ACL Elite knockouts will be single-leg matches for West Asian teams during the Iran-US war

Amid rising tensions in West Asia, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has announced that all remaining knockout matches in club competitions in the western part of the continent will be played as single-leg knockouts.

The decision comes three weeks after the Confederation temporarily postponed AFC club competition matches as tensions flared between Iran and Israel and the United States of America following airstrikes in Tehran.

“…all remaining knockout matches of the AFC’s club competitions in the West Region will now be decided in a single match at centralized venues,” the AFC said in a statement.

Which teams play in AFC Champions League Elite from West Asia?

• Al Sadd (Qatar)

• Al Duhail (Qatar)

• Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia)

• Al Ahli (Saudi Arabia)

• Al Ittihad (Saudi Arabia)

• Tractor (Iran)

• Al Wahda (UAE)

• Shabab Al Ahli (UAE)

When and where are the rest of the ACL Elite matches?

• Round of 16: April 13 – King Abdullah Sports City
• Round of 16: April 14 – Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Sports City Stadium
• Finals: April 16-25 — Jeddah

The AFC also said the quarter-finals and semi-finals of the Champions League Two and Challenge League will take place on April 19 and 22, with centralized locations to be communicated later.

Published on March 24, 2026