https://www.scmp.com/rss/324022/feed The AFC Asian Champions League is the top continental competition for football clubs in Asia, running from January to November. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Paul McNamara Paul McNamara Hong Kong Premier League champions Kitchee have sought answers from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) over whether they will be bumped up to the revamped AFC Champions League Elite next season. The continental governing body recently recommended that its premier competition be increased from 24 to 32 teams in time for 2026-27, leaving some clubs in the dark over where they will fit in. After wrapping up the local league title with four matches to spare last month, Kitchee had expected to... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3352247/hong-kong-title-winners-kitchee-seeking-asian-champions-league-answers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3352247/hong-kong-title-winners-kitchee-seeking-asian-champions-league-answers?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 May 2026 00:00:19 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Al-Ahli of Saudi Arabia successfully defended the AFC Champions League Elite crown after beating first-time finalists Machida Zelvia of Japan 1-0 on Saturday. It took an extra-time goal from Saudi international striker Firas Al-Burikan to settle a bad-tempered final in front of 60,000 mainly Al-Ahli fans in Jeddah. Al-Ahli played with 10 men for almost an hour but Machida were unable to make the advantage count. “It’s amazing,” said Al-Ahli winger Riyad Mahrez, who won the UEFA Champions League... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3351451/saudi-pif-owned-al-ahli-beat-japanese-rivals-afc-champions-league-elite-history?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3351451/saudi-pif-owned-al-ahli-beat-japanese-rivals-afc-champions-league-elite-history?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Apr 2026 03:19:24 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Japan’s Machida Zelvia shared their clubhouse with senior citizens doing fitness classes less than a decade ago. Now they are one win away from being Asian champions. The team from the Tokyo suburbs will look to complete their remarkable transformation from non-league nobodies to continental conquerors when they face Saudi Arabia’s defending champions Al-Ahli in the Asian Champions League final on Saturday in Jeddah. Machida are making their debut in Asia’s top club competition and were playing... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3351165/afc-champions-league-elite-final-japanese-team-school-coach-cap-remarkable-journey?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3351165/afc-champions-league-elite-final-japanese-team-school-coach-cap-remarkable-journey?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2026 00:00:18 +0000 Ada Li Ada Li Chinese referee Ma Ning remained in Saudi Arabia despite claims on Tuesday that he had been removed from the AFC Champions League Elite tournament following a controversial quarter-final performance. Reports from Saudi Arabia media alleged that Ma was dropped and had left the country after Al-Ittihad’s 1-0 loss to Japanese team Machida Zelvia on Friday in Jeddah. Chinese media Beijing Youth Daily, however, rebutted the report the same day, stating that the Asian Football Confederation (AFC)... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3351033/chinese-referee-ma-ning-remains-jeddah-after-afc-champions-league-elite-controversy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3351033/chinese-referee-ma-ning-remains-jeddah-after-afc-champions-league-elite-controversy?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 14:00:13 +0000 Reuters Reuters Vissel Kobe ⁠coach Michael Skibbe is relishing the opportunity to test his team against a higher calibre of opposition when the J-League side play Roberto Mancini’s Al-Sadd in the quarter-finals of the Asian Champions League Elite on Thursday. Kobe, winners of the Japanese title in 2023 and 2024, have never won the Asian title and take ‌on the Qatari club, which eliminated four-time champions Al-Hilal from Saudi Arabia in a penalty shoot-out on Monday. “This will be a very strong opponent, Al... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3350287/afc-champions-league-elite-kobe-expecting-tough-quarter-final-against-mancinis-al-sadd?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3350287/afc-champions-league-elite-kobe-expecting-tough-quarter-final-against-mancinis-al-sadd?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 08:00:12 +0000 Agencies,Paul McNamara Agencies,Paul McNamara The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) on ⁠Tuesday recommended the ⁠expansion of its ⁠premier club competition, proposing the AFC Champions League Elite move to a 32-team tournament from 24 starting from the 2026-27 season. The expansion of the league stage would see ‌it split with 16 teams each in the East and West regions, which the AFC said would boost competitiveness and inclusion across Asian club football. It is currently unclear what the proposed changes would mean for Kitchee, who... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3350016/afc-recommends-expansion-champions-league-elite-32-team-tournament-2026-27?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3350016/afc-recommends-expansion-champions-league-elite-32-team-tournament-2026-27?