Date of the Al-Nassr vs. Al-Wasl match in the AFC Champions League quarter-finals 2
The list of clubs that qualified for the quarter-finals of the AFC Champions League 2 for the 2025-2026 season was completed after the curtain fell on the round of 16 competitions on Thursday, resulting in all-Arab heavyweight clashes in the West region, and fierce competitions in the East region.
A highly anticipated Gulf summit between Al-Nasr and Al-Wasl
All eyes are on the most anticipated match of this round, as Saudi Arabia's Al-Nassr counterpart, Emirati. Al-Nassr enters this match in top form, bolstered by a perfect record in the continental competition this season, having won eight consecutive matches, making it the favorite to win the title.
Al-Nasr did not face much difficulty in overcoming the obstacle of Turkmenistan’s Arkadağ in the round of 16, securing qualification with a 2-0 aggregate score with minimal effort, reflecting the high readiness of the team and the desire of its management and fans to win the continental title.
On the other hand, Al Wasl will not be an easy target, as they enter the match with very high morale after a "comeback" and a marathon match against Al Zawraa of Iraq, which they won with a score of 6-5 in the aggregate of the two matches after extra time, which confirms the high fighting spirit that the Emirati "Emperor" enjoys.
Western region clashes: Jordanian ambition and Qatari challenge
In the second West Zone match, Al-Ahli of Qatar Al -Hussein Irbid of Jordan. The Qatari team struggled before securing qualification, needing a late goal from Sekou Yansan in the first minute of extra time to overcome Foolad Sepahan of Iran (2-2 on aggregate).
Al-Ahly will clash with the ambition of the Jordanian team Al-Hussein, who are performing impressively and qualified smoothly with a 4-2 aggregate victory over Iran’s Esteghlal, making them a potential dark horse for the tournament in its current edition.
East Continent conflict
On the other side of the continent, Japan’s Gamba Osaka as a formidable force after eliminating South Korea’s Pohang Steelers (3-2), and will face Thailand’s Ratchaburi, who eliminated Indonesia’s Persib Bandung.
The tournament also features another strong Thai presence through Bangkok United , who will face Singapore's Tampines Rovers, in a match where the latter seeks to repeat the achievement of their compatriots, Lyon City Sailors, by reaching the final stages.
Quarter-final match schedule
The first leg matches are scheduled to take place between March 3 and 5, while the decisive second leg matches will be played between March 10 and 12, according to the following schedule:
- Al Wasl (UAE) vs Al Nasr (Saudi Arabia)
- Al-Ahli (Qatar) vs. Al-Hussein (Jordan)
- Gamba Osaka (Japan) vs Ratchaburi (Thailand)
- Bangkok United (Thailand) vs Tampines Rovers (Singapore)
