Canberra was initially scheduled to host Japan's likely Asian Cup quarter-final before it was moved to Sydney to satisfy international broadcasters.

The defending title holders were on track to feature at Canberra Stadium on Friday, January 23 at 5.30pm when the draw for the Asian Cup took place on March 26 this year.

A potential Asian Cup quarter-final featuring Japan has been moved from Canberra.

However, the AFC and the World Sports Group switched the fixture within an hour of the announcement to accommodate the lucrative television audience in Japan.

An option of having the 5.30pm game in Sydney was also considered unfeasable because of the possibility of low crowds from peak-hour traffic at ANZ Stadium.