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AFC Professional Football Committee adopts key changes to elevate Asian club football

Fri, 24 Apr, 2026

AFC Professional Football Committee adopts key changes to elevate Asian club football

Jeddah: The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Professional Football Committee convened for its second meeting on Friday afternoon as it reaffirmed the Confederation’s continued commitment to strengthening the foundations of Asian professional club football.

Held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and led by Chairperson Park Ji-sung, the Committee approved amendments to the AFC Club Competitions – Entry Regulations (Edition 2025) and AFC Club Licensing Regulations (Edition 2024), and also agreed to adopt the AFC Club Competitions – Entry Regulations (Edition 2026) and AFC Club Licensing Regulations (Edition 2026), which are aimed at elevating the professional standards across the Continent.

Preview - Final: Al Ahli Saudi FC (KSA) v FC Machida Zelvia (JPN)

Fri, 24 Apr, 2026

Preview - Final: Al Ahli Saudi FC (KSA) v FC Machida Zelvia (JPN)

Jeddah: Defending champions Al Ahli Saudi FC and FC Machida Zelvia will go into Saturday’s decider in the AFC Champions League Elite Finals Jeddah 2026™ with head coaches Matthias Jaissle and Go Kuroda revealing no major injury concerns ahead of their critical clash.

The meeting at the King Abdullah Sports City Hall Stadium is expected to be a sell-out as Al Ahli Saudi attempt to retain the title they won at the same venue last year while Machida seek to complete a fairy tale run to lift the trophy in their first appearance in the competition.

Fujio confident success awaits Machida

Fri, 24 Apr, 2026

Fujio confident success awaits Machida

Jeddah: Shota Fujio has full confidence that FC Machida Zelvia have what it takes to go all the way in the AFC Champions League Elite Finals Jeddah 2026™ final on Saturday.

The tournament debutants are on a fairytale run but standing in their way are defending champions Al Ahli Saudi FC but Fujio is unconcerned, saying the Japanese side’s clean sheets in the knockout stage against Gangwon FC, Al Ittihad Club and Shabab Al Ahli has given them belief.

https://www.the-afc.com/en/club/afc_champions_league_elite.html/video/aclelite-preview-final

Mahrez’s hunger for glory remains undiminished

Fri, 24 Apr, 2026

Mahrez’s hunger for glory remains undiminished

Jeddah: A trophy-laden career has not quelled Riyad Mahrez’s desire for more as he looks to help Al Ahli Saudi FC defend their title in Saturday’s AFC Champions League Elite Finals Jeddah 2026™ final against FC Machida Zelvia.

Success has followed the Algerian at every stage of his career - lifting trophy after trophy with Leicester City, Manchester City, the Algerian national team and with Al Ahli Saudi but Mahrez said he wants more. 

Final - How they stack up: Al Ahli Saudi FC (KSA) v FC Machida Zelvia (JPN)

Fri, 24 Apr, 2026

Final - How they stack up: Al Ahli Saudi FC (KSA) v FC Machida Zelvia (JPN)

Jeddah: The climax of the AFC Champions League Elite Finals Jeddah 2026™ is upon us with Saudi Arabia’s Al Ahli Saudi FC and FC Machida Zelvia of Japan to square off in the final on Saturday. 

Ahead of the highly anticipated showdown between the defending champions and tournament debutants at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, the-AFC.com takes a look at how the two title contenders stack up.  

Match officials confirmed for #ACLElite Final 2025/26

Fri, 24 Apr, 2026

Match officials confirmed for #ACLElite Final 2025/26

Jeddah: Ilgiz Tantashev will be the man in the middle on Saturday evening when Al Ahli Saudi FC and FC Machida Zelvia meet in the AFC Champions League Elite (ACL Elite) 2025/26™ Final at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium.

This will be the second time that the Uzbek referee has been tasked to oversee the finale of the Continent’s elite men’s club tournament, having taken charge of the second leg between Al Ain FC and Yokohama F. Marinos in the 2023/24 edition. It will be his eighth match assignment of this edition, having refereed one Quarter-final, one Round of 16 and five League Stage fixtures.

