AFC Champions League News

The draw for the AFC Champions League 2022 took place in Kuala Lumpur, with Melbourne City FC, Australia's direct entrant, placed in Group G for their debut in the competition. Other Australian clubs, including Sydney FC and Brisbane Roar, also learned their opponents from the draw, with City and Brisbane facing preliminary and playoff rounds to advance.

The AFC Champions League Round of 16 is scheduled to begin on 14 September AEST, and in a significant development for Australian fans, the knockout stages will be broadcast live and free on the platform 10 play, enhancing accessibility to the tournament.

The Asian Football Confederation announced that the Uzbekistan Football Association will host the remaining centralized matches of the 2021 AFC Champions League (East) for Groups H and I, with Sydney FC previously drawn in Group H alongside teams from South Korea and other regions.

Football Federation Australia revealed that the FFA Cup will return in 2021 with key adjustments aimed at improving the excitement and structure of Australia's largest annual club-based sporting competition, highlighting efforts to enhance the event's appeal.

The AFC has rebranded its age group championships to become AFC Asian Cups starting from 2021, reflecting the growing prestige of the confederation's competitions, while the AFC Futsal Championship was also mentioned in the context of these updates.

FFA announced that three newly appointed management members have been assigned to AFC Committees, providing Australian football with increased opportunities for direct engagement with the AFC and its members, strengthening bilateral relations.

Following an AFC meeting in Kuala Lumpur, FFA welcomed the decision to reschedule matches from the first three match days of the 2020 AFC Champions League (East) involving Chinese clubs, addressing disruptions and ensuring the competition's continuity.

FFA confirmed the nomination of its President, Chris Nikou, for a position on the AFC Executive Committee ahead of the AFC Extraordinary Congress in April 2019, aiming to secure greater representation for Australian football in Asian governance.