Will Cristiano Ronaldo play in India? Al Nassr to face FC Goa in ACL 2

Indian Super League side FC Goa has been drawn in Group D of the AFC Champions League 2 (ACL 2) alongside Saudi Arabian powerhouse Al Nassr, led by global football icon Cristiano Ronaldo. The draw for the tournament, which kicks off on September 16, was conducted at the AFC headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Friday.

 

Al Nassr, despite boasting stars like Ronaldo, missed out on qualification for the top-tier AFC Champions League Elite after finishing third in the Saudi Pro League. As a result, they now compete in the second-tier ACL 2 and will face FC Goa, Iraq's Al Zawraa SC, and FC Istiklol of Tajikistan in the group stage.  FC Goa set for 2nd continental spell

 

 

FC Goa enters the tournament as 2025 Super Cup champions and semifinalists in the 2024–25 Indian Super League. Their group-stage berth was secured with a 2-1 play-off win over Oman’s Al Seeb Club earlier this week in Margao. This marks their second continental appearance, the first being in the 2021 AFC Champions League when it was Asia’s premier club competition.

 

Al Zawraa SC, meanwhile, were runners-up in Iraq’s Stars League 2024–25, and Istiklol qualified as champions of the Tajikistan Higher League. 

 

Although the group stage will follow a home-and-away format, it remains uncertain whether Cristiano Ronaldo will travel to India for Al Nassr’s away fixture against FC Goa. A similar situation occurred in 2023, when Neymar Jr., then with Al Hilal, missed a group match against Mumbai City FC due to injury. That match ended in a heavy 0-6 defeat for the Indian side.

 

Previously, Indian clubs enjoyed direct entry into the group stage of the former top-tier AFC Champions League, but with the restructuring of Asian club football, India now receives a direct slot and a play-off spot in ACL 2.  Mohun Bagan Super Giant also in the fray

 

In a separate group, Mohun Bagan Super Giant, winners of the ISL 2024–25 Shield, have been placed in Group C. They’ll compete against Sepahan SC of Iran (runners-up in the Persian Gulf Pro League), Jordanian champions Al Hussein SC, and Turkmenistan’s Ahal FC, who finished second in the Yokary Liga.

 

This will be Mohun Bagan’s eighth participation in the continent’s second-tier competition, formerly known as the AFC Cup.

 

The 2025–26 AFC Champions League 2 features 32 teams split into East and West zones, each containing four groups of four clubs. The top two teams from each group will advance to the Round of 16.

 

Tournament Schedule:

 

Group Stage: September 16 – December 24, 2025

 

Round of 16: February 10–19, 2026

 

Quarter-finals: March 3–12, 2026

 

Semi-finals: April 7–15, 2026

 

Final: May 16, 2026

 

AFC Champions League 2 (2025–26) Group Stage Draw:

 

• Group A: Al Wasl FC (UAE), Esteghlal FC (Iran), Al Muharraq SC (Bahrain), Al Wehdat (Jordan)
• Group B: Al Ahli SC (Qatar), PFC Andijon (Uzbekistan), FC Arkadag (Turkmenistan), Al Khaldiya SC (Bahrain)
• Group C: Sepahan SC (Iran), Al Hussein SC (Jordan), Mohun Bagan Super Giant (India), Ahal FC (Turkmenistan)
• Group D: Al Nassr (Saudi Arabia), Al Zawraa SC (Iraq), FC Istiklol (Tajikistan), FC Goa (India)
• Group E: Beijing FC (China), Macarthur FC (Australia), Tai Po FC (Hong Kong), Cong An Ha Noi FC (Vietnam)
• Group F: Gamba Osaka (Japan), Nam Dinh FC (Vietnam), Ratchaburi FC (Thailand), Eastern FC (Hong Kong)
• Group G: Bangkok United (Thailand), Selangor FC (Malaysia), Lion City Sailors FC (Singapore), Persib Bandung (Indonesia)
• Group H: Pohang Steelers (South Korea), BG Pathum United (Thailand), Kaya FC-Iloilo (Philippines), Tampines Rovers FC (Singapore)

  Will Ronaldo play in India?  While many fans are elated by the fact that the Portuguese superstar's side has been drawn to play in Goa now, it is still to be confirmed whether or not Cristiano Ronaldo will be travelling to India to play the away tie.  According to reports, Ronaldo has a clause in his contract that allows him to skip a few away games for Al Nassr, especially in the AFC Champions League 2 due to security reasons. Whether or not he decides to travel is upto him and will be confirmed only a few days before the fixture.