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 07:28:04 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Iranian club Tractor FC are set to travel to Saudi Arabia for a play-off against Shabab Al-Ahli of Dubai for a place in the Asian Champions League Elite quarter-finals against Buriram United of Thailand. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) held the draw on Wednesday to determine the quarter-final pairings, a day after announcing that the western zone play-offs that were postponed because of the war in the Middle East had been rescheduled for April 13-14 in Jeddah. The Saudi city is also... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3347896/asian-champions-league-elite-irans-tractor-fc-line-quarter-final-saudi-arabia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3347896/asian-champions-league-elite-irans-tractor-fc-line-quarter-final-saudi-arabia?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 00:00:52 +0000 Associated Press,Reuters Associated Press,Reuters Cristiano Ronaldo missed his third consecutive game for Al-Nassr as the Saudi Arabian club defeated Arkadag FC of Turkmenistan 1-0 on Wednesday in the first leg of the round of 16 in the AFC Champions League Two, but will reportedly return to the field this weekend. Abdullah Al-Hamdan scored the only goal of the game in Asia’s second-tier competition to put Al-Nassr in control ahead of next week’s return match in Riyadh. Ronaldo – who has yet to win a major trophy since joining Al-Nassr in... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3343283/ronaldo-missing-saudi-club-al-nassr-wins-asian-champions-league-2-set-return?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3343283/ronaldo-missing-saudi-club-al-nassr-wins-asian-champions-league-2-set-return?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Feb 2026 09:00:08 +0000 Reuters Reuters Saudi Pro League (SPL) champions Al-Ittihad will look to push their domestic difficulties and the exodus of key players to one side to assert themselves in the Asian Champion League Elite when Sergio Conceicao’s team take on Qatar’s Al-Gharafa on Tuesday. The Jeddah-based outfit have been less than convincing since claiming the SPL title last season, sitting in seventh in the domestic standings and currently attempting to regroup after the departures of Karim Benzema and N'Golo Kanté. The... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3342818/pressure-builds-saudi-champs-al-ittihad-hunt-asian-champions-league-spots-resumes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3342818/pressure-builds-saudi-champs-al-ittihad-hunt-asian-champions-league-spots-resumes?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Feb 2026 01:00:35 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Japan’s J.League could one day compete with England’s Premier League if a calendar switch helped clubs bring in bigger transfer fees, its chairman has said ahead of the new season. Japanese teams have sold a steady stream of players to Europe, including Brighton’s Kaoru Mitoma, but the sums involved are only a fraction of the billions sloshing around the global transfer market. J.League chairman Yoshikazu Nonomura wants to change that and he believes he has taken the first step by ditching the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3342341/japan-eyes-parity-english-premier-league-aligning-calendar-europe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3342341/japan-eyes-parity-english-premier-league-aligning-calendar-europe?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Feb 2026 13:00:41 +0000 CNA CNA Gavin Lee was on Friday named as permanent head coach of the Singapore men’s national football team. The 35-year-old was officially unveiled at a press conference at Jalan Besar Stadium. He is the Lions’ first Singaporean permanent head coach since V Sundramoorthy was appointed in 2016. Earlier on Thursday, reports said that Lee had been offered the full-time role and was expected to put pen to paper. This move comes hot on the heels of Lee leading the Singapore men’s national football team to a... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3334492/singapore-names-gavin-lee-permanent-head-football-coach-after-hong-kong-win?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3334492/singapore-names-gavin-lee-permanent-head-football-coach-after-hong-kong-win?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Nov 2025 07:13:56 +0000 Lo Hoi-ying,Jiang Chuqin Lo Hoi-ying,Jiang Chuqin Hundreds of Singaporean football fans have flown into Hong Kong for what some call the city state’s biggest match when the Lions take on the hosts on Tuesday for a place at the 2027 Asian Cup. “Singapore has not qualified for the Asian Cup since 1984, when we hosted the games,” said Chue Guo-xian, who works in the sports industry. “So this is probably the biggest match in our national team’s history.” Chue, who is in his late thirties, said he would be gearing up for Tuesday’s qualifier,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3333154/roar-trip-singapore-football-fans-land-hong-kong-historic-asian-cup-clash?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3333154/roar-trip-singapore-football-fans-land-hong-kong-historic-asian-cup-clash?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Nov 2025 00:30:09 +0000 Reuters Reuters Defending champions Al-Ahli cruised to a 4-0 win over Qatar’s Al-Gharafa in Jeddah on Monday to move to the top of the Asian Champions League Elite standings as fellow Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad picked up their first victory of the campaign. Former Barcelona midfielder Franck Kessie scored twice after Enzo Millot had given Al-Ahli the lead at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in a devastating first-half performance by Matthias Jaissle’s side. Millot put the hosts ahead in the 32nd... