Source www.the-afc.com


KUALA LUMPUR: Qatar’s Al Sadd will take on Lebanon’s Pro’s Café in the opening match of the inaugural AFC Futsal Club Championship on March 4 in Esfahan, Iran.

The 10-team biennial championship will be played at the Pirouzi Stadium from March 4 to 12.

The teams have been divided into two groups of five and top two teams from each group will qualify for the crossover semi-final on March 11.

Port Authority of Thailand, Wuhan Dilong (China) and New South Wales Thunder (Australia) are the other three teams in Group B apart from Al Sadd and Pro’s Café.

Hosts Iran’s Foolad Mahan Sepahan, Nagoya Oceans (Japan), Stroitel Zarafshan (Uzbekistan), AUB Altyn Tash Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan) and Nawrouz (Iraq) were placed in Group A.

Nawrouz’s participation in the tournament, however, will depend on FIFA’s suspension on Iraq. They will take part only if the suspension is lifted by February 4, the deadline for players’ registration.