Surprise Twist: Jeddah May Miss Out on ACL 2 Finals as Hosting Plans Shake Up

Why Jeddah's hosting plan faces hurdles

Al Nassr's bid to host the ACL 2 finals in Jeddah is under threat, as the city must contend with venue constraints and the AFC's desire to diversify host locations.

Al Nassr had advanced to the ACL 2 quarterfinals and was due to meet Al Wasl UAE in a home-and-away series on March 4 and 11, but those matches were postponed following Iranian strikes on some Arab states.

What happens next

The plan now envisions the final stages of ACL 2 being held in a consolidated format, potentially at a single venue, as the competition moves toward a late-April finale.

Saad Al-Sebai, the former head of the legal department at Al Nassr, said the club has filed a bid to host the concluding rounds in Riyadh, while Al Wasl favors Oman with considerations for Qatar before the deadline.

The AFC is weighing the desire to rotate hosts across nations against the logistical realities of staging the finals, which are scheduled to run from mid-April to 25 April.