Neymar returns for Al Hilal with cameo ACL role
October 22 – A year after rupturing his left ACL, Neymar returned to action with a second-half cameo in the Asian Champions League tie between Al Hilal and holders Al-Ain.
Competitions
Iranian security fears force AFC to shifts Esteghal vs Al-Nassr ACL tie to Dubai
October 22 – Cristiano Ronaldo and Al-Nassr’s AFC Champions League Elite match has been controversially moved from Iran to Dubai by the Asian Football Confederation due to security concerns.
AFC draws qualifying groups for covid-delayed Women’s Futsal Asian Cup 2025
October 18 – The AFC has drawn the groups for the 2025 Women’s Futsal Asian Cup 2025 with 19 teams to play in four centralised locations January 11-19, 2025.
Asian 2026 qualifying sees Uzbekistan, Iran, South Korea and Japan open up group leads
October 16 – The second international window of Asian qualifying for the 2026 World Cup has seen old stagers and emerging nations stake a claim for a spot in the finals to be jointly held in the USA, Mexico and Canada.
AFC World Cup 2026 qualifying heats up with crucial fixtures, and it is only match day 3
October 9 – It is only the third match day of ten, but already the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup are reaching a crucial, must-win stage for some of the AFC’s established international nations.
Centralised group stage of AFC Women’s Champions League kicks off this week
September 30 – The inaugural AFC Women’s Champions League is poised for kickoff this week with three centralised groups of four clubs each open the group stage to qualify eight teams to the knock-out rounds.
More teams, more matches, more opportunity. AFC revamps its women’s national team competition structures
September 13 – The AFC has released a set of reforms covering its women’s national team competitions that revamp the qualification pathways to their finals and World Cups.
Asian Cup Champions Qatar and Australia stumble in first rounds of 2026 qualifying
August 11 – Reigning Asian Champions Qatar have had disastrous starts to their qualification campaigns for the 2026 World Cup, failing to win a game in either of the opening two rounds. They weren’t the only Asian power player to miss out on points, with Australia also failing to record a win.
Palestine fly their flag high with draw away to South Korea in 2026 World Cup qualifying
September 6 – Despite all the anxiety and horrors of back home, war-torn Palestine gave their fans something to cheer about with a landmark 0-0 draw at Asian giants South Korea on Thursday as they attempt to reach the World Cup for the first time.
Inaugural AFC Women’s Champions League prelim winners head into October group stage
September 2 – The four final slots in the group stages of the inaugural AFC Women’s Champions League were decided at the weekend with the final four group games of the preliminary group stage.
Inaugural AFC Women’s Champions League prelim groups reach final match day with all to play for
August 30 – The 13-team preliminary group stage of the AFC’s inaugural Women’s Champions League 2024/25 will complete Saturday with each of the four groups going down to the wire.
AFC draws groups drawn for inaugural AFC Challenge League club competition
August 22 – The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) completed the draws for its revamped club competition eco-system at AFC House in Kuala Lumpur today with the group stage draw for its new third tier competition, the AFC Challenge League.
Expanded AFC Champions League Two sees 32 clubs from 24 nations grouped for Sept. KO
August 19 – While focus was on the inaugural draw for the AFC’s rebranded and reformatted Champions League Elite competition, the AFC has also drawn the groups for the expanded Champions League Two.
AFC draws League Stage ties for revamped Champions League Elite
August 16 – The AFC today held the draw for its reconfigured two-tier Champions League club competitions which will see the expanded AFC Champions League Elite open with a Swiss style ‘League Stage’ for the first time.
AFC prepares draws for new two-tier Champions League club competitions
August 12 – The draw for the top two tiers of the reformatted and rebranded Asian Champions League competitions will be held on Friday in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
