AFC: R&F can represent Hong Kong in Champions League if they qualify – but there’s a catch
- If R&F’s Chinese Super League team also qualify, the club will have to choose which side enters the regional competitions
- R&F lead the Hong Kong Premier League which is aiming for September restart after being suspended in March due to pandemic
Guangzhou-based Hong Kong Premier League side R&F can represent the city in regional cup competitions if they win the league, the Asian Football Confederation has confirmed.
The playing status of R&F in the AFC Champions League has been questioned as the mainland club also runs a team in the Chinese Premier League under the same name.
However, the AFC has confirmed R&F can represent Hong Kong on the regional stage, but with one condition – there cannot be two R&F teams in the same competition.
If both teams qualify, for example in the 2021 AFC Champions League, only one can enter the competition and the club has to make a decision.
While R&F were leading the Hong Kong Premier League before its suspension, the club’s higher profile team are fifth in group A of the reformatted Chinese Super League, which began in late July. They have seven points after six games in the eight-team group, eight points behind group leaders Guangzhou Evergrande.