[Official] 'Korean Prime-Time Slot' Asian Cup Schedule Announced; South Korea to Face Yemen in Opener on January 11

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

The schedule for the 2027 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup has been announced. All three of South Korea's group stage matches have been scheduled for daytime hours in local time. Considering the six-hour time difference, this corresponds to what is known as "prime time" for Korean viewers.

On the 26th (all times KST), the AFC announced the schedule and times for the group stage and tournament matches of the Asian Cup to be held in Saudi Arabia next January. The tournament will kick off with the official opening match, a Group A clash between Saudi Arabia and Palestine, at King Fahd City Stadium at 2:00 a.m. on January 8 next year.

South Korea's first match against Yemen in Group E will be held at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, at 7:30 p.m. KST on January 10. The second group stage match against Vietnam will take place at the KINGDOM Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, at 7:30 p.m. KST on the 15th. The final group stage match against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will kick off at Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, at 10:30 p.m. KST on the 20th. Two of the three group stage matches are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. KST, while only the match against the UAE is set for 10:30 p.m. KST.

Excluding the match against Yemen, the games will be held at relatively smaller venues. The King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, where the match against Yemen will take place, has a capacity of 60,000, but the KINGDOM Arena and Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University Stadium, which host the matches against Vietnam and the UAE respectively, have capacities of 26,000 and 25,000. The tournament will be held across eight stadiums in three cities: Riyadh, Jeddah, and Al Qobar, with only three venues capable of accommodating more than 40,000 spectators.

If South Korea advances from the group stage as the top seed, it will face the runner-up from Group D in a Round of 16 match at 9:30 p.m. KST on January 25 next year. If they advance as the second-place team, they will play the winner of Group F at 9:30 p.m. KST on the 24th. The quarterfinals are scheduled for 9:30 p.m. KST on either the 28th or the 29th. The semifinals are set for 12:00 a.m. and 2:00 a.m. KST on February 2, respectively. The highly anticipated final will be held at King Fahd Sports City Stadium at 2:00 a.m. KST on the 6th.

The AFC's announcement of this Asian Cup schedule draws attention given that it comes amid ongoing speculation about potential postponement or venue changes due to an unstable political situation. Previously, Saudi Arabia has faced attacks by Yemeni Houthi rebels, resulting in the destruction of airports and energy facilities as well as casualties, creating a highly volatile environment. However, the tournament organizing committee stated in mid-month that "preparations are proceeding as planned." South Korean football is aiming for its first championship title in 67 years since 1960.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original