Gulf Club Champions League fate to be decided, AFC Challenge League semifinals moved to April

A file photo of players battling for the ball.

KUWAIT CITY, March 23: The Competitions Committee of the Gulf Club Football Association will meet today to determine the fate of the Gulf Club Champions League, focusing on how to complete the semi-finals and final amid ongoing regional challenges.

Al-Qadsia, which qualified for the semi-finals, was originally scheduled to face Qatar’s Al-Rayyan on March 4 and 11. The other semi-final between Iraq’s Zakho and Saudi Arabia’s Al-Shabab has also been postponed due to the current situation.

The meeting, chaired by Dr. Khalid Al-Muqrin, will discuss potential solutions, including completing the tournament in a centralized location or holding single-leg matches, while ensuring fairness and equality for all teams.

Meanwhile, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has postponed the West Asia semi-finals of the AFC Challenge League to April 19 and 22. Kuwait Club will face Oman’s Al-Shabab, and Lebanon’s Al-Ansar will take on Kyrgyzstan’s Muras United. The winners will clash on April 22 to determine who advances to face the East Asia zone winner in the final, scheduled for May 9.

The AFC has not yet confirmed the host city for these matches. However, the hosting application deadline closed on March 19 after reaching out to the federations of Kuwait, Oman, Lebanon, and Kyrgyzstan

By Hassan Mosa

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff