• With the 2027 edition, Saudi Arabia becomes the 16th host nation in the history of the tournament.

Football fans across Asia will turn their attention on Saturday evening to the historic Salwa Palace in the At-Turaif district of the heritage city of Diriyah, where the draw ceremony for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup will be held, hosted by Saudi Arabia with the participation of 24 national teams.

Event timing and symbolic venue

The draw ceremony is scheduled to kick off at 9:00 PM Jordan time (10:00 PM Abu Dhabi time).

The Salwa Palace, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has been chosen as the stage for this continental event, reflecting its deep historical significance to the Kingdom.

The draw comes nearly a month later than originally planned in April, following recent regional instability.

Team seeding: Saudi ambition and a surprise for the reigning champions

A total of 24 nations will compete in the upcoming edition, divided into four pots based on FIFA rankings:

Pot 1: Saudi Arabia (hosts), Japan, Iran, South Korea, Uzbekistan, Australia Pot 2: Jordan, Qatar (defending champions), Oman, Syria, UAE, Iraq Pot 3: Palestine, Bahrain, China, Thailand, Vietnam, Tajikistan Pot 4: Kuwait, Lebanon (or Yemen), North Korea, Indonesia, Singapore, Kyrgyzstan

One of the most notable surprises in the seeding is Qatar being placed in Pot 2 despite winning the last two editions, as the draw is based strictly on FIFA ranking points.

Saudi Arabia prepares for a historic chapter

By hosting the 2027 tournament, Saudi Arabia becomes the 16th nation to stage the continental championship.

The Saudi national team, “Al-Akhdar,” will aim to capitalize on home advantage and fan support to win the title for the fourth time in its history, seeking to revive continental glory it last achieved in 1996, having previously been crowned champions in 1984 and 1988.