AFC Champions League Elite’s revamped group stage will see each of the Qatari clubs – Al Sadd, Al Rayyan, and Al Gharafa – compete against eight sides of the Western region.
All three Qatari clubs in the AFC Champions League Elite will play Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr and Neymar Jr.’s Al Hilal, the draw held by the AFC on August 16 drew the battle lines for the 2024/25 season.
Qatari league champions Al Sadd, alongside runners up Al Rayyan, qualified directly for the new look group stage, whereas Al Gharafa dashed away UAE’s Shabab Al Ahli in the play off to secure group stage place.
Al Rayyan will be the first to welcome Al Hilal in Qatar, playing the four time Asian champions on September 17 at the Ahmed bin Ali Stadium.
An eventful weekend in November will then see both Al Hilal and Al Nassr play in Qatar.
First, it will be Al Gharafa playing Ronaldo’s Al Nassr on November 25 followed by familiar foes Al Hilal and Al Sadd locking horns a day after at the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium.
Al Nassr came to Doha in November of 2023 and registered a 3-2 win against Al Duhail, courtesy of a Talisca hattrick at the Khalifa International Stadium.
Build up to the match saw a fiasco unfold as fans flocked in queues to get tickets to watch Cristiano Ronaldo, who ultimately did not end up traveling to Qatar.
Al Hilal’s latest trip to Qatar saw them thrash Al Duhail 7-0 at the Al Thumama stadium in the 2022 semi finals of the continental tournament, then called AFC Champions League.
Both Al Sadd and Al Rayyan got the same combinations in the draw and will play away at Saudi against Al Nassr.
The Rayyan side will face Al Nassr on September 30 and Al Sadd will travel to King Saud University Stadium on December 2 for the showdown.
In a relatively difficult draw for all three clubs, Al Gharafa will face the likes of defending champions Al Ain of the UAE, another Emirate side Al Wasl, as well as Uzbekistan’s Pakhtaktor at home, in addition to Al Nassr.
Al Sadd and Al Rayyan will have home advantages against Iran’s Persepolis and Esteghlal, as well as Saudi Arabia’s Al Ahli and Al Hilal.
Qatar’s Al Wakrah, competing at the second tier Champions League Two, will play both at home and away against Iran’s Tractor, Tajikistan’s Ravshan Kulob and Indian side Mohun Bagan Super Giants.
Here’s the full continental schedule for all four Qatari clubs:
Al Sadd:
Al Rayyan:
Al Gharafa:
Al Wakrah (AFC Champions League Two):
(Table credits: transfermarkt.com)
