Indonesia to Open 2027 Asian Cup Against Japan on January 11
Indonesia will face Japan, Qatar and Thailand in Group F at the 2027 Asian Cup, according to the full schedule released by the Asian Football Confederation. Its three group matches will take place in Jeddah and Al Khobar during the January 7-February 5 tournament in Saudi Arabia.
Match dates, venues and kickoff times
Indonesia's opening opponent is Japan, the tournament's most successful team with four titles. They meet on Monday, January 11, 2027, at Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Sports City Stadium in Jeddah. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. local time, or 5:30 p.m. in Jakarta.
The next fixture takes Indonesia to Aramco Stadium in Al Khobar to face Qatar on Saturday, January 16. The match starts at 7:30 p.m. local time, or 11:30 p.m. in Jakarta. Qatar enters as the two-time defending champion after winning the 2019 and 2023 editions.
Indonesia returns to Jeddah for its final group game, against Southeast Asian rival Thailand at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium. That match takes place on Wednesday, January 20, at 1:30 p.m. local time, or 5:30 p.m. in Jakarta.
MNC Media holds the tournament's broadcast rights in Indonesia.
Group F opponents and Indonesia's preparations
The Group F seed positions are Japan at F1, Qatar at F2, Thailand at F3 and Indonesia at F4. The final draw took place on May 9, 2026, in the At-Turaif District of Diriyah, near Riyadh. Originally set for April 11, it was postponed amid concerns over the 2026 Iran war.
Qatar's Assim Madibo is set to miss all three of his team's group games, against Thailand, Indonesia and Japan. He received a five-match suspension for a tackle that injured Canada's Kone during a World Cup match on June 18, 2026.
Indonesia secured qualification on June 11, 2024, by finishing second in Group F of the second qualifying round. This will be its sixth Asian Cup appearance since its debut in 1996. Its best finish so far came in 2023, when it reached the round of 16.
Head coach John Herdman told ANTARA News that the Asian Cup would be an important part of Indonesia's effort to qualify for the 2030 World Cup. He said the team needed to become accustomed to stronger opposition and narrow the gap with sides such as Japan and Qatar.
How teams reach the knockout rounds
The 24-team group stage ends on January 20, the day of Indonesia's match against Thailand. Each of the six groups sends its top two teams to the round of 16, with the four best third-place finishers also advancing.
Round-of-16 matches are scheduled for January 22-25. The quarterfinals follow on January 28 and 29, with the semifinals on February 1 and 2. The two semifinal winners will contest the title on February 5 at King Fahd Sports City Stadium.
Saudi Arabia's tournament calendar
The 19th Asian Cup begins on Thursday, January 7, local time, when host Saudi Arabia plays Palestine at the 72,000-capacity King Fahd Sports City Stadium.
The tournament's 51 matches will be spread across eight stadiums: five in Riyadh, two in Jeddah and one in Al Khobar.
The 2027 competition will be the last Asian Cup staged in an odd-numbered year. Beginning with the 2032 edition, the tournament will return to even-numbered years, the schedule it followed from 1956 through 2004.