FOOTBALL – Bahrain's top football clubs participating in continental and regional competitions later this week have kicked off their final preparations for their respective games.
Riffa players at the airport yesterday prior to their departure for Dubai
Al Khaldiya and Muharraq are set to take to the pitch in matchweek two of the 2026-27 AFC Champions League (ACL) Two, while Riffa will be getting their campaign underway in the 2026-27 Gulf Club Champions League.
Khaldiya departed yesterday for Kuwait City where they will take on Kuwait SC on Wednesday in their second Group A assignment, scheduled for a 9.15pm kick-off, Bahrain time, at Jaber Al Mubarak Al Sabah Stadium.
Muharraq, on the other hand, will have their home game against Iran’s Golgohar Sirjan SC played at Al Seeb Stadium in Muscat, Oman, also on Wednesday.
Their clash is slated to begin at 7pm, also Bahrain time.
Riffa travelled yesterday to the UAE where they will face off with hosts Al Nasr SC tomorrow at Al Maktoum Stadium in Dubai.
The Group B affair is set for an 8pm kick-off, Bahrain time.
The ACL Two is the Asian Football Confederation’s (AFC) second-tier club competition.
Khaldiya and Muharraq are the kingdom’s representatives for the second straight year, and they are part of a 32-team roster in the group stage.
Both Bahraini outfits dropped points in their opening assignments last month.
Khalidya were held to a goalless draw at home by PFC Nasaf from Uzbekistan, while Muharraq lost 0-1 to FC Arkadag of Turkmenistan in an away contest.
The ACL Two’s group battles – to be played in a home-and-away round-robin format – continue until December 9 before moving into the round of 16, set 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.
In this season’s Gulf Club Champions League, organised by the Gulf Football Federation, Riffa are Bahrain’s lone side amongst the 12 participating clubs – the tournament’s largest-ever field.
Also in Group B are Qatar SC of Qatar and Erbil SC of Iraq. Group A features Neom SC from Saudi Arabia, Al Duhail SC from Qatar, Al Shabab SC from Oman, and Shaab Hadramaut SC from Yemen. Group C is composed of Al Ettifaq SC of Saudi, Ajman SC of the UAE, Erbil SC from Iraq, and Kazma SC from Kuwait.
Following the double round-robin preliminaries, the top two teams from each group will advance to the quarter-finals, together with the two best third-placed sides, with all ties contested over two legs.
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