It's official: the Asian Cup moves to December 2027

The wait is over, just not the way we hoped. On Nov 3 the AFC announced that the Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia will no longer start on Jan 7, 2027. The new dates are Dec 23, 2027 to Jan 21, 2028, pending FIFA approval. Saudi Arabia stays the host. The AFC pointed to "substantial logistical complexities and travel disruptions" in the region. JFA president Tsuneyasu Miyamoto, who said in October that a Saudi tournament was "not easy at this point," said the JFA respects the decision. What it means for us: those 2:30am PT alarms for January are cancelled. Japan's group games against Indonesia, Thailand and Qatar will get new dates and kickoff times, and we'll post them the moment the AFC does. Until then, treat every Asian Cup match date as TBA. We've reset our countdown to the new opening day. And the big question: Moriyasu was set to lead Japan through this tournament before handing over to Go Oiwa in March 2027. More on what we know (and don't) in our Moriyasu Watch update.

Source: AFC official announcement

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