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3329737/holders-al-ahli-top-asian-champions-league-elite-standings-after-big-win?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3329737/holders-al-ahli-top-asian-champions-league-elite-standings-after-big-win?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Oct 2025 02:55:21 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara Midfielder Remi Dujardin said Tai Po would be fighting for the honour of Hong Kong football when they enter the lion’s den at Cong An Hanoi on Thursday. After beating Macarthur for a winning start to their AFC Champions League Two campaign a fortnight ago, the Hong Kong champions’ continental quest is about to grow tougher on their visit to the Vietnamese cup holders’ 22,500 capacity Hang Day Stadium. But Dujardin said “inspirational” head coach Lee Chi-kin had convinced his team anything was... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3327281/afc-champions-league-2-inspired-tai-po-fighting-hong-kongs-reputation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3327281/afc-champions-league-2-inspired-tai-po-fighting-hong-kongs-reputation?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Sep 2025 23:00:18 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara Philip Chan Siu-kwan said Tai Po showed no team could “come and walk on our faces” after they launched their AFC Champions League 2 campaign on Thursday with a 2-1 victory over 10-man Macarthur. The Australians never got to grips with underdogs Tai Po, who served up an energetic, intense and aggressive performance at Mong Kok Stadium. Gabriel Cividini’s thumping header gave the hosts a third-minute lead, and Macarthur’s task grew tougher when defender Callum Talbot was sent off for a... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3326034/afc-champions-league-2-underdogs-tai-po-bear-their-teeth-victory-over-macarthur?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3326034/afc-champions-league-2-underdogs-tai-po-bear-their-teeth-victory-over-macarthur?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Sep 2025 13:32:44 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara A more mature Harry Sawyer said his 2018-19 title-winning stint with Tai Po was “a massive learning experience” but there would be no mixed emotions as he tried to wreck his old club’s AFC Champions League Two campaign. Sawyer will run into old teammates when he turns out for A-League side Macarthur at Mong Kok Stadium on Thursday, in what will be Tai Po’s first continental fixture since 2020. The 28-year-old Australian scored 10 goals in 24 appearances for the Hong Kong side, whom he played for... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3325881/australian-striker-sawyer-out-wreck-old-club-tai-pos-return-afc-champions-league?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3325881/australian-striker-sawyer-out-wreck-old-club-tai-pos-return-afc-champions-league?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Sep 2025 11:00:16 +0000 Reuters Reuters Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli will begin the defence of their Asian Champions League Elite title against Uzbekistan’s Nasaf in a buoyant mood on Monday, boosted by Matthias Jaissle’s recent decision to extend his contract with the club. The German coach will lead his team into their opening clash of the new campaign in Jeddah, with the ink having only recently dried on a deal that extends his stay by another two seasons after first arriving in the country in 2023. “It was an historical moment to... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3325503/asian-champions-league-al-ahli-confident-mood-ahead-title-defence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3325503/asian-champions-league-al-ahli-confident-mood-ahead-title-defence?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Sep 2025 02:00:12 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Former English Premier League stars could make the difference in the Asian Champions League, which begins on Monday, with Ivan Toney, Jesse Lingard, Riyad Mahrez and Darwin Nunez all having a chance of winning Asian football’s premier club tournament. Saudi clubs dominated last season, providing three of the semi-finalists before Al-Ahli won the final in front of 60,000 spectators in Jeddah in May. Al-Ittihad and Al-Hilal are also back and expected to challenge again for the title. Since the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3325379/asian-champions-league-ex-english-premier-league-players-set-star-new-season-starts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3325379/asian-champions-league-ex-english-premier-league-players-set-star-new-season-starts?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Sep 2025 13:00:20 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara Yip Ka-yu is set to return to BC Rangers after the goalkeeper had his rape conviction overturned in June. In October 2023, Yip was sentenced to five years and three months in prison after he was convicted of raping a 17-year-old girl. The Court of Appeal determined that Yip had been left with no chance of receiving a not-guilty verdict, because the trial judge did not mention to the jury that he might have been under the “genuine but mistaken belief” that the complainant agreed to have sex with... