Kuala Lumpur: Qatari champions Al Duhail will face Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr of Saudi Arabia in the 2023-24 AFC Champions League, after the teams were placed together in Group E, following the draw which was held at the AFC headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Thursday.
The other teams in Group E are Persepolis of Iran, and Tajikistan’s Istiklol.
Al-Sadd, the other Qatari team in the competition, have been drawn in Group B, alongside FC Nasaf of Uzbekistan, Al Faisaly of Jordan and Sharjah of the United Arab Emirates.
Holders Urawa Red Diamonds of Japan will kick off the defence of their AFC Champions League title in Group J, alongside Wuhan Three Towns FC (China), Pohang Steelers (South Korea), and Hanoi FC (Vietnam).
Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal SFC – who won the 2019 and 2021 titles and were runners-up last season – were drawn in Group D, where they will face F.C. Nassaji Mazandaran (Iran), Mumbai City FC (India) and PFC Navbahor Namangan (Uzbekistan).
The draw saw the 40 teams divided into 10 groups – five each in the East and West Zones. After the conversion of the tournament to a September-May format, the group stage action is now set to begin on 18 September.
The 10 group winners along with the three best runners-up of each Zone will book their places in the Knockout Stages, which will take place from February to April before the final is held over two legs on May 11 and 18, 2024.
GROUP STAGE DRAW
Group A
Pakhtakor (Uzbekistan)
Al-Fayha FC (Saudi Arabia)
Ahal FK (Turkmenistan)
Al Ain (United Arab Emirates)
