Japan Drawn With Qatar in Group Stage of 2027 Asian Cup

The Asian Football Confederation held the draw for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup on May 9 after an earlier postponement. Four-time winners Japan were grouped with defending champions Qatar, Indonesia and Thailand in Group F. Qatar won the last two editions of the tournament in 2019 and 2023.

Saudi Arabia will host the 24-team tournament for the first time from January 7 to February 5. The host nation was drawn with Palestine, Kuwait and Oman. Saudi Arabia last won the title in 1996 and will also stage the 2034 FIFA World Cup. The draw had been scheduled for April 11 but was delayed until May 9.

The AFC said the postponement followed the US-Israel war on Iran. The final list of qualified teams remains incomplete because the Lebanon-Yemen qualifying match, originally set for March 31, has been rescheduled for June.

Uzbekistan and Jordan, both preparing for their first World Cup appearances in June, were drawn in Group B with North Korea and Bahrain. Iran will face Syria and China in another group. Australia were placed in Group D with former champions Iraq, Tajikistan and Singapore.

Singapore qualified for the tournament for the first time since 1984. South Korea, which has not won the Asian Cup since 1960, will meet the United Arab Emirates, Vietnam and the winner of the Lebanon-Yemen match. The top two teams from each of the six groups of four will advance to the round of 16, along with the four best third-placed teams.

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