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3322095/hong-kong-footballer-resume-career-after-rape-conviction-overturned?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3322095/hong-kong-footballer-resume-career-after-rape-conviction-overturned?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 Aug 2025 11:26:24 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Cristiano Ronaldo will travel to India to face FC Goa in an Asian Champions League Two match being hailed as “historic” in the country. Al-Nassr of Saudi Arabia and their superstars were drawn on Friday against the Indian Super League (ISL) club in Group D of Asia’s second-tier club competition, along with Istiklol of Tajikistan and Iraq’s Al-Zawraa. The top two from each of the eight groups advance to the second round. “This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime moment for FC Goa,” club CEO Ravi Puskur... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3322091/cristiano-ronaldo-match-goa-dubbed-biggest-indian-club-football-history?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3322091/cristiano-ronaldo-match-goa-dubbed-biggest-indian-club-football-history?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 Aug 2025 09:41:39 +0000 Reuters Reuters Chinese club Shandong Taishan have been banned from Asian club competition for two years for their no-show against South Korean side Ulsan HD in the Asian Champions League (ACL) Elite in February. The Chinese Super League side pulled out hours before the February 19 match, blaming “serious physical discomfort” of players and saying they were unable to form a team. The Asian Football Confederation’s (AFC) disciplinary and ethics commission said Shandong would not be able to play in the AFC’s club... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3320781/chinas-shandong-taishan-gets-2-year-ban-asian-club-competitions-after-ulsan-no-show?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3320781/chinas-shandong-taishan-gets-2-year-ban-asian-club-competitions-after-ulsan-no-show?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 Aug 2025 07:00:09 +0000 Agence France-Presse,Reuters Agence France-Presse,Reuters Roberto Firmino said he was proud of making history with his Saudi club and becoming an Asian Champions League winner, six years after lifting the prestigious European equivalent with Liverpool. The 33-year-old Brazilian forward was an important member of Jurgen Klopp’s side who won the Uefa Champions League in 2019. And Firmino was named the AFC Champions League’s MVP after inspiring Al-Ahli to beat Kawasaki Frontale 2-0 on Saturday as the Jeddah club became Asian champions for the first... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3309005/former-liverpool-star-proud-after-making-history-al-ahli-win-asian-champions-league?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3309005/former-liverpool-star-proud-after-making-history-al-ahli-win-asian-champions-league?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 May 2025 05:30:09 +0000 Reuters Reuters Kawasaki Frontale coach Shigetoshi Hasebe has dismissed the yawning financial chasm between his J-League club and big-spending Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Ahli as the teams prepare to meet in Saturday’s Asian Champions League Elite final. Kawasaki qualified for the decider at Jeddah’s King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, Al-Ahli’s home ground, on Wednesday with an against-the-odds win over Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr, and Hasebe now had his eye on claiming another big victim. His side face an... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3308893/asian-champions-league-elite-final-players-dont-play-wallets-says-kawasaki-coach?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3308893/asian-champions-league-elite-final-players-dont-play-wallets-says-kawasaki-coach?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 May 2025 12:05:47 +0000 Reuters,Andrew Cesare Richardson Reuters,Andrew Cesare Richardson Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr were dumped out of the Asian Champions League Elite as Japan’s Kawasaki Frontale spectacularly ripped up the script with a 3-2 semi-final victory on Wednesday to reach the continental final for the first time. And just hours later, Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami were beaten in their Concacaf last-four clash with the Vancouver Whitecaps. Big-spending Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr succumbed in Jeddah when Yuto Ozeki and Akihiro Ienaga struck after Sadio Mane’s deflected... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3308614/cristiano-ronaldos-al-nassr-knocked-out-champions-league-semi-final?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3308614/cristiano-ronaldos-al-nassr-knocked-out-champions-league-semi-final?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 May 2025 01:20:49 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Big-spending Saudi clubs including Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr are dominating the Asian Champions League Elite, accounting for all but one of the semi-finalists in action this week. In three quarter-finals played on the weekend, the three Saudi Pro League teams won with a combined scoreline of 14-1. At least one is guaranteed a place in the final on May 3 as four-time champion Al-Hilal meet two-time finalists Al-Ahli in the first of the two semis at Jeddah. With all play-off games taking place... