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Reports suggest that Football Australia and the Australian Professional Leagues are mulling over the prospect of staging the Eastern Hub of the 2021 AFC Champions League. This year’s AFC Champions League is scheduled to be played in centralised ‘hubs’ in the window between April 21 and May 7. The problem being that this period jars with the closing stages of the 2021 A-League campaign, making it virtually impossible for any A-League side to focus their efforts solely on a bid to win the AFC Champions League.
As many as three A-League teams could be line to qualify for the AFC Champions League group stage. Were this to be held outside Australia, the likes of Brisbane Roar, Sydney FC and Melbourne City could be forced to spend up to four weeks overseas, along with a further fortnight in quarantine upon their return down under.
These centralised hubs are a responsible way of completing the AFC Champions League, allowing teams to compete in something resembling a competition ‘bubble’. That’s in stark contrast to the UEFA Champions League, which is due to allow teams to play their two-legged round of 16 matches at home and away in February. The bookmakers believe the home/away format will play nicely into the hands of the UEFA Champions League holders Bayern Munich, who are priced as +250 favourites in the futures betting markets with fast-emerging US sports betting brand FOX Bet, which is backed by the globally recognised FOX Sports network. Playing in a competition bubble in the AFC Champions League would surely affect those teams with lavish home surroundings and vociferous supporters, but it’s seemingly necessary to complete the tournament.
Australia likely to go head-to-head with Qatar for Eastern hub bidding rights
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The draw for the AFC Champions League group stage has been made, with the AFC all set to set out its requirements for staging the Eastern and Western group stages. It’s likely that the AFC will enable countries across the Far East and Oceania to make their respective pitches and bid to host one or more group stage hubs. Last season’s competition was staged in a hub format in Qatar, with the Qataris using it as a warm-up act for hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup. It’s likely that Qatar will be putting its collective hand up to host the Western hub and potentially the Eastern hub of group games too.
However, there is considerable sense in awarding Australia the chance to host the Eastern hub. First and foremost, all Australian teams in the group stage would no longer need to travel overseas around the A-League finals schedule. Furthermore, the expansion of the Asian Champions League in 2021 from 32 to 40 teams means that up to 19 teams from east Asia could be playing in the group stages, making Australia a strong logistical choice.
Staging the AFC Champions League group stage down under a great opportunity
Sydney FC head coach Steve Corica believes that Australia hosting the Eastern hub for the AFC Champions League group stage could result in the games being “knocked over in maybe two-and-a-half weeks”. Corica also insists that the country has “the facilities [in place] to do that” and ensure “a great experience for everyone” including supporters, some of whom may be able to ditch the bushwalks in favour of a seat at a big game.
Sydney FC are the only A-League side that’s guaranteed to be involved in the 2021 AFC Champions League group stage having won a historic fifth A-League grand final last term. Both Melbourne Victory and Brisbane Roar will be hoping to join them, although they will have to get through two rounds of playoff games in early April to do so. A-League teams have not fared so well in the Champions League group stages in recent years, with both Perth Glory and Sydney FC finishing bottom of their respective groups in 2020.
These hubs are also likely to be used in the second-tier AFC tournament, the AFC Cup. Centralised hubs are due to be played across Central, Eastern and Southern areas from May 14, with the Western area due to kick-off on May 23.