AFC Champions League Elite Finals Jeddah 2026 Match Officials Final

https://www.the-afc.com/en/club/afc_champions_league_two.html/video/acltwo-|-semi-finals-al-nassr-club-ksa-5-1-al-ahli-sc-qat

Know your coach: Matthias Jaissle (Al Ahli Saudi FC)

Thu, 23 Apr, 2026

Know your coach: Matthias Jaissle (Al Ahli Saudi FC)

Jeddah: Matthias Jaissle stands on the precipice of making history as he attempts to guide Al Ahli Saudi FC to back-to-back AFC Champions League Elite™ title wins on Saturday.

While fellow Saudi Arabia side Al Ittihad Club bagged successive titles in 2004 and 2005, the first win came under the guidance of Dragan Talajic with Anghel Iordanescu then leading the successful title defence.

It opens the door for Jaissle to be the first head coach to win the biggest prize in Asian club football two years in a row.

Know your coach: Go Kuroda (Machida Zelvia)

Thu, 23 Apr, 2026

Know your coach: Go Kuroda (Machida Zelvia)

Jeddah: FC Machida Zelvia head coach Go Kuroda stands on the cusp of a remarkable achievement; three-and-a-half years after starting his first job in professional football, the 55-year-old is one win away from becoming an Asian champion.

Kuroda leads his J1 League outfit into Saturday’s AFC Champions League Elite Finals Jeddah 2026™ title decider with defending champions Al Ahli having taken an unconventional route to the summit of the continental scene.

Appointed ahead of the 2023 campaign with Machida still in Japan’s second division, Kuroda made his debut in professional football following three decades working in the unique environs of the country’s high school football scene.

Road to Final: Al Ahli Saudi FC (KSA)

Wed, 22 Apr, 2026

Road to Final: Al Ahli Saudi FC (KSA)

Jeddah: Al Ahli Saudi FC are one match away from defending their title, with the Saudi Pro League side to face Japan's FC Machida Zelvia in the final of the AFC Champions League Elite Finals Jeddah 2025/26™.

The Jeddah-based side are seeking to become just the second team in the AFC Champions League era to win back-to-back titles and the-AFC.com retraces their journey to Saturday's final.

Photos

AFC Professional Football Committee adopts key changes to elevate Asian club football

Fri, 24 Apr, 2026

AFC Professional Football Committee adopts key changes to elevate Asian club football

Jeddah: The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Professional Football Committee convened for its second meeting on Friday afternoon as it reaffirmed the Confederation’s continued commitment to strengthening the foundations of Asian professional club football.

Held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and led by Chairperson Park Ji-sung, the Committee approved amendments to the AFC Club Competitions – Entry Regulations (Edition 2025) and AFC Club Licensing Regulations (Edition 2024), and also agreed to adopt the AFC Club Competitions – Entry Regulations (Edition 2026) and AFC Club Licensing Regulations (Edition 2026), which are aimed at elevating the professional standards across the Continent.

Preview - Final: Al Ahli Saudi FC (KSA) v FC Machida Zelvia (JPN)

Fri, 24 Apr, 2026

Preview - Final: Al Ahli Saudi FC (KSA) v FC Machida Zelvia (JPN)

Jeddah: Defending champions Al Ahli Saudi FC and FC Machida Zelvia will go into Saturday’s decider in the AFC Champions League Elite Finals Jeddah 2026™ with head coaches Matthias Jaissle and Go Kuroda revealing no major injury concerns ahead of their critical clash.

The meeting at the King Abdullah Sports City Hall Stadium is expected to be a sell-out as Al Ahli Saudi attempt to retain the title they won at the same venue last year while Machida seek to complete a fairy tale run to lift the trophy in their first appearance in the competition.

Fujio confident success awaits Machida

Fri, 24 Apr, 2026

Fujio confident success awaits Machida

Jeddah: Shota Fujio has full confidence that FC Machida Zelvia have what it takes to go all the way in the AFC Champions League Elite Finals Jeddah 2026™ final on Saturday.

