Four Iranian Teams Submit Request to Host ACL Groups Stages

Tractor and Foolad are ready to host their group stages in Ahvaz and Tabriz, respectively.

Tehran-based clubs Esteghlal and Persepolis will host the group stage competition in capital of Iran if AFC accepts their request.

Group B comprises Tractor, Pakhtakor of Uzbekistan, UAE's Sharjah and a playoff winner.

Group C will see Esteghlal, Qatar's Al-Duhail SC, Saudi Arabia's Al-Ahli Saudi and Al-Shorta of Iraq bidding to advance to the Round of 16 in a tough group.

Foolad will play Al-Ain of the UAE in playoff and will meet Al-Sadd of Qatar, Saudi Arabian Al-Nassr and Al-Wehdat Jordan if advances in Group D.

Persepolis, reigning Persian Gulf Professional League champion and two-time runners-up in the AFC Champions League, will meet Indian team Goa, Al-Rayyan, of Qatar and a playoff winner in Group E.

Nidal Bahran, the official spokesman for the Asian Football Confederation, had recently announced that they have not yet received any request to host the 2021 AFC Champions League group stage.

Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League will be played in centralized group stages in the 2021 season. The AFC Champions League will be held in the West and East Regions while the AFC Cup will be staged across the five AFC Zones.

With the continued support of the Member Associations and participating clubs, the AFC has agreed that the ACL Group Stage West Region matches will be scheduled between April 14-30 while the East Region are planned for April 21-May 7, 2021.

“Hosting standards focus mainly on health requirements related to the Coronavirus, such as ensuring that host countries do not have quarantine for those coming from abroad and have smooth airlines, and the door is open in the event of a request to host one or more groups,” Bahran said.

“The door will remain open until February 15 and the requests must be submitted in the name of local federations. The AFC will provide support in the amount of $550,000 for hosting each group. The last two matches of each group should be held simultaneously,” he added.

The 2020 AFC Champions League 2020 (West) group stages and the final match were held in Doha, Qatar.