Saudi Arabia confirms January start for Asian Cup 2027 despite attacks

Asian Cup 2027 to kick off on January 7 with hosts Saudi Arabia facing Palestine in Riyadh as AFC announces schedule.Published On 26 Oct 202626 Oct 2026Saudi Arabia will host the 2027 Asian Cup in January and February despite recent doubts surrounding the tournament’s schedule due to ongoing attacks on the country and wider regional unrest.The continental championship will get under way on January 7 in Riyadh, where the hosts will take on Palestine in a Group A fixture, according to the tournament schedule announced by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) on Monday.Riyadh’s 72,000-seat King Fahd Sports City Stadium will also host the inaugural match and serve as the venue for the final on February 5.Eight venues – five in Riyadh, two in Jeddah and one in Al-Khobar – will host the 51 matches across the 29-day tournament.Despite the confirmation from the organisers, the tournament’s fate remains under scrutiny as several of the 24 participating federations have raised concerns about security in the region.Earlier on Monday, organisers of the Dakar Rally said the race would be moved out of Saudi Arabia for the 2027 edition due to the “recent developments in the region”.Last week, a ...