FOOTBALL – Bahrain clubs Muharraq and Al Khaldiya are back in action tonight in the 2025-26 AFC Champions League (ACL) Two.
Muharraq host Al Wasl FC of the UAE at the Late Shaikh Ali bin Mohammed bin Isa Al Khalifa Stadium in Arad at 9.15pm, while Khaldiya take on PFC Andijon of Uzbekistan at Bobur Arena in the Uzbek city of Andijon.
Their match is scheduled for a 4.45pm kick-off, Bahrain time.
The ACL Two is the Asian Football Confederation’s (AFC) second-tier club competition – 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 AFC member associations who are playing in a home-and-away round-robin format.
Muharraq take on Wasl in a meeting between two teams with perfect records so far in Group A. Wasl are in first place on the table on goal difference.
The other divisional fixture tonight pits Esteghlal FC of Iran at home against Al Wehdat of Jordan.
Muharraq won both their previous games in this stage, first beating Wehdat 4-0 at home and then defeating Esteghlal 1-0 in Tehran.
A victory tonight will put the reigning Nasser bin Hamad Bahrain Premier Football League champions within touching distance of a knockout stage spot.
Khaldiya, meanwhile, will be aiming to maintain their position atop Group B in their away fixture against Andijon.
The Bahrainis have one win to date against Turkmenistan’s FK Arkadag 2-0 in their last outing after beginning their tournament campaign with a goalless draw against Al Ahli SC of Qatar.
Arkadag and Ahli clash in Doha in tonight’s other Group B game.
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.
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.
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