Saudi Arabia will begin its home Asian Cup campaign against Palestine in Riyadh on January 7, after the Asian Football Confederation confirmed the schedule and venues for the 2027 tournament.

The 24-team competition will run until February 5. Riyadh's King Fahd Sports City Stadium will stage both the opening fixture and the final, according to the AFC's announcement on Monday.

A total of 51 matches are planned across eight stadiums in three Saudi cities. Riyadh will host games at five venues, while Jeddah will have two stadiums and Al Khobar will have one.

The group phase is scheduled to finish on January 20, with the knockout rounds starting two days later on January 22.

Defending champions Qatar are due to open their title defence against Thailand on January 11. Japan will also start its campaign that day, facing Indonesia.

Other opening matches include South Korea against Yemen, Australia against Singapore and Iran against China.

The tournament is being planned amid regional security concerns. AFC President Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa had previously said a postponement until 2028 could remain an option if circumstances required it.

The 2027 event will be Saudi Arabia's first time hosting the Asian Cup. The country is also set to stage the 2034 World Cup seven years later.