FOOTBALL – BAHRAIN’S Muharraq and Al Khaldiya are in their final stages of preparation for the start of their respective campaigns in the 2025-26 AFC Champions League (ACL) Two.
The prestigious Asian Football Confederation (AFC) tournament is scheduled to kick off tomorrow, with the two Bahraini clubs playing their first games of this campaign on Wednesday.
The ACL Two is the second-tier club championship of the AFC – one level below the AFC Champions League Elite and one above the AFC Challenge League.
Muharraq and Khaldiya are amongst a 32-strong cast representing 22 member associations from across the continent who are playing in a home-and-away round-robin format.
Muharraq earned their spot in this season’s ACL Two as champions of the 2024-25 Nasser bin Hamad Bahrain Premier Football League, while Khaldiya have their berth as winners of the 2024-25 His Majesty the King’s Cup.
Muharraq are set to participate in the ACL Two in its new form for the first time, although they have won the competition twice in the past in 2008 and 2021 when it was still known as the AFC Cup. Khaldiya, on the other hand, are returning for a second straight season.
Muharraq are in Group A alongside Al Wehdat of Jordan, Al Wasl FC of the UAE, and Esteghlal FC of Iran. They kick off their campaign at home on Wednesday against Wehdat. The match will be played at the Late Shaikh Ali bin Mohammed bin Isa Al Khalifa Stadium in Arad, and it is scheduled for a 9.15pm kick-off.
Khaldiya, meanwhile, are in Group B, which features Al Ahli SC of Qatar, PFC Andijon of Uzbekistan, and FC Arkadag of Turkmenistan. Their first match on Wednesday will be against Ahli. It will be played at Al Thumama Stadium in Doha, set for a 7pm start, Bahrain time.
Muharraq and Khaldiya are both competing as part of the ACL Two’s West Asia region, which also features Foolad Mobarakeh Sepahan SC of Iran, Al Hussein of Jordan, Mohun Bagan Super Giant of India, and Ahal FC of Turkmenistan in Group C; and Al Nassr Club of Saudi Arabia, Al Zawraa SC of Iraq, FC Istiklol of Tajikistan, and FC Goa of India in Group D.
Groups E to H feature four East Asian clubs apiece. They are from China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, South Korea, the Philippines, and Australia.
The ACL Two group stage is scheduled to continue until December 24 before moving into the round of 16 between February 10 and 19 in 2026. The quarter-finals and semis will then be held in March and April, respectively, with the final pencilled in for May 16.
Speaking ahead of tomorrow’s start of play, former tournament Most Valuable Player and Muharraq legend Mahmood Abdulrahman expressed his excitement for this year’s edition.
“The competition this season looks a strong and balanced one with teams now more tactically advanced, thanks to more detailed preparations and improvement of technical level,” Abdulrahman was quoted as saying by the afc.com.
“Therefore, the competition will undoubtedly be enjoyable.
“The new tournament system has already contributed to a significant shift in competition between the teams. This has exceeded our expectations, with many strong and exciting matches.”
Abdulrahman was part of the Muharraq team that clinched the AFC Cup in 2008.
“Asian football has witnessed significant development in recent years under the leadership of [AFC president] Shaikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, and through various platforms including social media, the momentum can only increase,” he added.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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