Riyadh: The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) today announced the approval of the official seeding for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup finals draw, scheduled to take place next Saturday in the Saudi capital, Riyadh. The 24 qualified teams have been divided into four pots based on the latest approved rankings.

According to Oman News Agency, Pot one includes hosts Saudi Arabia, alongside Japan, Iran, South Korea, Australia, and Uzbekistan. Oman national team was placed in Pot two with Qatar, Iraq, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, and Syria.

Pot three comprises Bahrain, Thailand, China, Palestine, Vietnam, and Tajikistan, while Pot four includes Kyrgyzstan, North Korea, Indonesia, Kuwait, Singapore, and the winner of the Lebanon-Yemen play-off.

The draw will determine the group-stage fixtures for the continental tournament, which the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is hosting for the first time. Fierce competition is expected given the narrow technical margins between many participating teams, with prominent sides spread across multiple pots - a scenario that could produce early heavyweight clashes in the group stage.

Saudi Arabia will host the next edition of the tournament from 7 January to 5 February 2027, with matches taking place in three cities: Riyadh, Jeddah, and Khobar.