AFC shifts Saudi Arabia Asian Cup to December 2027 start

Archive image: The main entrance to King Fahd International Stadium Photo: Meshari Alawfi / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0. This image is not from the reported match or announcement. Resized for display.

Montage Africa13 November 2026

The Asian Football Confederation has announced new dates for the Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia, moving the tournament to December 23, 2027–January 21, 2028.

The competition had originally been scheduled for January 7–February 5, 2027. The revised window therefore shifts the event by almost a year and takes it across two calendar years.

The AFC said the decision followed discussions with the local organising committee and the Saudi Arabian Football Federation.

The change has implications for national-team preparations and the wider football calendar, with participating sides now working towards a substantially later tournament.

The competition continues to carry its Saudi Arabia 2027 identity despite the final falling in January 2028. Readers checking travel or fixture information should use the revised dates rather than relying on the year in the tournament name.

Detailed match and ticketing arrangements should be checked against subsequent official tournament notices.

Source: Asian Football Confederation.

Featured image: Archive image: The main entrance to King Fahd International Stadium Photo: Meshari Alawfi / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0. This image is not from the reported match or announcement. Resized for display.