Jeddah to host AFC Elite Champions League knockouts after delays

24/03/2026

KUALA LUMPUR, March 24: The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has announced that four postponed AFC Elite Champions League matches in the West Zone will now be played as single-leg fixtures in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, next month due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

Following earlier postponements on March 1 and 3, 2026, the AFC confirmed that all remaining knockout stage matches in the West Zone will adopt a centralized, single-match format to ensure safety and maintain the competition schedule.

The Round of 16 matches will take place on April 13 and 14 at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium and Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium in Jeddah. Unlike the East Zone, where matches were played over two legs, the West Zone fixtures were affected by the escalation of the conflict between the United States and Israel and Iran, and its regional repercussions.

Three Saudi clubs are in the Round of 16:

Al-Ittihad vs. Al-Wahda (UAE)

Al-Ahli, the defending champions, vs. Al-Duhail (Qatar)

Al-Hilal vs. Al-Sadd (Qatar)

The final Round of 16 matches will feature Shabab Al-Ahli (UAE) against Tractor (Iran).

The final stages of the competition are scheduled to be held in Jeddah from April 16 to 25.

To accommodate a packed continental calendar, the AFC also announced:

Quarter-finals and semi-finals of the AFC Champions League 2 (2025-2026) and AFC Challenge Cup will be played as single-leg matches on April 19 and 22, with host stadiums to be announced later.

AFC Champions League 2 West Zone quarter-finals:

Al-Hussein (Jordan) vs. Al-Ahli (Qatar)

Al-Nassr (Saudi Arabia) vs. Al-Wasl (UAE)

AFC Challenge Cup quarter-finals:

Muras United (Kyrgyzstan) vs. Al-Ansar (Lebanon)

Kuwait Club (Kuwait) vs. Al-Shabab (Oman)

The AFC’s decision ensures the competition continues safely while maintaining the integrity of the tournaments amid ongoing regional tensions.