting the stadiums for the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027™ is a strategic milestone in our journey to host the tournament. This announcement transcends merely identifying locations and schedules; it symbolizes the ongoing high-level collaboration between us and the AFC as we strive to deliver an outstanding tournament that meets the aspirations of the entire Asian continent,” stated Yasser Al Misehal, chief of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation.

So far, eighteen teams have secured their spots in the AFC Asian Cup 2027. The remaining slots will be determined through the Qualifiers Final Round, which is set to begin in March 2025. This round will feature six groups of four teams, as confirmed in last month’s draw, with the winners of each group making up the final roster.

India, pursuing its fifth appearance at the AFC Asian Cup, has been placed in Group C alongside Singapore, Hong Kong, and Bangladesh. The team aims to replicate or exceed its 2019 performance, where it demonstrated significant progress on the continental stage.