FOOTBALL – Bahrain clubs Muharraq and Al Khaldiya will today learn of their preliminary round opponents in the 2026-27 AFC Champions League (ACL) Two.
The ACL Two is the Asian Football Confederation’s (AFC) second-tier club competition.
It was rebranded from the AFC Cup entering 2024-25. It is one level below the AFC Champions League Elite and one above the AFC Challenge League.
The prestigious tournament’s group stage draw will be conducted by the AFC today in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, scheduled for a 9am start, Bahrain time.
Featuring 32 clubs, the 22nd edition of the continental championship will kick off its thrilling group battles – to be played in a home-and-away round-robin format – on September 15.
Muharraq are one of five former champions in this campaign’s cast, with the others being Al Faisaly of Jordan, Al Seeb Club of Oman, Kuwait SC of Kuwait, PFC Nasaf of Uzbekistan.
The preliminaries are scheduled to conclude on December 9 before moving into the round of 16 between February 9 and 18 in 2027.
The quarter-finals and semis are set for March 2 to 18 and April 6 to 14, respectively, with the final pencilled in for May 15 next year.
Muharraq and Khaldiya, who have ramped up their preparations for 2026-27 with their pre-season training, are the kingdom’s ACL Two representatives for its second straight edition.
Muharraq and Khaldiya earned their ACL Two berths as the first and second-placed teams from last season’s Nasser bin Hamad Bahrain Premier Football League.
Muharraq were crowned champions but not without a fight from Khaldiya, with the title race going down to the last matchday and being decided by just a single point.
The 32-team field in the 2026-27 ACL Two features 16 clubs apiece from West and East Asia.
Muharraq and Khaldiya are joined as West Asian clubs by Al Jazira and Al Wahda FC from the UAE, Al Hussein and Faisaly from Jordan, Al Taawoun FC from Saudi Arabia, Al Rayyan SC from Qatar, Golgohar Sirjan SC from Iran, Al Shorta from Iraq, Seeb and Al Nahda from Oman, East Bengal SC from India, FC Arkadag from Turkmenistan, Kuwait SC, and Nasaf.
Muharraq are in pot three for today’s draw amongst West Asian teams, while Khaldiya are in pot four.
From East Asia, the participating teams are FC Machida Zelvia from Japan, Gangwon FC and FC Seoul from South Korea, BG Pathum United from Thailand, Shanghai Shenhua FC from China, Adelaide United FC and Melbourne Victory FC from Australia, Kuching City FC from Malaysia, The Cong-Viettel FC from Vietnam, Lion City Sailors FC and Tampines Rovers FC from Singapore, Kitchee SC and Tai Po FC from Hong Kong, Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng FC and Phnom Penh Crown FC from Cambodia, and either Persib Bandung from Indonesia or Manila Digger from the Philippines, which will be determined on August 31.
In the 2025-26 ACL Two, both Muharraq and Khaldiya did not make it out of their respective groups.
Muharraq finished third in Group A after winning two, drawing one, and losing three of their six fixtures; while Khaldiya won once, drew thrice, and lost twice in their contests.
Khaldiya also took part in the ACL Two’s inaugural season in its current format in 2024-25, when they made it to the round of 16.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
WEST ASIA
Pot one: Al Jazira (UAE), Al Hussein (Jordan), Al Taawoun FC (Saudi Arabia), Al Wahda FC (UAE)
Pot two: Al Rayyan SC (Qatar), Golgohar Sirhan SC (Iran), PFC Nasaf (Uzbekistan), Al Shorta (Iraq)
Pot three: Al Faisaly (Jordan), Muharraq (Bahrain), Al Seed (Oman), Kuwait SC (Kuwait)
Pot four: Al Khaldiya (Bahrain), Al Nahda (Oman), East Bengal FC (India), FC Arkadag (Turkmenistan)
EAST ASIA
Pot one: Gangwon FC (South Korea), Adelaide United FC (Australia), FC Machida Zelvia (Japan), FC Seoul (South Korea)
Pot two: BG Pathum United (Thailand), Shanghai Shenhua FC (China), Melbourne Victory FC (Australia), Kuching City FC (Malaysia)
Pot three: The Cong-Viettel FC (Vietnam), Lion City Sailors FC (Singapore), Kitchee SC (Hong Kong), Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng FC (Cambodia)
Pot four: Tampines Rovers FC (Singapore), Tai Po FC (Hong Kong), Phnom Penh Crown FC (Cambodia), Persib Bandung (Indonesia)/Manila Digger (Philippines)
&uuid=(email))