AFC announces new competition dates

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The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has released updated schedules for the restart of the AFC Champions League and the AFC Cup.

Group stage matches for Groups A-D in the Champions League will be played on September 14-24. Groups E-H will play their matches in October and finish before November 1. The Final of the Champions League is now scheduled for December 5.

AFC Cup group stage matches will start from September 23 and will be finished by November 4. The Final is set for December 12 – the winner will qualify for the Champions League in 2021.

Both the Champions League and AFC Cup will be played in hubs. The locations of the centralised groups will be confirmed by the AFC at a later date.

Group stage matches for both tournaments will be played in full, however finals matches will now be single match ties instead of home and away fixtures.

“The AFC Administration has been in constant dialogue with our Mas (Member Associations), Leagues and Clubs in recent weeks so that we can establish a clear picture of the opportunities that exist in each MA,” Dato’ Windsor John, the AFC General Secretary said.

“I would like to thank all our stakeholders, including our MAs, the Leagues and Clubs as well as our Commercial and Broadcast Partners, once again for their understanding and patience as well as loyalty and commitment to Asian football during what continues to be a difficult and uncertain time in the history of our game.

“Notwithstanding the challenging times, I am delighted that we are seeing more encouraging progress on the return of many domestic Leagues to the field and with them comes an expectation that we can conclude both the AFC Champions League and the AFC Cup in the coming months.”

There are three Australian teams competing in the 2020 AFC Champions League. Melbourne Victory is third in Group E with one win and one loss. Perth Glory is last in Group F with one loss, while Sydney FC sits in third place of Group H with a draw and a loss.

The AFC also announced dates for national team and Futsal tournaments. The U-19 Championship will be played in Uzbekistan between October 14 to 31. The AFC Futsal Championship will be played in Turkmenistan from November 4 to 15.

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PIF Strengthens Ties with FIFA

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Credit: FIFA

FIFA has announced Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) as an official partner of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.

The long-term partnership between PIF and FIFA sees the former named as an official partner of the newly expanded FIFA Club World Cup, kicking off a broader collaboration aimed at boosting youth participation and supporting grassroots football development.

Details about specific programs and initiatives are expected to be announced soon.

The deal was revealed a week before the tournament began in the U.S. on June 14.

While full information is still limited, an official statement from FIFA and PIF described the partnership as a reflection of their shared goal to grow global participation in sports by creating new opportunities, encouraging innovation, and connecting with fans worldwide.

The announcement also emphasised a focus on young people, noting that the partnership will help support FIFA’s grassroots efforts to engage and inspire the next generation of players.

PIF is the latest organisation to join the roster of Club World Cup partners, alongside established FIFA sponsors like Adidas, Anheuser-Busch InBev, Bank of America, Coca-Cola, Hisense, Lenovo, and Qatar Airways—all of which already have ongoing relationships with FIFA.

PIF also owns a majority stake in Al Hilal, the only team from Saudi Arabia competing in this year’s tournament.

FIFA’s Chief Business Officer Romy Gai welcomed PIF as a partner for the 2025 Club World Cup, emphasising their shared vision to globalise football and the vital role partners play in both the tournament’s success and the broader development of club football.

“We are delighted to welcome PIF as a partner of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025,” Gai said in a press release.

“Together, we look forward to delivering a historic tournament that inspires and unites fans from around the world.

“The partners of the first-ever 32-team FIFA Club World Cup believe in our vision to make football truly global.

“Their support of the tournament will not only be integral to its success but will underpin investment in supporting the development of club football everywhere.”

The partnership between FIFA and PIF marks a strategic alliance aimed at elevating the global profile of club football while fostering youth engagement and grassroots development through the newly expanded FIFA Club World Cup.

AFC signs five-year scouting partnership with Hudl

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Credit: Hudl

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has announced a five-year scouting rights agreement with Hudl, one of the top names in sports performance technology and video analysis.

As part of this collaboration, the AFC’s match footage and data will be available on the Hudl Wyscout platform—the world’s largest football video and data database.

This will provide coaches, analysts, scouts, and player development professionals with access to in-depth insights across all AFC-organised competitions.

Hudl, which has supported over 8 million sports professionals worldwide with its advanced video and performance analysis tools, will carry AFC content for the next five seasons.

This includes major tournaments like the AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to 26, the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027, and the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026.

The agreement also covers AFC’s youth tournaments, such as the AFC U23 Asian Cup and multiple editions of the men’s and women’s AFC U20 and U17 Asian Cups, along with the continent’s top club competitions—the AFC Champions League Elite, AFC Champions League Two, and the AFC Women’s Champions League—through the 2024/25 to 2028/29 seasons.

AFC General Secretary Datuk Seri Windsor John said the partnership with Hudl will strengthen the AFC’s data capabilities and give coaches and technical staff deeper insights to improve analysis and scouting.

Data analytics and technology have become an integral part of modern football in recent years, and the AFC is pleased to sign this scouting rights agreement with Hudl,” he said in a press release.

“This strategic arrangement will not only enhance our data and statistical collection but will also empower our coaches and technical staff with access to more detailed and in-depth information, which in turn will elevate their analytical and scouting capabilities.”

Hudl’s Elite Partnership Manager Mateo Bourrut Lacouture said the agreement marks a significant advancement by giving clubs and national teams across Asia full access to high-quality video and data on Wyscout.

“This agreement is a major step forward for clubs, national teams, and analysts across Asia and beyond,” Lacouture said in a press release.

“With the AFC overseeing all top club competitions and the AFC Asian Qualifiers™ in the region, having full coverage on Wyscout ensures that teams can access high-quality video and data for both scouting and in-depth performance analysis of the AFC Competitions.

This will empower clubs and federations to make more informed decisions, enhance player development, and elevate the level of competition.”

The AFC–Hudl partnership marks a transformative step in Asian football, ushering in a new era of data-driven scouting and performance analysis set to elevate the game across all levels over the next five seasons.

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