The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) on Monday confirmed that Asian Champions League matches would be played in a single-leg format from the quarter-final stage, because of COVID-19.
The quarter-finals and semi-finals would be played at centralised venues for the East and West regions.
The AFC will also open the bidding process to countries in the West region for hosting the November 23 final.
Knockout matches in the second-tier AFC Cup will be played as single-legged ties.
“The AFC Executive Committee agreed that it was essential to minimise the travel frequency of the participating clubs, while underlining its continued commitment towards ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all players,” the AFC said in a statement.
The confederation further said matches in next season’s Asian Champions League and AFC Cup would continue to be held in centralised venues and both competitions will feature the single-leg format in the knockout rounds.
