ACL Two Knockout Stage Opens As Al Wasl Face Al Zawraa In Baghdad

The AFC Champions League Two 2025/26 resumes on 10th February, when the Round of 16 begins. Sixteen clubs will contest two-legged ties, aiming for a place in the Final. With no previous champions in the field, the 21st edition of the competition guarantees a first-time winner across Asia.

Nine teams are competing in ACL Two for the first time, including Al Nassr Club, Al Wasl FC and Al Ahli SC. Esteghlal FC, FC Arkadag, Gamba Osaka, FC Pohang Steelers, Ratchaburi FC and Cong An Ha Noi FC are also debuting. For Cong An Ha Noi FC, this season doubles as a first appearance in any Continental tournament.

Interest across West Asia centres on Al Zawraa SC against Al Wasl FC, plus Esteghlal FC versus Al Hussein. Al Zawraa SC finished second in Group D to reach a fourth knockout stage from six campaigns. The Iraqi club host Al Wasl FC at Al Zawraa Stadium in Baghdad, with kick-off at 7:00 pm.

Al Wasl FC, who took fourth place in the UAE league last season, are back in Continental knockout action after a long gap. The club are playing their third AFC knockout phase, but the first since the 1994/95 Asian Club Championship Quarter-finals. Al Zawraa SC won both meetings when the sides met in the 2019 AFC Champions League group stage.

Esteghlal FC are appearing in the knockout rounds of AFC competition for an eighth time. The Iranian side advanced as Group A runners-up and will meet Jordan’s 2024/25 league champions Al Hussein. Their first-leg fixture is scheduled for 5:45 pm at Al Maktoum Stadium in Dubai, offering another neutral-stage tie within the Gulf.

Bangkok United and Macarthur FC are matched in another Round of 16 pairing, meeting at Pathum Thani Stadium. Bangkok United, runners-up in Thailand during 2024/25, progressed as Group G runners-up and are in the knockouts for a second straight edition. The club exited at this stage last season and will attempt to move further this time.

Macarthur FC visit as Group E winners and Australian cup holders for 2024/25, lifting that trophy for a second time. The club made the Zonal Final in 2023/24 during a Continental debut. Their latest campaign now extends into the ACL Two 2025/26 knockout phase with another away assignment in Southeast Asia.

Within ASEAN, Ratchaburi FC host Persib Bandung in a tie between familiar regional opponents. Ratchaburi FC finished second in Group F to record a first knockout appearance in AFC competition, on just a second Continental entry after the 2021 AFC Champions League. Their home stadium in Ratchaburi will stage the first leg at 7:15 pm.

Persib Bandung arrive in Thailand after winning Group G to reach the Round of 16. This season marks the Indonesian club’s third ACL Two participation, and a second progression to the knockouts. Their previous best came with a Round of 16 appearance, which they now aim to improve through this new tie.

Another all-ASEAN clash pitches Cong An Ha Noi FC against Tampines Rovers FC at Hang Day Stadium in Hanoi. Cong An Ha Noi FC, Vietnam’s 2024/25 cup holders, placed second in Group E to extend a first Continental season. The match, which kicks off at 7:15 pm, adds further regional interest in Southeast Asia.

Tampines Rovers FC, 2024/25 league runners-up in Singapore, are the most seasoned club left in the competition. The team are in their 14th ACL Two campaign and claimed Group H to reach a sixth knockout round. They are still chasing a deeper run after Quarter-final eliminations in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2016.

FC Arkadag will again represent Turkmenistan after winning the AFC Challenge League during a debut Continental season. FC Arkadag finished second in Group B, continuing a strong rise, and now host Al Nassr Club at Ashgabat Olympic Stadium from 6:45 pm. The club seek more success in front of a home crowd.

Al Nassr Club, from Saudi Arabia, topped Group D with maximum points and booked a sixth knockout appearance in AFC competition. Their domestic and regional profile adds weight to this pairing, which could attract extra attention from supporters across West Asia and the wider Middle East region.

The meeting between FC Pohang Steelers and Gamba Osaka completes the Round of 16 line-up. Pohang Steelers, 2024 Korea Republic cup winners for a record sixth time, advanced from Group H in second place. This brings a sixth knockout participation in AFC competition, with the first leg set for 7:00 pm at the Steelyard in Pohang.

Gamba Osaka, who won Group F, are returning to knockout football at this level for the first time since reaching the 2015 AFC Champions League Semi-finals. The Japanese club now resume Continental ambitions within the ACL Two 2025/26 format, starting with a demanding away fixture in Korea Republic.

Schedule and format for AFC Champions League Two 2025/26

The ACL Two 2025/26 Round of 16 will be played over two legs. First legs begin on 10th February, with return fixtures scheduled between 17th and 19th February. Aggregate winners will progress to the Quarter-finals, which run from 3rd to 12th March, followed by Semi-finals between 7th and 15th April.

The two-legged route then leads to a single-date Final on 16th May, where the new champion will be confirmed. With debutants from West Asia, East Asia and ASEAN, along with experienced clubs like Tampines Rovers FC and Al Zawraa SC, the ACL Two 2025/26 knockout phase offers a wide spread of regional representation and competitive balance.

With inputs from WAM