Saudi Arabia confirms January start for Asian Cup 2027 despite attacks

Saudi Arabia will host the 2027 Asian Cup from January 7 to February 5 despite concerns over attacks and regional unrest. The tournament will open in Riyadh with a Group A match between Saudi Arabia and Palestine at King Fahd Sports City Stadium, which will also host the final. Eight venues in Riyadh, Jeddah and Al-Khobar will stage 51 matches involving 24 teams. Several participating federations have raised security concerns, and Japan Football Association President Tsuneyasu Miyamoto said holding the tournament under current conditions would be difficult.