Goa to host 2021 AFC Champions League matches

NEW DELHI: Group E matches of the AFC Champions League (ACL) will be hosted in Goa, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said on Thursday. Group E includes FC Goa, who became the first Indian club to directly qualify for the group stage of Asia's premier club competition by virtue of finishing at the top of the table in the Indian Super League (ISL).

Goa will be competing against Iranian club Persepolis, who finished runners-up in 2018, and Qatar's Al Rayyan SC along with a qualifier from the playoff matches. The matches will be held from April 14 to 30. However, specific stadiums for the matches are yet to be announced.

"The West Region matches, which are scheduled to take place between April 14-30, will see Saudi Arabia host Groups A and D in Riyadh as well as Group C in Jeddah, with the matches in Group B to be staged in the United Arab Emirates city of Sharjah, while India, whose representative FC Goa are poised to mark the nation's debut in Asia's premier club competition, will host Group E," said the AFC in its statement. IANS

Also Read: Ghana's Black Satellites vying for fourth U-20 AFCON title

Also Watch: Meet Yakub Ahmed, The Man Who Shows How to Prevent Erosion