Al-Qadsia earns home advantage in AFC Challenge League

Al-Qadsia coach Mohammed Ibrahim and Talal Al-Fadel at training.

KUWAIT CITY, Aug 13: Al-Qadsia has secured AFC approval to host the matches of its group in the AFC Challenge League, with the games scheduled to take place from October 17 to 23.

Al-Qadsia and Al-Arabi will learn their group-stage opponents when the AFC Challenge League draw is held on August 18 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The group stage is scheduled to begin on October 17 following the completion of the preliminary and playoff rounds.

Al-Qadsia qualified for the competition after finishing third in the Zain Premier League, while Al-Arabi joined the tournament after suffering a 4-1 defeat to India’s East Bengal in the AFC Champions League Two playoff at Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata.

Kuwait Club, the reigning AFC Challenge League champion, earned direct qualification for the AFC Champions League Two.

The Challenge League will feature separate West and East regions, with the group matches played in a centralized format at venues selected by the AFC.

The West region consists of 12 teams, including Al-Qadsia and Al-Arabi, Syria’s Homs Al-Fidaa and Ahli Aleppo, Lebanon’s Al-Ansar and Al-Najmeh, India’s Goa, Tajikistan’s Istiklol and Regar-TadAZ, Turkmenistan’s Ahal, Kyrgyzstan’s Muras United, Bangladesh’s Fortis and Bhutan’s Paro.

The East region includes Indonesia’s Borneo, Philippines’ One Taguig, Myanmar’s Shan United and Yangon United, Taiwan’s Tainan City and Hang Yuen, Mongolia’s FC Ulaanbaatar, and the winner of the East playoff for the AFC Champions League Two.

By Hassan Mosa

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff