Preview - 1st Round: Al Ittihad (KSA) v Auckland City (NZL)

Tue, 12 Dec, 2023

Preview - 1st Round: Al Ittihad (KSA) v Auckland City (NZL)

Jeddah: Saudi Arabia’s Al Ittihad FC are determined to impress when they take on Auckland City of New Zealand in their FIFA Club World Cup Saudi Arabia 2023 first round match on Tuesday.

Returning to the competition for the first time since 2005, the reigning Saudi Pro League champions will be counting on Marcelo Gallardo to lead them to glory on home soil.

The Argentine took over head coach duties in the middle of November and helped Al Ittihad seal qualification to the AFC Champions League™ 2023/24 knockout stage.

www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/2996950.html

Asia at the FIFA Club World Cup

Sun, 10 Dec, 2023

Asia at the FIFA Club World Cup

Kuala Lumpur: Saudi Arabia is to follow in the footsteps of Japan, the UAE and Qatar in hosting the FIFA Club World Cup for the final edition of the competition in its current format, marking the 16th time the tournament has been held in Asia.

The two AFC representatives in Saudi Arabia 2023, Al Ittihad as the hosts and Urawa Red Diamonds as the reigning AFC Champions League™ winners, will be dreaming of bringing home the trophy for the first time in Asia’s history, but over the course of two decades, there have been some exceptional performances that saw clubs from the continent come close to winning the title.

Six memorable Asian matches

Fri, 08 Dec, 2023

Six memorable Asian matches

Kuala Lumpur: Japan's Urawa Red Diamonds and Saudi Arabia’s Al Ittihad are set to represent Asia in the 20th edition of the FIFA Club World Cup, a competition that has long provided some thrilling encounters for Asian teams over the years.

Ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup Saudi Arabia 2023 kicking-off on Tuesday, the-AFC.com takes a stroll down memory lane by exploring some of the finest matches involving Asian teams in the tournament's history.

Saudi Arabia 2023: Squads in Numbers

Sat, 09 Dec, 2023

Saudi Arabia 2023: Squads in Numbers

Jeddah: The FIFA Club World Cup Saudi Arabia 2023 kicks off on Tuesday with Al Ittihad playing Auckland City in a first round clash.

As Saudi Arabia's Al Ittihad and New Zealand's intensify their preparations, we take a look at the facts and figures from the final squads. 

Group D: Odisha edge Bashundhara Kings to finish top

Tue, 12 Dec, 2023

Group D: Odisha edge Bashundhara Kings to finish top

Bhubaneswar: India’s Odisha moved through to the Inter-Zone semi-finals of the AFC Cup™ 2023-24 on Monday with a 1-0 win over 10-man Bashundhara Kings at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar that ensures Sergio Lobera’s side finish top of Group D.

Mourtada Fall’s 61st minute header secured victory for Odisha after Asror Gafurov’s sending off in first half injury time, with the win taking Odisha onto 12 points to see them leapfrog the side from Bangladesh and finish the group phase in pole position.

Thailand 2024 cast to discover Group Stage contenders

Thu, 07 Dec, 2023

Thailand 2024 cast to discover Group Stage contenders

Kuala Lumpur: Asia’s best futsal sides will learn their route to glory for the AFC Futsal Asian Cup™ Thailand 2024 at the official Final Draw ceremony on Thursday, December 14 at 3pm at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur.

The 17th edition of the tournament will be held from April 17 to 28, 2024 and is set to feature 16 teams including Thailand, who automatically qualified as hosts and are staging it for a third time. The rest of the cast was determined after a qualifying campaign in October that featured 30 teams.

Player to Watch: Mehdi Taremi (IR Iran)

Sun, 10 Dec, 2023

Player to Watch: Mehdi Taremi (IR Iran)

Kuala Lumpur: Strikers from the Islamic Republic of Iran have long had to live in the shadow of those who have gone before them, such is the depth of historic talent to have led the line for Team Melli.

But over the last eight years Mehdi Taremi has established himself as a star in his own right for both club and country, joining the greats of Iranian football.

Test Your Knowledge - Round 9

Fri, 08 Dec, 2023

Test Your Knowledge - Round 9

Kuala Lumpur: The AFC Asian Cup™ quiz is back with more challenging questions about the continent's premier national team tournament.

Try it out to see how well versed you - the fans - are as the countdown for the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023™ gathers pace.