02.03.2026 09:51
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) postponed the Asian Champions League matches due to the increasing tensions in the Middle East. In addition to the Round of 16 matches, the first legs of the AFC Champions League 2 and AFC Challenge League quarter-finals have also been rescheduled for a later date. This situation has affected clubs from the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Iran.
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has postponed the matches of the AFC Champions League due to rising tensions in the Middle East. The organization announced that the matches of the Round of 16, as well as the first legs of the AFC Champions League 2 and AFC Challenge League quarter-finals, have been rescheduled to a later date.
FOUR MATCHES IN THE ROUND OF 16 POSTPONED
Four matches scheduled to be played on Monday and Tuesday in the Round of 16 have been removed from the schedule, which were to take place in the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. These matches included clubs from the UAE and Qatar, as well as representatives from Saudi Arabia and Iran.
The last Asian champion Al-Ahli was set to face Al-Duhail in Qatar. On the same day, UAE representative Shabab Al-Ahli was to host the Iranian team Tractor FC. On Tuesday, matches between Al-Sadd and Al-Hilal, and Al-Wahda and Al-Ittihad were scheduled to take place.
AFC: SAFETY IS OUR PRIORITY
The AFC stated, "We continue to closely monitor the rapidly changing situation. The safety of players, teams, officials, and fans is our top priority."
QUARTER-FINALS ALSO AFFECTED
The postponement decision also affected the AFC Champions League 2 matches in the quarter-final stage. New match dates are expected to be announced in the coming days.