Qatar Drawn with Japan, Thailand And Indonesia in Asian Cup 2027 Group Stage

Asian Cup 2027

The draw for the 19th edition of the AFC Asian Cup 2027 placed reigning champions Qatar in Group F alongside Japan, Thailand and Indonesia.

The draw ceremony was held on Saturday evening in the historic Diriyah district near Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as the Kingdom prepares to host the continental tournament for the first time from January 7 to February 5, 2027.

Qatar, who won the last two editions of the competition, will be aiming to secure a third consecutive title and equal the historic record of Iran, which won three straight championships in the 1960s and 1970s.

The group stage format will see the top two teams from each group, along with the four best third-placed sides, advance to the Round of 16.

Host nation Saudi Arabia headlines Group A alongside Oman, Palestine and Kuwait. Other groups include heavyweight clashes such as Japan, South Korea, Australia, Iran, and Uzbekistan leading their respective groups.

Qatar was placed in Pot 2 based on the latest FIFA rankings, alongside teams including Iraq, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Syria.

The draw reflects a highly competitive tournament featuring 24 national teams, many of which qualified through the joint Asian Cup and World Cup qualifying process.

Japan remain the most successful team in the competition's history with four titles, followed by Saudi Arabia and Iran with three each, while Qatar and South Korea have each lifted the trophy twice.

(QNA)