Khobar, and the widest gap in the group
Group D opens on the Gulf coast at Aramco Stadium in Khobar, the only venue outside Riyadh and Jeddah and the only ground its city is using. Australia against Singapore is also the widest gap in the group by any measure that matters: a former champion against a side whose entire Asian Cup record is one tournament, played at home, forty-three years ago.
Singapore qualified on merit for the first time in November 2025, beating Hong Kong 2-1. Their only previous appearance, in 1984, came as hosts and ended in the group stage. Everything about this tournament is new to them, starting with playing a former champion in the opening match.
Australia have the shortest tournament history of the eight former champions in Saudi Arabia. They joined the AFC from Oceania and entered their first Asian Cup in 2007, winning it at the third attempt in 2015 as hosts. Six appearances, one title: only Japan, Saudi Arabia and Iran have converted a higher share of theirs, and Qatar have exactly the same.
Tajikistan 
Iraq
Australia
Singapore