Asian Cup 2027: Japan Drawn in Group of Death with Qatar; Saudi Arabia Gets Easy Draw
Theo Al Jazeera English
The Asian Cup 2027 draw has produced a blockbuster Group F, with defending champions Qatar drawn alongside four-time winners Japan. Hosts Saudi Arabia face a more straightforward path in Group C against Palestine, Kuwait and Oman.
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) conducted the draw for the 2027 Asian Cup, which will be held in Saudi Arabia from January 7 to February 5, 2027. This marks the first time Saudi Arabia has hosted the continent's most prestigious tournament, featuring 24 teams.
The draw saw Group F become the center of attention as defending champions Qatar (winners in 2019 and 2023) were placed alongside Japan, a four-time Asian champion. The remaining two teams in the group are Indonesia and Thailand.
"Japan is one of the top teams in Asia, always has been," said Qatar coach Julen Lopetegui. "They have quality players and we have to believe in ourselves."
Hosts Saudi Arabia, also the 2034 World Cup host, landed in Group C with three other West Asian teams: Palestine, Kuwait and Oman. Head coach Giorgios Donis, who replaced Herve Renard in April, said confidently: "When we enter the Asian Cup on home soil, we will be ready to reach the final and win the title." Saudi Arabia last won the Asian Cup in 1996.
The draw had been postponed multiple times due to conflict in the Middle East. Originally scheduled for April 11, it was moved to May 9. The identity of one participating team remains unknown because the match between Lebanon and Yemen, scheduled for March 31, was postponed to June.
In other groups, Uzbekistan and Jordan — both recently qualified for the 2026 World Cup — are in Group B with North Korea and Bahrain. Iran is in Group A with Syria and China.
Group D pits Australia against Iraq, now coached by former Australia boss Graham Arnold, along with Tajikistan and Singapore — the latter qualifying for the Asian Cup for the first time since 1984. South Korea, which last won the Asian Cup in 1960, faces the UAE, Vietnam and the winner of the Lebanon-Yemen tie.
The tournament format consists of six groups of four teams each. The top two from each group, plus the four best third-placed teams, advance to the round of 16.
