KUALA LUMPUR: The final stages of this year’s Asian Champions League have been moved to 2023 to allow the region’s national teams to prepare for the rescheduled Qatar World Cup, officials said Thursday.
The decider of Asia’s premier club competition will be played over two legs on February 19 and 26 next year, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said.
The knockout-stage matches for the west zone — which comprises mainly Middle Eastern clubs — will also take place in February 2023, at a centralised venue.
East zone clubs — from countries including Japan, South Korea and Australia — will play group-stage and knockout matches this year at a centralised venue, wrapping up in August, the AFC said.
A major factor behind the revised schedule is the Qatar World Cup, which has been moved to winter months — November and December — to avoid the summer heat of the Gulf country.
“The Asian teams who are likely to qualify... are expected to put in place extensive preparation plans for the competition and a need was felt to facilitate such tune-ups,” the AFC said.
LAHORE: Though the hosts gained lead for the first time in the series on Wednesday, Pakistan camp remains worried...
DOHA: Coronavirus vaccinations will not be mandatory for the million-plus fans going to the World Cup in Qatar this...
ISLAMABAD: Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) Minister Ehzanur Rehman Mazari offered all-out support to the Pakistan...
KARACHI: Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP) plans to send the country's premier javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem to...
KARACHI: Pakistan's premier professional boxer and three-time WBC world silver flyweight champion Mohammad Waseem is...
LAHORE: Pakistan’s young fast bowler Naseem Shah has been ruled out of the ongoing T20I series against England after...
NEW DELHI: India´s Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out of the remaining two matches against South Africa due to a back...
LAHORE: Southern Punjab found themselves in a spot of bother against Northern at the Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad, as...