Today, the Asian Football Confederation House in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) held the draw for the group stage of the 2025-26 AFC Champions League 2, during which two Turkmen clubs, «Arkadag» and «Ahal», learned their opponents.
The current two-time champion of Turkmenistan, «Arkadag», seeded in the third basket, got into Group «B» together with «Al-Ahli» (Qatar), «Andijan» (Uzbekistan) and «Al-Haldiya» (Bahrain). And the vice-champion of the country, «Ahal», seeded in the fourth basket, will play in Group «C» with the clubs «Sepahan» (Iran), «Al-Hussein» (Jordan), Mohun Bagan (India).
«Arkadag» will debut in the second most important Asian club competition as the winner of the AFC Challenge League (the third-ranking tournament in Asia), and «Ahal» made it to the group stage of the AFC Champions League-2, having won away in the preliminary round of qualification against Tajikistan's «Regar-TadAZ» from Tursunzade - 2:1.
As experts reported the day before, during the draw, the Turkmen clubs could well have been drawn against nine-time Saudi Arabian champion «Al-Nasr», for whom the famous Portuguese striker Cristiano Ronaldo and many other football stars play. However, the draw was kind to our teams, assigning «Al-Nasr» to Group «D» with the vice-champion of Iraq «Al-Zawraa», the champion of Tajikistan FC «Istiklol» and FC «Goa» (India), which made it through the preliminary round of qualification to the group stage of the AFC-2 Champions League.
However, the Turkmen clubs also got teams of no small stature as opponents.
«Arkadag» will compete for a place in the 1/8 finals with the winner of the Uzbekistan Cup «Andijan» (took 9th place in the national Super League), vice-champion of Bahrain «Al-Haldiya» and 4th place in the Stars League (top division) of Qatar «Al-Ahli».
«Ahal» will compete for a place in the next round of the competition with the champion of Jordan «Al-Hussein», vice-champion of Iran «Sepahan» and champion of India «Mohun Bagan».
By the way, «Ahal» is the first Turkmen football club that has already played in the AFC Champions League twice. In 2022, «Ahal» represented Turkmenistan for the first time in the main Asian football club competition. At the double-round tournament held in Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) with the participation of four clubs from Turkmenistan, Iran, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, the team of the General Directorate of «Turkmennebitonumleri» won its first-ever victory in the AFC Champions League, beating Qatar's «Al-Gharafa» 4:2. And in the debut match in this prestigious club competition in Asia, it took points from the finalist of the 2015 AFC Champions League, the bronze medalist of the UAE «Shabab Al-Ahli» from Dubai, playing a draw with them - 1:1. Based on the results of six matches, «Ahal» with 4 points took 4th place in Group «C», behind «Al-Gharafa» (5 points), «Shabab Al-Ahli» (10 points) and Iranian «Fulad» (12 points).
In 2023, «Ahal» made their second attempt to compete for Asia's top club football trophy, finishing fourth in Group «A» against Al Ain (UAE), Al Feiha (Saudi Arabia) and Pahtakor (Uzbekistan).
The current AFC Champions League 2 group stage, previously known as the AFC Cup, will feature 32 teams from 22 countries, divided geographically into 2 zones - Western and Eastern.
«West» Zone
Group «A»: «Al Wasl» (UAE), «Esteghlal» (Iran), «Al Muharraq» (Bahrain), «Al Wehdat» (Jordan).
Group «B»: «Al Ahli» (Qatar), «Andijan» (Uzbekistan), «Arkadag» (Turkmenistan), «Al Haldiya» (Bahrain).
Group «C»: «Foolad Mobarakeh Sepahan» (Iran), «Al Hussein» (Jordan), «Mohun Bagan» Super Giant (India), «Ahal» (Turkmenistan).
Group «D»: «Al-Nasr» (Saudi Arabia), «Al-Zawraa» (Iraq), «Istiklol» (Tajikistan), «Goa» (India).
Zone «East»
Group «E»: «Beijing» (China), «MacArthur» (Australia), «Tai Po» (Hong Kong), «Kong An Hanoi» (Vietnam).
Group «F»: «Gamba Osaka» (Japan), «Nam Dinh» (Vietnam), «Ratchaburi» (Thailand), «Eastern» (Hong Kong).
Group «G»: «Bangkok United» (Thailand), «Selangor» (Malaysia), «Lion City Sailors» (Singapore), «Persib Bandung» (Indonesia).
Group «H»: «Pohang Steelers» (Republic of Korea), «BG Pathum United» (Thailand), «Kaya FC-Iloilo» (Philippines), «Tampines Rovers» (Singapore).
The AFC Champions League 2 group stage matches will be held from 16th of September to 24th of December. At this stage of the tournament, its participants will play three matches at home and away. The two best teams from each group will advance to the 1/8 finals.
The 1/8 final matches will be held from 10th to 19th of February, 2026. The quarterfinals will be held from 3rd to 12th of March, the semifinals from 7th to 15th of April, and the final on the 16th of May, 2026.
turkmenistan.gov.tm
15.08.2025
