Muharraq, Al Khaldiya learn Asian rivals

TDT | Manama

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Bahrain clubs Muharraq and Al Khaldiya were handed their group-stage opponents for the 2026-27 AFC Champions League Two following yesterday’s draw in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Reigning Nasser bin Hamad Premier League champions Muharraq were drawn in Group B alongside UAE side Al Jazira, Iran’s Gol Gohar Sirjan and Turkmenistan’s FK Arkadag.

League runners-up Al Khaldiya, meanwhile, face a challenging Group A featuring UAE outfit Al Wahda, Uzbekistan’s FC Nasaf and Kuwait SC.

The 32-team competition is split evenly between West and East Asia, with four groups in each region. Teams will face each of their group opponents home and away, with the group stage running from September 15 to December 9.

Muharraq enter the competition as one of five former champions in this season’s field and will be looking to improve on their showing last term.

The Red Wolves finished third in Group A in 2025-26, collecting seven points from two wins, one draw and three defeats as they narrowly missed out on the knockout stage.

Their upcoming campaign will mark the return of Bahraini coach Isa Al Saadoun, who has replaced Portuguese manager Fernando Manuel de Jesus Santos.

Al Saadoun previously managed Muharraq and returns to the club five years after guiding the Red Wolves to the AFC Cup title in 2021.

His side have been preparing for the new season at a training camp in Turkey, where they played four friendlies.

They suffered a 2-1 defeat to UAE side Fujairah before successive 1-0 losses against Egypt’s ZED FC and Algeria’s ES Sétif, and concluded their camp with a 1-1 draw against Qatar’s Muaither Sports Club.

Al Khaldiya will also begin their Asian campaign under new management, with Croatian Goran Tomić succeeding Tunisian coach Lassaad Chabbi.

They will be hoping to go one better than last season after also finishing third in their group, recording one win, three draws and two defeats for six points.

Al Khaldiya previously reached the round of 16 in the inaugural AFC Champions League Two campaign in 2024-25.

Like Muharraq, they have spent part of their pre-season in Turkey, drawing 1-1 with Fujairah, losing 2-1 to Kuwait’s Kazma and playing out a 2-2 draw with Al Salmiya.

Tomić’s side then ended their friendly programme on a winning note, edging Kuwaiti outfit Qadsia 3-2 in their final pre-season test.

The top two teams from each of the eight groups will progress to the round of 16, which is scheduled to take place from February 9 to 18 next year.

The quarter-finals will follow from March 2 to 18, with the semi-finals scheduled for April 6 to 14 and the final set for May 15.

Japanese side Gamba Osaka enter the new campaign as defending champions after defeating Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr 1-0 in the 2025-26 final.

Muharraq will be seeking another deep continental run as one of Bahrain’s most decorated clubs in Asian football, having twice won the competition in its previous guise as the AFC Cup, lifting the trophy in 2008 and 2021.