Asian football tournaments to go ahead this year

KUALA LUMPUR: -Asia’s top football competitions will go ahead this year despite the coronavirus pandemic, a senior official told AFP, although games may have to be played behind closed doors.

Windsor John, general secretary of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), said he was confident that the AFC Champions League and AFC Cup would both be completed. Both tournaments, featuring teams from throughout Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East, are on hold until at least the end of June after COVID-19 shuttered professional sport worldwide. “Both will be played this year. We still have time,” John told AFP, adding that new dates for the competitions may be known by the end of April.