Iran Clubs at Neutral Venues in AFC Champions League Elite
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- Esteghlal and Tractor will face Qatari and Emirati clubs at neutral venues in the AFC Champions League Elite group stage, which begins September 14, according to the draw held Tuesday.
- The draw paired the two Iranian sides against UAE clubs Al Ain, Al Wasl, and Shabab Al-Ahli, plus Qatar's Al Gharafa, Al Sadd, and Al Shamal; both Iranian clubs avoided the heavily favoured Saudi Arabian contingent.
- Iran has struck targets in Qatar and the UAE since the conflict began, saying it is retaliating for allowing US bases to be used for strikes; those neighbors have urged Tehran to stop, and Qatar on Sunday denied Iran's claim that three Iranian pilots missing since March are being held in Doha.
- Iran's domestic league was suspended in February as attacks began and returned last weekend, with one match played behind closed doors and others under capacity restrictions.
- Saudi Arabia fields five representatives in the AFC Elite including Al-Ahli (chasing a third straight title), Al-Hilal (seeking a fifth), and Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr after winning the Saudi Pro League in May; from the quarterfinals onward every match is locked into Saudi Arabia through the May 1 final.
- Japan reached the past two AFC Elite finals through Kawasaki Frontale and Machida Zelvia — both beaten by Al-Ahli — but neither qualified this year; South Korea sends former champions Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (bid for a third crown) and Pohang Steelers (fourth).
Why it matters: The AFC strips Esteghlal and Tractor of home advantage by forcing them to neutral venues from the September 14 group stage, then centralizes every match from the quarterfinals through the May 1 final in Saudi Arabia — concentrating tournament hosting with one Gulf state as Iran and its neighbors remain at odds.
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