West Asia Wrap: Al Hilal remain solid; Al Sadd reach summit

Mon, 11 Dec, 2023

West Asia Wrap: Al Hilal remain solid; Al Sadd reach summit

Riyadh: With the Saudi Pro League 2023/24 season almost at the halfway point, Al Hilal SFC maintained their seven-point cushion after defeating Al Tai 2-1, while Al Nassr bounced back in style to stay second.

In UAE, defending champions Shabab Al Ahli Dubai Club hit seven past Emirates Club, while Al Sadd saw off Al Rayyan to secure top spot in the Qatar Stars League.
 

There were also matches in Kuwait, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria so join the-AFC.com as we take a look at the past week's domestic action across West Asia.

ASEAN Wrap: JDT win quadruple again; Sailors lift Singapore Cup

Mon, 11 Dec, 2023

ASEAN Wrap: JDT win quadruple again; Sailors lift Singapore Cup

Kuala Lumpur: Johor Darul Ta’zim completed the quadruple for the second season running after defeating Terengganu 3-1 in the Malaysia Cup final on Friday to add to their Malaysia Super League, FA Cup and Charity Shield triumphs this year. 

Lion City Sailors emerged as the Singapore Cup champions for the first time by overcoming Hougang United 3-1 in Saturday's final at Jalan Besar Stadium while Tampines Rovers claimed third place by defeating DPMM FC 2-0. 
 
Unbeaten Shan United became champions of Myanmar with a game to spare and Kaya FC-Iloilo lifted their third Copa Paulino Alcantara in Philippines while matches also took place in Australia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia, so join the-AFC.com as we review the week’s action from ASEAN.

Central & South Asia Wrap: Istiklol champions again; Arkadag secure title

Mon, 11 Dec, 2023

Central & South Asia Wrap: Istiklol champions again; Arkadag secure title

Dushanbe: FC Istiklol are confirmed as Tajikistan Higher League champions with two games to spare, extending their incredible hold on the league title they have won every season since 2014.

The league title was also won in Turkmenistan as FC Arkadag continued to be perfect, their 21st win of the season giving them an unassailable lead over Altyn Asyr.

Matches were also played in Islamic Republic of Iran, India, Uzbekistan, Bhutan and Maldives - so join the-AFC.com as we recap the action from the past week in Central and South Asia.

East Asia Wrap: Kawasaki lift Emperor’s Cup; Gangwon and Suwon survive

Mon, 11 Dec, 2023

East Asia Wrap: Kawasaki lift Emperor’s Cup; Gangwon and Suwon survive

Hong Kong: Kawasaki Frontale became Emperor's Cup champions in Japan for the second time in their history after they defeated Kashiwa Reysol on penalties in the final held in front of more than 60,000 supporters at Japan National Stadium in Tokyo on Saturday. 

In Korea Republic, Gangwon FC and Suwon FC preserved their top-flight status as they prevailed over Gimpo FC and Busan IPark respectively in the relegation playoffs, meaning second division champions Gimcheon Sangmu will be the only new face in the top division next season. 
 
Lee Man FC maintained their three-point lead over holders Kitchee SC with a 3-2 win against Tai Po FC in Hong Kong while Taipower secured third place in Chinese Taipei with a 3-1 defeat of Hang Yuan on Sunday, so join the-AFC.com as we bring you up to speed with the action from across East Asia.

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.

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.