In this file photo, Kuwait Club players celebrate at the end of a match.

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 28: The group stage draw for the 2025-2026  has been completed, setting the stage for an exciting season of regional competition.

Kuwait, as the host, has been drawn into Group B, alongside Al-Seeb (Oman), Ansar (Lebanon), and Bashundhara Kings (Bangladesh).

Al-Arabi will compete in Group C with Regar-Tadaz (Tajikistan), Safa (Lebanon), and Muras United (Kyrgyzstan), with matches to be held in Kyrgyzstan.

Group A features Al-Shabab (Oman), Al-Tin Asir (Turkmenistan), Baru (Bhutan, host), and Abdish-Ata (Kyrgyzstan). Al-Arabi reached the semi-finals in the previous edition but were eliminated by Arkadag (Turkmenistan) after a 0-3 loss in the second leg, following a 2-0 victory in the first leg.

This marks Kuwait Club’s first participation in the tournament, after competing in the AFC Champions League 2 last season, where they exited in the group stage.

In the Eastern Zone, Group D includes Manila Digger (Philippines), Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng (Cambodia, host), Falcons (Mongolia), and Ezra (Laos). At the same time, Group E features Dewa United (Indonesia, host), Shan United (Myanmar), Tainan City (Chinese Taipei), and Phnom Penh Crown (Cambodia).

The group stage will take place from October 25 to November 1, using a single round-robin format. Quarter-finals and semi-finals (home and away) are scheduled for March and April 2026, with the final on May 9, 2026.

The draw was held at the AFC headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The top team from each group advances to the next stage, along with the three best second-placed teams across the five groups.

Following the preliminary round earlier this month, nine clubs qualified to join eight directly seeded teams, along with three teams eliminated from the AFC Champions League 2 preliminary round, completing the 20-team lineup (12 from the West and 8 from the East).

Notably, five clubs will make their group stage debut in an AFC competition: Al-Shabab (Oman), Dewa United (Indonesia), Ezra (Laos), Manila Digger (Philippines), and Muras United (Kyrgyzstan).

Kuwait will aim to compete for the Asian Challenge League title in its inaugural appearance.

By Hassan Mosa

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff