No Nudge, AFC Says: Al Ahli's Schedule Shuffle Denied Ahead of Elite Showdown
1 April 2026
AFC denies Al Ahli's scheduling request ahead of Elite clash
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) rejected Al Ahli Jeddah's request to change the date of their Elite Round of 16 match with Al Duhail in the AFC Champions League Elite.
Al Ahli had asked for the April 13 game at Al-Inma Stadium in Jeddah to be moved to better accommodate home fans, but the AFC refused the request.
The match is set for 6:15 PM local time in Jeddah, with a doubleheader featuring Al Hilal vs Al Sadd scheduled for the same night in the city’s other venue as part of the same program.
The AFC's ruling leaves the original schedule intact and follows the quarterfinal draw held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, which outlines the brackets for the next rounds.
The winner of the Al Ahli vs Al Duhail tie will advance to face Johor Darul Ta’zim of Malaysia, while other ties in the bracket involve teams such as Vissel Kobe and Shabab Al-Ahli Dubai, among others, as the contest moves toward the late stages.
Al Ahli's management had hoped to adjust the timing to help attendance, but the AFC closed the door on their request. The focus now shifts to the upcoming matches and the evolving bracket of the tournament.
Punchline 1: Time is money, but AFC just spent all the clocks. Punchline 2: In football, calendars win matches too—apparently they’re the real timekeepers of the sport.
