Asian Champions League to have single-leg ties from QF stage

Saturday, 10 July 2021 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

REUTERS: The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said this week that matches in its elite club tournament, the Asian Champions League, would be played on a single-leg format from the quarter-final stage onwards due to COVID-19 related issues.

The quarter and semi-finals would be played at centralised venues for the East and West regions, while the AFC will open the bidding process to countries in the West region for hosting the 23 Nov. final.

Knockout matches in the second-tier AFC Cup will also be played as single-legged ties. “The AFC Executive Committee agreed that it was essential to minimise the travel frequency of the participating clubs, while underlining its continued commitment towards ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all players,” the AFC said in a statement.

Matches in next season’s Asian Champions League and AFC Cup would continue to be held in centralised venues, with both competitions featuring the single-leg format in the knockout rounds, AFC added.

The continent’s governing body also said that next year’s Under-17 Women’s Asian Cup in Indonesia and the Under-20 Women’s Asian Cup in Uzbekistan have been cancelled due to the pandemic, but both countries have retained hosting rights for the next editions in 2024.