The tournament debutants are on a fairytale run but standing in their way are defending champions Al Ahli Saudi FC but Fujio is unconcerned, saying the Japanese side’s clean sheets in the knockout stage against Gangwon FC, Al Ittihad Club and Shabab Al Ahli has given them belief.

https://www.the-afc.com/en/club/afc_champions_league_elite.html/video/aclelite-preview-final

Mahrez’s hunger for glory remains undiminished

Fri, 24 Apr, 2026

Mahrez’s hunger for glory remains undiminished

Jeddah: A trophy-laden career has not quelled Riyad Mahrez’s desire for more as he looks to help Al Ahli Saudi FC defend their title in Saturday’s AFC Champions League Elite Finals Jeddah 2026™ final against FC Machida Zelvia.

Success has followed the Algerian at every stage of his career - lifting trophy after trophy with Leicester City, Manchester City, the Algerian national team and with Al Ahli Saudi but Mahrez said he wants more. 

Final - How they stack up: Al Ahli Saudi FC (KSA) v FC Machida Zelvia (JPN)

Fri, 24 Apr, 2026

Final - How they stack up: Al Ahli Saudi FC (KSA) v FC Machida Zelvia (JPN)

Jeddah: The climax of the AFC Champions League Elite Finals Jeddah 2026™ is upon us with Saudi Arabia’s Al Ahli Saudi FC and FC Machida Zelvia of Japan to square off in the final on Saturday. 

Ahead of the highly anticipated showdown between the defending champions and tournament debutants at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, the-AFC.com takes a look at how the two title contenders stack up.  

Match officials confirmed for #ACLElite Final 2025/26

Fri, 24 Apr, 2026

Match officials confirmed for #ACLElite Final 2025/26

Jeddah: Ilgiz Tantashev will be the man in the middle on Saturday evening when Al Ahli Saudi FC and FC Machida Zelvia meet in the AFC Champions League Elite (ACL Elite) 2025/26™ Final at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium.

This will be the second time that the Uzbek referee has been tasked to oversee the finale of the Continent’s elite men’s club tournament, having taken charge of the second leg between Al Ain FC and Yokohama F. Marinos in the 2023/24 edition. It will be his eighth match assignment of this edition, having refereed one Quarter-final, one Round of 16 and five League Stage fixtures.

AFC Champions League Elite Finals Jeddah 2026 Match Officials Final

https://www.the-afc.com/en/club/afc_champions_league_two.html/video/acltwo-|-semi-finals-al-nassr-club-ksa-5-1-al-ahli-sc-qat

Know your coach: Matthias Jaissle (Al Ahli Saudi FC)

Thu, 23 Apr, 2026

Know your coach: Matthias Jaissle (Al Ahli Saudi FC)

Jeddah: Matthias Jaissle stands on the precipice of making history as he attempts to guide Al Ahli Saudi FC to back-to-back AFC Champions League Elite™ title wins on Saturday.

While fellow Saudi Arabia side Al Ittihad Club bagged successive titles in 2004 and 2005, the first win came under the guidance of Dragan Talajic with Anghel Iordanescu then leading the successful title defence.

It opens the door for Jaissle to be the first head coach to win the biggest prize in Asian club football two years in a row.

Know your coach: Go Kuroda (Machida Zelvia)

Thu, 23 Apr, 2026

Know your coach: Go Kuroda (Machida Zelvia)

Jeddah: FC Machida Zelvia head coach Go Kuroda stands on the cusp of a remarkable achievement; three-and-a-half years after starting his first job in professional football, the 55-year-old is one win away from becoming an Asian champion.

Kuroda leads his J1 League outfit into Saturday’s AFC Champions League Elite Finals Jeddah 2026™ title decider with defending champions Al Ahli having taken an unconventional route to the summit of the continental scene.

Appointed ahead of the 2023 campaign with Machida still in Japan’s second division, Kuroda made his debut in professional football following three decades working in the unique environs of the country’s high school football scene.

Road to Final: Al Ahli Saudi FC (KSA)

Wed, 22 Apr, 2026

Road to Final: Al Ahli Saudi FC (KSA)

Jeddah: Al Ahli Saudi FC are one match away from defending their title, with the Saudi Pro League side to face Japan's FC Machida Zelvia in the final of the AFC Champions League Elite Finals Jeddah 2025/26™.

The Jeddah-based side are seeking to become just the second team in the AFC Champions League era to win back-to-back titles and the-AFC.com retraces their journey to Saturday's final.