ACL 2 Round of 16: Al Nassr Draws Arkadag for a Knockout Clash

Round of 16 Draw and Key Details

The Asian Football Confederation revealed the Round of 16 draw for the AFC Champions League 2.

Al Nassr of Saudi Arabia were drawn to face Arkadag of Turkmenistan.

Al Nassr topped Group D with six wins, scoring 22 goals and conceding only two.

Arkadag finished second in Group B on seven points, with five goals scored and six conceded.

Matchups for the Round of 16 will be played in February 2026, with the Western region legs on the 10th and 11th and the returns on the 17th and 18th, while the Eastern region opens on the 11th and 12th and finishes on the 18th and 19th.

Quarterfinals are scheduled for March 2026, with Western ties on the 3rd and 4th for the first legs and 10th and 11th for the second, while the East hosts on the 4th and 5th and 11th and 12th.

The final will be a single match on May 16, 2026, to crown the Western champion against the Eastern champion.

Knockout-Stage See-Through: Western vs Eastern Matchups

Drawn Western matches include Al Zawraa (Iraq) vs Al Wasl (UAE); Arkadag vs Al Nassr; Foolad Sepahan (Iran) vs Al Ahli (Qatar); Esteghlal (Iran) vs Al Hussein (Jordan).

East region: Pohang Steelers vs Gamba Osaka; Ratchaburi vs Persib Bandung; Bangkok United vs Macarthur; Cong An Hanoi vs Tampines Rovers.

Punchline 1: The draw is so tight, even a sniper would have to aim twice.

Punchline 2: February fixtures are coming fast—my calendar just filed for extra time.