From Ramadan to Eid: A Bold Plan to Rescue Asia's Elite Football
4 March 2026
Context
Media reports reveal a new proposal to rescue the AFC Champions League Elite in the West region after recent delays. The AFC had previously postponed the first and second legs of the West's Elite Round of 16 that were due to be played during Ramadan, citing Iranian strikes on several Arab nations.
The Saudi broadcaster Khaled Al-Shneef disclosed on the program "Daurina Ghair" that the Saudi Federation has put forward three possible dates for the Elite Round of 16 matches.
Proposals
The first proposal would see these matches staged on the second and third days of Eid al-Fitr, in which case there would be no need to delay any ROSHN League fixtures.
The second and third proposals would postpone ROSHN rounds 28 (April 9-11) or 29 (April 7, 23 and 24) and replace them with Elite matches.
This comes amid uncertainty about the tournament's future, especially with tight timelines to finish all competitions before the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico, which starts on June 11.
And for a touch of levity: if time management were a football tactic, the calendar would still be running late and still somehow end up with extra time—so we call it strategic overtime. If comedy were a sport, the referee would be the schedule, and you’d hear a whistle every time a deadline sneaks by.
