Indian Super League side FC Goa will host the Group E matches of the AFC Champions League (ACL) at Fatorda Stadium in Margao. The Confederation of Asian Football on Thursday confirmed the venues for the group stage matches of ACL 2021 after extensive feedback exercises with its participating member associations, commercial partners and all concerned stakeholders. According to an ISL source, Goa has been selected as a centralized venue for Group E matches. FC Goa have been linked with the final edition runners-up Persepolis FC of Iran, Katari heavyweight Al Ryan SC and one to one qualified side in Group E.
The group stage draw of the continent’s top-tier league, consisting of 40 teams, was held online. This season’s AFC is by far the biggest in Champions League history as it was the last time it was a 32-team affair. FC Goa became the first Indian club to directly qualify for the group stage of the ACL based on finishing at the top of the points table at the end of the league stage.
The winning side of each of the 10 groups and the three best runners-up from each region – West and East – advance to round 16 of the knockout stage.
According to a statement released by the AFC, matches in the Western Region that are scheduled between April 14-30 will include Saudi Arabia hosting the A&D Games as well as in Riyadh and Group C in Jeddah.
Group B matches are scheduled to be staged in the United Arab Emirates city of Sharjah. In the East Zone, AFC has decided to postpone the group stage matches originally planned for April 21-May 7 to June / July 2021, keeping in mind the current travel restrictions and quarantine challenges posed by the COVID-19 epidemic. .
Thailand, meanwhile, will host matches in East Zone groups F, G and J, to decide the locations for groups H and I, as well as the exact dates for all groups, and to communicate in due time, AFC has been added to the statement.
ACL 2021 (East) preliminary and play-off matches are also postponed and will be played in the centralized venues of their respective group stage matches. Groups A to E form the west zone while groups F to J comprise the east zone.
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The league ended with the preliminary stage on 7 April. Knockout matches in the round of 16 are scheduled for 13–15 September and the quarter-finals on 27–29 September. Both rounds will be played as singles matches.
The semi-finals will take place on two legs on 19–20 and 26–27 October. The final of the two legs will take place on 21 and 27 November.
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