Bahrain’s Champions Chase ACL Two Momentum

Muharraq Face Esteghlal as Khaldiya Host Arkadag

Bahrain’s representatives in the 2025–26 AFC Champions League Two are in action tonight, with Muharraq facing Iran’s Esteghlal in Tehran and Khaldiya hosting Arkadag of Turkmenistan in Riffa. Both fixtures are part of the second round of the group stage.

ACL Two is a restructured competition featuring 32 teams from 22 member associations. It sits below the AFC Champions League Elite and above the AFC Challenge League.

Muharraq in Tehran

Muharraq take on Esteghlal at Shahr-e-Qods Stadium at 7pm Bahrain time. The 2008 and 2021 AFC Cup winners are competing in ACL Two for the first time under its new format. They opened strongly with a 4–0 home victory over Jordan’s Al Wehdat and sit second in Group A with three points, level with UAE’s Al Wasl, who lead on goal difference. Esteghlal and Al Wehdat remain without points.

Head coach Fernando Santos has named a 25-man squad for the campaign, including goalkeepers Sayed Jaffar, Ebrahim Lutfalla, and Ashraf Waheed. The outfield options feature Hussain Jameel, Waleed Al-Hayyam, Amine Bennadi, Lucas Morellato, Mohamed Al-Hardan, Facundo Tobares, Abdulwahab Al-Malood, Soufine Mahrouq, Omar Saber, Lazar Djordjevic, Abdulwahab Hanan, Ahmad Rabeea, Hussain Abdulkarim, Mohamed Al-Banna, Abdulla Al-Khalasi, Juninho, Arthur Rezende, Bruno Santos, Elliot Simoes, Gervásio Olivera, and Abdulkarim Diarra.

Khaldiya at Home

Khaldiya are back for their second consecutive campaign and host Arkadag at the Bahrain National Stadium tonight at 9:15pm. The team moved into a closed camp at Wyndham Grand Hotel after training in Riffa. They began their campaign with a goalless draw away to Qatar’s Al Ahli SC, leaving them third in Group B with a single point.