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3308182/cristiano-ronaldo-track-asian-champions-league-title-saudi-clubs-dominate-finals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3308182/cristiano-ronaldo-track-asian-champions-league-title-saudi-clubs-dominate-finals?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Apr 2025 15:00:08 +0000 Cristiano Ronaldo scored as Al Nassr became the third Saudi Arabian side into the Asian Champions League semi-finals with a 4-1 victory over Japan’s Yokohama F-Marinos on Saturday. Earlier, Riyad Mahrez and Roberto Firmino scored as Al Ahli, effectively playing as hosts since the last three rounds of the revamped tournament are being staged in Jeddah, beat Thailand’s Buriram United 3-0 at King Abdullah Sports City. In the evening, at the same venue, Ronaldo, seeking a first major trophy with... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3308070/cristiano-ronaldo-scores-saudi-arabia-earn-3-champions-league-semi-finalists?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3308070/cristiano-ronaldo-scores-saudi-arabia-earn-3-champions-league-semi-finalists?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 27 Apr 2025 01:59:11 +0000 Four-time winners Al-Hilal booked their place in the AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals on Friday night with a thumping 7-0 win against South Korea’s Gwangju in Jeddah. The Saudi Arabian champions, who began the campaign with Brazil superstar Neymar in their ranks before his February return to Santos, romped to victory at King Abdullah Sports City, with 2022 Asian Footballer of the Year Salem Al-Dawsari the stand-out. The quarter-final encounter kicked off the inaugural AFC Champions League... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3308019/afc-champions-league-4-time-champions-al-hilal-hit-7-past-gwangju-reach-semi-finals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3308019/afc-champions-league-4-time-champions-al-hilal-hit-7-past-gwangju-reach-semi-finals?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Apr 2025 05:10:31 +0000 Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr are one of three big-spending Saudi Arabian clubs hunting AFC Champions League glory on home soil when the final knockout stages begin on Friday. The desert nation hosts the quarter-finals, semi-finals and the final of Asia’s premier club competition – given a new look and format this year as the AFC Champions League Elite – from April 25 to May 3 in Jeddah. The cash-rich Saudi clubs have lured stars from Europe, meaning Jeddah’s Al-Ahli plus Riyadh clubs Al-Hilal... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3307567/cristiano-ronaldos-al-nassr-hunt-asian-champions-league-glory-saudi-arabia-hosts-finals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3307567/cristiano-ronaldos-al-nassr-hunt-asian-champions-league-glory-saudi-arabia-hosts-finals?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Apr 2025 06:00:20 +0000 Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr have been drawn to face last season’s runners-up, Yokohama F Marinos from Japan, in next month’s quarter-finals of the Asian Champions League Elite with fellow Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal to take on tournament debutants Gwangju FC of South Korea. Al-Ahli, the third club from Saudi Arabia to reach the last eight, will play Thailand’s Buriram United and Japanese outfit Kawasaki Frontale will face Al-Sadd from Qatar. Veteran former Real Madrid and Manchester United... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3302698/asian-champions-league-ronaldos-al-nassr-meet-yokohama-f-marinos-quarter-finals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3302698/asian-champions-league-ronaldos-al-nassr-meet-yokohama-f-marinos-quarter-finals?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Mar 2025 10:00:23 +0000 Chinese Super League clubs need to play with greater intensity if they are to succeed in the Asian Champions League Elite, Shanghai Shenhua coach Leonid Slutsky said after his team were eliminated from the continental competition on Wednesday. Slutsky’s side were thrashed 4-0 at Kawasaki Frontale to exit the tournament 4-1 on aggregate, a defeat that came a day after back-to-back CSL winners Shanghai Port suffered a heavy loss to another Japanese side, Yokohama F Marinos. Former Russia manager... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3302262/asian-champions-league-elite-shanghai-shenhua-coach-says-chinese-teams-must-intensity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3302262/asian-champions-league-elite-shanghai-shenhua-coach-says-chinese-teams-must-intensity?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Mar 2025 14:00:13 +0000 Chinese Super League (CSL) side Shandong Taishan have withdrawn from the AFC Asian Champions League Elite just hours before their game against Ulsan HD. A statement released by the Asian Football Confederation said Shandong were “considered to have withdrawn” after “the club confirmed it did not intend to report” for the fixture with Ulsan, despite being in South Korea before the game. A statement by the four-time CSL winners said: “Due to serious physical discomfort of some of the players [and]... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3299269/hong-kong-star-shinichi-chan-scores-shanghai-shenhua-eye-champions-league-progression?