AFC Asian Cup 2027: Japan get Qatar defenders in tough match | AFC Asian Cup

Saudi Arabia will host the 2027 tournament from January 7 to February 5 and will face Palestine, Kuwait and Oman.

Four-time winners Japan were selected to defend Qatar from the tournament Asia Cup 2027 football tournament.

Saudi Arabia will host the 24-team tournament for the first time from January 7 to February 5.

The Asian Football Confederation hopes that the tournament will go ahead without any problems after being delayed by the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.

The draw was originally scheduled for April 11 but was postponed until May 9. The final stage was not completed because the Lebanon-Yemen match was not played as planned on March 31 and was postponed until June.

Also Qatar, scholars in 2019 and 2023Japan will face Indonesia and Thailand in Group F.

“Japan is one of the leaders in Asian football all the time,” said Qatar coach Julen Lopetegui. “They have good players and we have to believe in ourselves.”

Saudi Arabia, who will host the 2034 FIFA World Cup, will face Kuwait, Oman and Palestine in the West Asia group as they seek their first win since 1996.

“When we reach the Asia Cup in our country, we will be ready to reach the final and win the tournament,” said Giorgios Donis, who was appointed in April to replace Herve Renard as Saudi Arabia coach.

Uzbekistan and Jordan are set to make their World Cup debuts in June, and have been drawn in Group B of the Asia Cup alongside North Korea and Bahrain.

Iran will face Syria and China.

In Group D, Australia were drawn against former champions Iraq, led by ex-Socceroos coach Graham Arnold, as well as Tajikistan and Singapore, who hosted the tournament for the first time since 1984.

South Korea have not won the tournament since 1960 and will face the United Arab Emirates, Vietnam and the winner of the Lebanon-Yemen match.

The top two from six of the four groups advance to the round of 16 along with the four third-placed teams.