Bajrami joins Al Taawoun; Kennedy makes Macarthur switch

Wed, 05 Aug, 2026

Bajrami joins Al Taawoun; Kennedy makes Macarthur switch

Kuala Lumpur: Saudi Arabia’s Al Taawoun have strengthened their attacking options with the loan signing of Albania international Nedim Bajrami, while Macarthur FC have added Scottish winger Kai Kennedy to their ranks.

Perth Glory and Western Sydney Wanderers were also active in the women’s transfer market, securing New Zealand international Maggie Jenkins and Lebanon defender Tiana Jaber respectively.

Group B: Late winner keeps Thailand perfect; Myanmar on song

Wed, 05 Aug, 2026

Group B: Late winner keeps Thailand perfect; Myanmar on song

Capas: Thailand maintained their perfect record in Group B of the ASEAN Championship 2026 on Tuesday as Waris Choolthong’s late header earned the former champions a 1-0 win over the Philippines that keeps Anthony Hudson’s side on top of the standings.

Hudson made eight changes to the team that won the previous outing against Malaysia and the Thais had to wait until four minutes from time to claim the three points when Waris powered Picha Autra’s cross from the left past Patrick Deyto.

Lee secures Belgium move; Urozov heads to Russia

Tue, 04 Aug, 2026

Lee secures Belgium move; Urozov heads to Russia

Kuala Lumpur: Lee Han-beom will play his club football in Belgium after the Korea Republic international sealed a move to Club Brugge on Monday.

The 24-year-old was an ever-present in the Korea Republic starting line-up at the FIFA World Cup 2026, with the centre-back not missing a single minute of the action in the group stage.

Group A: Vietnam sizzle against Indonesia; victory for Cambodia

Mon, 03 Aug, 2026

Group A: Vietnam sizzle against Indonesia; victory for Cambodia

Cibinong: Defending champions Vietnam claimed a statement 3-0 win over hosts Indonesia in the ASEAN Championship 2026 on Monday as Kim Sang-sik’s side moved to the top of the Group A standings with one round of matches remaining.

Goals from Nguyen Van Vi and Nguyen Hai Long gave the title holders a two-goal lead inside the first 15 minutes and Nguyen Xuan Son completed the win when he slotted home in the 71st minute to take Vietnam into pole position in the standings.

Vietnam move ahead of Singapore on goal-difference while Indonesia drop to third, one point adrift of the lead duo ahead of their clash with the Singaporeans on Friday. Vietnam will play Cambodia in the final group match with the top two advancing to the semi-finals.

Donis confident of Saudi Arabia's chances

Mon, 03 Aug, 2026

Donis confident of Saudi Arabia's chances

Riyadh: Georgios Donis fully comprehends the weight of the responsibility on his shoulders as he looks to lead Saudi Arabia to their first AFC Asian Cup™ title in more than 30 years in the 2027 edition in January.

Donis, who hails from Greece and was appointed last April ahead of Saudi Arabia’s FIFA World Cup 2026 challenge, believes his long-standing knowledge and experience in West Asia puts him in good stead for what lies ahead.

Central, South & West Asia Wrap: Al Ansar emerge Lebanese champions; Istiklol crash to first defeat in Tajikistan

Mon, 03 Aug, 2026

Central, South & West Asia Wrap: Al Ansar emerge Lebanese champions; Istiklol crash to first defeat in Tajikistan

Bishkek: Al Ansar lifted the Lebanese Premier League title with victory over Nejmeh as the much-delayed 2025/26 season finally concluded on Sunday. 

FC Istiklol fell to their first Tajik League defeat in 12 outings while Neftchi Fergana saw their lead in the Uzbekistan Super League whittled down to a point.
 
Reigning Durand Cup champions NorthEast United FC opened their title defence with an emphatic win in India, so join the-AFC.com as we take a look at the past week's domestic action across Central, South and West Asia.