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3299269/hong-kong-star-shinichi-chan-scores-shanghai-shenhua-eye-champions-league-progression?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Feb 2025 07:00:15 +0000 Japanese trio Yokohama F Marinos, Vissel Kobe and Kawasaki Frontale can all confirm their progress to the last 16 of the Asian Champions League Elite this week as former champions Ulsan Hyundai face the prospect of an early exit. The East Asian league phase resumes after a two-month break with Ulsan, winners in 2012 and 2020, travelling to Thailand to take on Buriram United on Wednesday needing a victory to keep their slim hopes of advancing alive. Hong Myung-bo’s side sit in 11th place in the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3298028/asian-champions-league-elite-japan-trio-eye-qualification-former-champs-ulsan-face-exit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3298028/asian-champions-league-elite-japan-trio-eye-qualification-former-champs-ulsan-face-exit?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Feb 2025 05:21:30 +0000 Qatar’s Al-Gharafa secured a 1-0 victory over Pakhtakor in Doha on Tuesday to edge closer to a place in the knockout rounds of the Asian Champions League Elite as former champions Al-Hilal thrashed Persepolis 4-1 in Riyadh. In Monday’s round of matches, Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr defeated the United Arab Emirates’ Al-Wasl 4-0 to cement third place in the 12-team group, which is led by Al-Hilal. Ferjani Sassi scored six minutes before halftime to earn Al-Gharafa a... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3297418/asian-champions-league-elite-al-hilal-stay-top-western-group-ronaldo-eyes-next-round?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3297418/asian-champions-league-elite-al-hilal-stay-top-western-group-ronaldo-eyes-next-round?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Feb 2025 06:00:21 +0000 Cristiano Ronaldo turns 40 on Wednesday but is showing few signs of slowing down as he prepares to lead Saudi club Al-Nassr against Al-Wasl in the Asian Football Confederation’s Champions League Elite. The Portuguese star, who signed for the Riyadh club in December 2022, leads the Saudi Pro League scoring charts with 15 goals in 17 games. If Ronaldo can reproduce that form in the continental tournament – there are two games remaining in the group stage, from which his team have already qualified... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3297115/cristiano-ronaldo-ready-elite-asian-champions-league-action-milestone-birthday?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3297115/cristiano-ronaldo-ready-elite-asian-champions-league-action-milestone-birthday?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Feb 2025 04:00:15 +0000 Qatar were in full celebration mode to kick off 2024 with the successful defence of their Asian Cup title while Saudi Arabia ended the year on a high after being named hosts of the 2034 World Cup. In between, Japan and Iran reasserted their status as regional heavyweights in 2026 World Cup qualifying but it has not been smooth sailing for some of the other top sides with South Korea and Australia failing to impress. At the continental championships in Qatar, the hosts secured consecutive... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3292782/qatars-continental-defence-saudis-named-world-cup-hosts-big-2024-asian-football?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3292782/qatars-continental-defence-saudis-named-world-cup-hosts-big-2024-asian-football?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Dec 2024 14:00:09 +0000 Ng Yu-hei provided another glimpse into his rare potential with an exquisite first-half strike, but Eastern eventually subsided to a 4-1 loss against Sanfrecce Hiroshima in Japan on Thursday. The defeat left Eastern bottom of their AFC Champions League Two group, while Sanfrecce’s fifth win from six matches meant they topped the standings, ahead of fellow last-16 qualifiers Sydney FC. The 18-year-old Ng, a recent Hong Kong debutant, lit up the Edion Peace Wing Hiroshima Stadium when he glided... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3289550/afc-champions-league-2-teenage-hong-kong-star-dazzles-again-eastern-beaten-japan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3289550/afc-champions-league-2-teenage-hong-kong-star-dazzles-again-eastern-beaten-japan?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Dec 2024 11:00:16 +0000 Roberto Losada has vowed Eastern will come out with all guns blazing for their dead-rubber AFC Champions League Two game against group leaders Sanfrecce Hiroshima on Thursday. The Hong Kong side have lost four of their five group matches and were mathematically eliminated following a 4-1 home defeat against Sydney FC last week. And about 72 hours after full-time in Japan, four Eastern players will be involved in Hong Kong’s East Asian Football Federation Championship qualifier against... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3289274/afc-champions-league-two-hong-kong-game-wont-stop-eastern-going-all-out-against-sanfrecce?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3289274/afc-champions-league-two-hong-kong-game-wont-stop-eastern-going-all-out-against-sanfrecce?