KUALA LUMPUR – The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) is prepared to adjust the dates for this year’s Asian Champions League Elite (ACLE) final, but the venue will remain in Jeddah despite ongoing uncertainties in the region.
AFC secretary-general Datuk Seri Windsor John confirmed with Scoop that while scheduling remains fluid due to external factors, the Saudi Arabian city has already secured hosting rights through a formal bidding process and will not be changed.
“There was a bidding process, and Jeddah won the bidding with a lot of guarantees and all those things. We may change the date, but not the venue,” he said when contacted.
Windsor explained that any decision on the final schedule will depend heavily on the evolving situation on the ground, particularly ongoing conflict in the region (Iran-Israel war), with the AFC monitoring developments closely.
“We can only give a definitive answer on the date once the war is over. We are monitoring it every day,” he said.
“If you tell me the war is ending on March 31, then I can immediately tell you what will happen. We are all scrambling for answers, so we are taking it day by day.”
It is understood that the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, will host the ACLE final on April 25 (to be confirmed) this year.
ACLE is Asia’s premier club competition, featuring 24 teams split evenly between the West and East regions.
The top eight clubs from each region advance to the Round of 16, with the quarter-finals, semi-finals and the final scheduled to be played as part of the finals in Jeddah. – March 25, 2026