Al Ain hosts Al Nassr in AFC Champions League Elite opener

A file photo of Ronaldo battling for the ball with an opponent.

DUBAI, Sept 14: Al Nassr begins its 2026-27 AFC Champions League Elite campaign away to Al Ain at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium tonight in the opening round of the league phase.

Al Nassr reached the final of the AFC Champions League Two last season but missed out on the title after losing to Japan’s Gamba Osaka. Al Ain, meanwhile, is looking to return to the top of Asian football after a two-season absence. The UAE side was the final champion of the competition under its previous format.

Elsewhere, Al Hilal hosts Qatar’s Al Gharafa at Kingdom Arena tonight as both teams begin their league-phase campaigns.

Al Hilal, the 2021 champion, will be aiming to end its wait for another continental title and hopes to make the most of home advantage in its opening match.

The league phase gets underway today and concludes in February 2027. The top eight teams from the West and East regions will advance to the round of 16, which will be played from March 1-17.

The quarterfinals, semifinals, and final will be staged in Saudi Arabia as a centralized finals tournament from April 23 to May 1.