FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football – Asian Champions League Final – Al Hilal v Pohang Steelers – King Fahd International Stadium, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – November 23, 2021 Al Hilal players and staff celebrate with the trophy after winning the Asian Champions League REUTERS/Ahmed Yosri
March 3, 2022
HONG KONG (Reuters) – Saudi Arabia will host all five groups in the western half of the Asian Champions League, the Asian Football Confederation announced on Thursday.
Riyadh will host matches with holders Al Hilal in their hometown in Group A, which also includes Istiklol of Turkmenistan, Al Rayyan of Qatar and a play-off winner.
Group B, which features Mumbai City, United Arab Emirates’ Al Jazira, Saudi Arabia’s Al Shabab and Iraqi Air Force Club, also plays in Riyadh.
Jeddah host Iran’s Foolad, Shabab Al Ahli Dubai, Qatar’s Al Gharafa and Turkmenistan’s Ahal in Group C, while Group D features Iran’s Sepahan, Qatar’s Al Duhail, Uzbekistan’s Pakhtakor and a play-off winner in Buraidah.
Group E will be played in Dammam and includes Qatar’s Al Sadd, Saudi Arabia’s Al Faisaly, Jordanian club Al Wehdat and a play-off winner.
Matches are due to start on April 7, with the winners of each group progressing to the last 16 along with the three clubs with the best runners-up.
The venues for the five groups east of the draw were announced last month, with matches being played in Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia.
The games in the east start on April 15th.
The group stage of this year’s Asian Champions League will be played in centralized biosecure bubbles to limit travel due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
(Reporting by Michael Church; Editing by Kenneth Maxwell)
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