AFC Champions League Two
Split into eight groups across two regions, the 21st season of the competition—previously known as the AFC Cup™ before a revamp in 2024/25—features two sides tasting Continental action for the very first time: Uzbekistan’s PFC Andijon and Cong An Ha Noi FC from Vietnam. A further 11 clubs are making their tournament debuts, namely Al Nassr Club, Al Wasl FC, Al Ahli SC, Esteghlal FC, FC Arkadag, FC Goa, Gamba Osaka, FC Pohang Steelers, Beijing FC, BG Pathum United, and Ratchaburi FC.
West
September 16
The Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan Stadium in Kolkata hosts the first fixture of the opening matchday at 7.15pm, as India’s Mohun Bagan Super Giant start their Group C journey. Winners of a record seventh league title in 2024, the hosts are making their eighth appearance and face Turkmenistan’s 2024/25 league runners-up Ahal FC, whose fourth involvement ends a four-year absence.
At 9.15pm, Al Hussein—winners of a second straight Jordanian league crown in 2024/25—make their third appearance and welcome Islamic Republic of Iran’s Foolad Mobarakeh Sepahan SC to the Amman International Stadium. The away side, runners-up in their league last season, are entering their second ACL Two campaign.
September 17
The Arkadag Stadium will witness the Group B opener at 6.45pm between FC Arkadag and PFC Andijon. Founded in 2023, the hosts have claimed consecutive domestic doubles in Turkmenistan by winning every game and lifted the AFC Challenge League™ 2024/25 on their Continental debut, while Andijon’s maiden domestic cup triumph in Uzbekistan sealed a historic ACL Two berth.
Qatar’s Al Ahli SC make a long-awaited return to Continental action at 7pm at the Al Thumama Stadium in Doha, having last done so in 1999 in the Asian Cup Winners’ Cup, with Bahrain’s cup winners Al Khaldiya SC—in their second appearance—serving as the opposition.
Winners of the cup and runners-up in the league last season, India’s FC Goa host Al Zawraa SC in Group D at 7.15pm at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Goa. The latter are in their sixth campaign and finished second in the Iraqi league in 2024/25.
A third-place league finish earned Al Nassr Club a spot here and the Saudi side will take on FC Istiklol at 9.15pm at Riyadh’s King Saud University Stadium. The Tajik visitors, who clinched a record 13th league title in 2024/25, are making their seventh appearance and have met Al Nassr twice previously, drawing once and losing once.
Eight-time United Arab Emirates league champions Al Wasl FC begin their Group A chapter at home in Dubai at 8pm, with IR Iran’s Esteghlal FC—winners of a record eighth domestic cup in 2024/25—travelling to the Zabeel Stadium.
Bahrain’s Al Muharraq SC enjoyed a double-winning domestic season in 2024/25, winning the league for a record 35th time and first since 2017/18, while adding a record 11th cup triumph; they commence the hunt for a third ACL Two crown (2008, 2021), against Al Wehdat, who are involved for a 14th occasion. The Jordanian outfit, who won a 13th domestic cup last season, will visit the Sheikh Ali Bin Mohammed Al Khalifa Stadium in Arad for the 9.15pm showdown.
East
September 17
The Suita City Football Stadium will stage the Group F opener between Japan’s Gamba Osaka, fourth-placed in the league last season, and Eastern FC of Hong Kong, China, on September 17 at 7pm. The visitors, who clinched their seventh domestic cup title in 2024/25, are making a fourth appearance.
Reigning Vietnamese league champions Nam Dinh FC, who won their third title last season, start their second participation at home at the Thien Troung Stadium. They take on Ratchaburi FC, who placed fourth in the Thai league in 2024/25, at 7pm.
September 18
Securing their second league trophy in 2024/25 meant a return to the ACL Two for a third involvement and first since 2019 for Hong Kong, China’s Tai Po FC, who get Group E underway at the Mongkok Stadium at 6pm against Australian cup winners Macarthur FC, themselves appearing for a second time.
China PR’s Beijing FC—fourth in the league last year—take to the Workers’ Stadium pitch in Beijing at 8.15pm to face Cong An Ha Noi FC, who won the Vietnamese cup for the first time in 2024/25 to become the 15th club from their nation to play in this competition – the most of any Member Association.
Group G comprises a Southeast Asian quartet, with Selangor FC and Bangkok United going head-to-head first at 6pm. Making their seventh appearance, 2024/25 Malaysian league runners-up Selangor will welcome their Thai opponents—who reached the last 16 on their debut last season—to the MBPJ Stadium in Petaling Jaya.
Over at the Gelora Bandung Lautan Api Stadium in Bandung, Persib Bandung make their third appearance and the 2024/25 Indonesian league champions—a joint-record fourth triumph—will renew rivalries with Lion City Sailors FC, winners of a domestic double last season, at 7.15pm. While the visitors lost once and drew the other against Persib in the Group Stage last season on their ACL Two debut, they went on to create history by becoming the first Singaporean club to reach a Continental final.
Group H’s battles will cap off the opening matchday, starting with Kaya FC-Iloilo and Tampines Rovers FC at the New Clark City Athletics Stadium in Capas at 6pm. The hosts clinched a third Philippines league crown last season and are set for their fifth appearance, while the visitors placed second in the Singapore league and are involved for a 14th occasion.
BG Pathum United make their debut at 7.15pm at the Pathum Thani Stadium and last season’s third-place finishers in the Thai league will square off against Korea Republic’s FC Pohang Steelers, who claimed a record sixth domestic cup title and are also making their ACL Two bow.
All times indicated are in respective local times.
