Jordanian Clubs Eye Leading Asian Champions League Competition

(MENAFN- Jordan Times) AMMAN - Hussein Irbid FC have booked their spot among the top 8 clubs on the Asian continent and will play Qatar's Al Ahli in the quarterfinals of the Asian Champions League (ACL) Two kicking off on March 3.

In the Round of 16 matches, Hussein beat Iran's Esteghlal FC 1-0 in their away match, and excelled in the home match, jumping back to reverse Esteghlal's lead twice to eventually win 3-2 and advance to the quarterfinals.

In addition to Hussein vs Qatar's Ahli, the ACL Two quarters matches will be: Thailand's Ratchaburi FC vs Japan's Gamba Osaka, UAE's Wasl vs Saudi Arabia's Al Nassr, Singapore's Tampines Rovers vs Thailand's Bangkok United

Teams exiting were Iraq's Zawra'a, Turkmenistan's Arkadag, South Korea's Pohang Steelers, Indonesia's Persib Bandung, China's CAHN, vs Australia's Macarthur 2-0.

Hussein, the Kingdom's league champs for the past two seasons, have now become the first Jordanian club to reach the quarters of the second tier Asian club competition which was previously called the AFC Cup. With Hussein's achievement, and Jordan's runner-up spot in the Asian Cup as well as the FIFA Arab Cup, Jordanian clubs are hopeful the Asian Football Confederation will grant the Jordan league champion club of 2026/27, a berth in the top tier Asian Champions League (ACL) Elite as of the 2027/28 season..

Wihdat had earlier played the group stages the Asian Champions League in 2021 and 2022, now renamed the Asian Champions League (ACL) Elite. None of the other Jordanian clubs had ever made it past the ACL preliminary round where Faisali played in 2020 and 2018, Wihdat in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2019 and Shabab Urdun in 2014.

The 22nd edition of the Asian Champions League Two had 32 teams playing in 8 groups with the top two from each group moving to the Round of 16. Prize money is set from $300,000 in group stages to $3.28 million for the champion who will be given an indirect preliminary stage slot for the 2026-27 AFC Champions League Elite. Sharjah the reigning champs, are playing in the ACL Elite edition this year.

This season, Hussein and Wihdat represented Jordan for the second year running after both teams were eliminated from the Round of 16 in 2024/25. Wihdat, failed to advance past Round 1, staying bottom of Group A while Hussein advanced from Group C.

It is Hussein's 2nd and Wihdat's 14th time in the competition which was won by Faisali twice in back-to-back seasons in 2005-2006 and Shabab Urdun once in 2007 when it was called the Asian Champions League Cup. Wihdat reached the semis in 2006, 2007 and 2011. No Jordanian clubs played in 2022.

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