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Dec 2024 02:30:07 +0000 Lee Man salvaged a shred of respectability from their abortive AFC Champions League Two campaign with a drab 0-0 draw with Tampines Rovers on Wednesday. The Hong Kong champions failed to score in any of their three home games, and never looked like correcting that failing against a Tampines side that played the better football, but could not convert their lion’s share of possession into any form of dominance. If Lee Man’s inferior quality has been a theme of their competition, then so have the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3289398/afc-champions-league-2-lee-man-claim-first-point-after-tampines-rovers-bore-draw?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3289398/afc-champions-league-2-lee-man-claim-first-point-after-tampines-rovers-bore-draw?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Dec 2024 14:36:09 +0000 Yokohama F Marinos moved to the top of the eastern zone of the Asian Champions League Elite standings with a 4-0 win over Central Coast Mariners on Tuesday as Vissel Kobe and Gwangju FC squandered the opportunity to book their spots in the competition’s last 16. Kobe, who were in first place going into Tuesday’s matches, slipped to a 3-1 loss at Pohang Steelers while Gwangju FC were held to a 1-1 draw after 10-man Shanghai Port equalised through Oscar’s late penalty to earn the Chinese Super... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3289281/asian-champions-league-elite-yokohama-f-marinos-lead-eastern-zone-al-hilal-top-west?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3289281/asian-champions-league-elite-yokohama-f-marinos-lead-eastern-zone-al-hilal-top-west?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Dec 2024 05:44:06 +0000 Jared Gallagher will tick off an unlikely “bucket-list” ambition when the midfielder lines up for Tampines Rovers against Lee Man in an AFC Champions League Two dead rubber at Mong Kok Stadium on Wednesday. The 22-year-old Gallagher spent around two years in Hong Kong, after living with his family in Shanghai, before being obliged to return to Singapore in 2020 to undertake National Service. He has acknowledged the 666 days of enlistment was by far the toughest period of his young life, but... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3289215/tampines-star-back-hong-kong-bucket-list-night-after-singapore-national-service?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3289215/tampines-star-back-hong-kong-bucket-list-night-after-singapore-national-service?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Dec 2024 00:30:08 +0000 Led by Cristiano Ronaldo, Riyad Mahrez and Aleksandar Mitrovic, Saudi Arabian clubs are dominating the Western zone of the AFC Champions League Elite but, in the east, Japan is on top with Chinese clubs bouncing back after a difficult period. Al-Ahli, Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr are first, second and third in the Western zone group, where the 24 teams in the tournament are divided into two groups of 12, and are already guaranteed a place in the round of 16. It has not been easy, however. Like the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3288965/asian-champions-league-elite-star-studded-saudi-japanese-and-chinese-clubs-set-pace?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3288965/asian-champions-league-elite-star-studded-saudi-japanese-and-chinese-clubs-set-pace?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Dec 2024 09:00:15 +0000 Roberto Losada said Hong Kong clubs were no match for Asia’s best, after his Eastern side were beaten 4-1 by a vastly superior Sydney FC on Thursday. The result officially ended Eastern’s hopes of reaching the AFC Champions League Two last-16, while Sydney advanced from an Asian group stage for only the second time. Head coach Losada acknowledged his plan to contain Sydney “didn’t work”, and pointed to the huge pay disparity between the two sets of players. The Australians led 3-0 following a... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3288571/afc-champions-league-2-hong-kong-clubs-no-match-asias-best-says-coach-after-sydney-loss?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3288571/afc-champions-league-2-hong-kong-clubs-no-match-asias-best-says-coach-after-sydney-loss?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 Nov 2024 14:07:16 +0000 Eastern boss Roberto Losada said the club’s “super minimal” chances of qualification means the AFC Champions League Two has fallen behind the Hong Kong Senior Shield in priority for the season. Thursday sees Sydney FC visit Mong Kok Stadium, with the reverse fixture ending in a 5-0 rout for the Australian side, before a more winnable Senior Shield semi-final against BC Rangers three days later. To reach the last 16, Eastern need to beat Sydney as well as group leaders Sanfrecce Hiroshima and... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3288308/afc-champions-league-two-eastern-rest-players-v-sydney-senior-shield-semi-looming?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3288308/afc-champions-league-two-eastern-rest-players-v-sydney-senior-shield-semi-looming?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 Nov 2024 05:30:08 +0000 Eastern FC’s Leung Kwun-chung has praised “f****** mentally tough” Harry Maguire’s ability to perform while being regularly attacked online after receiving criticism from his own supporters. Leung and Eastern are preparing for their do-or-die clash with Sydney FC in the AFC Asian Champions League Two on Thursday, where their chances of progression to the knockout stages were seriously damaged following their 2-1 home defeat against 10-man Kaya. And 32-year-old Leung who, as well as working as a... