January 17 – Saudi Arabia’s AFC Champions League title holders Al Hilal will again open their defense of their title in the same group as Tajikistan’s Istiklol in the Group Stage of the 2022 AFC Champions League.
Also in their group will be Qatar’s Al Rayyan and the winners of the playoff between Sharjah from the United Arab Emirates and Iraqi side Al Zawraa.
Istiklol scored a surprise 4-1 win when the teams met in their second encounter of the group phase in 2021, going ahead of Al Hilal to advance to the knockout rounds.
Al Hilal went on to win their fourth Champions League title, beating South Korea’s FC Pohang Steelers in the final.
The AFC held the group stage draw for its Champions League in Kuala Lumpur earlier today. The draw saw 48 teams drawn into 12 groups of four – six in the East Zone and six in the West Zone.
The group stages have now been pushed back from to April for both the East and West Zones due to the surge of the omicron variant within the regions. Groups will be played in centralised venues that will be announced soon.
Knockout rounds for the East region will played in centralised venues (from last 16 to semi-finals), in August 2022. The West region will not start their knockout rounds until February 2023.
The three knockout rounds to qualify the two finalists will now be condensed into a seven-day period in both east and West regions.
The ACL final will be played over two legs on February 19 and 26, 2023.
Before they get to the final they have to get through the group stages with the West Zone having something of an unfamiliar look about it with the AFC having banned Iranian giants Persepolis and Esteghlal from the competition this year.
However there is still Iranian representation with Foolad Khouzestan in Group C facing 2015 finalists Shabab Al Ahli Dubai as well as Qatar’s Al Gharafa and Ahal FC of Turkmenistan.
Iran’s Sepahan, who reached the final of the 2007 edition, will take on Al Duhail from Qatar as well as two-time semi-finalists Pakhtakor of Uzbekistan and the winners of the playoff between Al Taawon from Saudi Arabia and Syrians Al Jaish in Group D.
Tournament debutants Mumbai City from India have been drawn in Group B alongside Al Jazeera from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia’s Al Shabab and three-time AFC Cup winners Air Force Club of Iraq.
Eyes East
In the eastern half of the draw Singapore’s Lion City Sailors debit in Group F where they will face two-time AFC Champions League winners Urawa Red Diamonds from Japan as well as Chinese Super League champions Shandong Taishan and the winners of the playoff between Korean side Daegu FC and Thailand’s Buriram United.
Australian teams return after last season’s covid-enforced absence, with Melbourne City making their first appearance in the group phase in Group G where they will face Thailand’s BG Pathum United, Korean FA Cup winners Jeonbuk Dragons and United City FC from the Philippines.
Another two-time winner, Korea Republic’s Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, will face off against Yokohama F Marinos from Japan in Group H as well as taking on Vietnam’s Hoang Anh Gia Lai and the winners of the playoffs featuring Kaya-Iloilo FC from the Philippines, an as-yet undetermined Australian qualifier or China PR’s Changchun Yatai.
ACL Schedule
West Region:
- Group Stage: April 7-27, 2022 (double round-robin in one centralised venue).
- Round of 16: February 3 and 4, 2023 (single knockout match in one centralised venue).
- Quarter Finals: February 7, 2023 (single knockout match in one centralised venue).
- Semi Final: February 10, 2023 (single knockout match in one centralised venue).
East Region:
- Group Stage: April 15-May 1, 2022 (double round-robin in one centralised venue).
- Round of 16: August 18 and 19, 2022 (single knockout match in one centralised venue).
- Quarter Finals: August 22, 2022 (single knockout match in one centralised venue).
- Semi Final: August 25, 2022 (single knockout match in one centralised venue).
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