The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has confirmed that the final stages of the AFC Champions League Elite(ACLE) will continue to be hosted in Saudi Arabia despite ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
The confirmation was delivered by AFC General Secretary, Datuk Seri Windsor Paul John, during a special press conference held at Wisma FAM, Kelana Jaya. When responding to speculation regarding a possible venue change for the decisive phase of the competition.
Rumours had recently circulated suggesting that the ACLE finals could be moved to either Malaysia or Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The speculation followed rising tensions in the region after hostilities escalated between the USA and Israel against Iran beginning on 28 February.
The regional situation has already affected the tournament schedule, with all Round of 16 matches involving West Asian clubs postponed.
However, according to Windsor, the AFC currently sees no necessity to relocate the finals venue.
“If people ask whether the venue for the ACLE finals will change, the answer for now is no,” he said.
“The date may change, but the venue will not change because that decision has already been made by the organisers.”
The AFC also confirmed that it is continuously monitoring the situation in West Asia and will make adjustments if required.
Credit Photo : HongZheng Lim/SNE-Photo