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3287971/hong-kong-ace-praises-manchester-uniteds-harry-maguire-after-suffering-heavy-criticism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3287971/hong-kong-ace-praises-manchester-uniteds-harry-maguire-after-suffering-heavy-criticism?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 Nov 2024 03:59:16 +0000 Eastern goalkeeper Yapp Hung-fai has criticised the inconsistent application of VAR in the AFC Champions League Two, after he conceded a controversial penalty in his side’s 2-1 defeat by Kaya FC on Thursday. Unlike in the primary AFC Champions League Elite competition, where video officials are used in all matches, the technology is not used in Asia’s second-tier tournament until the knockout stage. In the first half of Eastern’s home clash with Kaya, as Yapp gathered a header back to him, he... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3285700/afc-champions-league-two-eastern-keeper-yapp-hung-fai-slams-unfair-application-var?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3285700/afc-champions-league-two-eastern-keeper-yapp-hung-fai-slams-unfair-application-var?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Nov 2024 05:30:11 +0000 Eastern frittered away a golden opportunity to blow open their AFC Champions League Two group, losing 2-1 to 10-man Kaya FC at Mong Kok Stadium on Thursday night. A 1-0 defeat for Sydney FC against Sanfrecce Hiroshima earlier in the day gave Eastern a chance to draw level on points with the Australian side, ahead of a potentially pivotal clash between the teams later this month. Marcos Gondra’s exceptional 70th-minute equaliser, 60 seconds after the dismissal of Kaya’s Jovin Bedic, had seemingly... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3285641/afc-champions-league-2-eastern-blow-golden-chance-set-gripping-last-16-battle?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3285641/afc-champions-league-2-eastern-blow-golden-chance-set-gripping-last-16-battle?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 Nov 2024 14:21:21 +0000 Former Kitchee and Eastern midfielder Mark Swainston said he had encountered a “faster and more physical” brand of football since joining Filipino club Kaya FC last year. Kaya meet Eastern in an AFC Champions League 2 (ACL2) game at Mong Kong Stadium on Thursday night. Eastern won the reverse fixture 2-1 in the Philippines a fortnight ago, after a pair of crackerjack goals from Marcos Gondra and Noah Baffoe crowned a fine counter-attacking display from the Hong Kong side. Swainston, who missed... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3285482/afc-champions-league-2-ex-eastern-player-says-philippines-football-faster-more-physical?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3285482/afc-champions-league-2-ex-eastern-player-says-philippines-football-faster-more-physical?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 Nov 2024 00:30:11 +0000 Central Coast Mariners scored deep in injury time as they roared back to grab a 2-2 home draw with Shanghai Shenhua in the Asian Champions League on Tuesday. The Australian champions finally got a point on the board in the group stage after four matches. They did it in the most dramatic fashion, with Bailey Brandtman poking home in the 95th minute, the hosts having been 2-0 down. Shenhua, who were edged out by one point by rivals Shanghai Port for the Chinese Super League title on Saturday, were... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3285320/asian-champions-league-central-coast-mariners-grab-point-death-against-shanghai-shenhua?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3285320/asian-champions-league-central-coast-mariners-grab-point-death-against-shanghai-shenhua?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 Nov 2024 12:06:13 +0000 Asian football’s revamped club competitions will be given time to develop before further amendments are considered, the continent’s most senior official said as the Asian Champions League Elite reaches the halfway point of its league phase. The Asian Football Confederation reconfigured its club tournament line-up ahead of the campaign that started in September, in an effort to encourage fresh investment with a more streamlined top tier and greater inclusion in the schedule. The opening phase,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3284995/asias-revamped-two-tier-champions-league-will-get-time-develop-football-bosses-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3284995/asias-revamped-two-tier-champions-league-will-get-time-develop-football-bosses-say?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 Nov 2024 07:30:08 +0000 Roberto Losada said Eastern were on a mission to transform attitudes to professional football in Hong Kong, after his team beat Kaya-Iloilo 2-1 in their delayed AFC Champions League Two match in the Philippines on Friday. Eastern’s victory was the first success for a Hong Kong team in this season’s repackaged second-tier continental club competition, and moved the district side three points behind second-placed Sydney FC, midway through their Group E campaign. Marcos Gondra’s scorching... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3283903/afc-champions-league-2-eastern-coach-out-change-hong-kong-mindset-after-philippines-win?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3283903/afc-champions-league-2-eastern-coach-out-change-hong-kong-mindset-after-philippines-win?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Oct 2024 10:20:51 +0000