Thailand to host three ACL groups

Thailand to host three ACL groups

Pathum striker Diogo Luis Santo.
Pathum striker Diogo Luis Santo.

Thailand will host three groups of the 2022 AFC Champions League for clubs in the east zone, the Asian Football Confederation said on Wednesday.

Thai League 1 club Buriram United's home province of Buri Ram will host Group F, while Group G will be held in Pathum Thani.

Group J fixtures will be held in Thailand, with the host city to be announced later.

The group matches in the east zone will be played from April 15 to May 1.

Group G features Thai champions BG Pathum United, Australia's ACL debutants Melbourne City, South Korea FA Cup winners Jeonnam Dragons and United City from the Philippines.

Pathum, led by Brazilian striker Diogo Luis Santo, are currently third in Thai League 1.

In Group J are Thailand's Chiang Rai United, China's Shanghai Port, Kitchee from Hong Kong and Japan's Vissel Kobe or Australia's Melbourne Victory.

Current Thai League 1 leaders Buriram must beat South Korea's Daegu in a play-off for a place in Group F.

The other teams in the group are China's Shandong Taishan, two-time ACL winners Urawa Red Diamonds of Japan and Singapore's Lion City Sailors.

The matches in Group H will be hosted in Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh city, with two-time winners Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors from South Korea set to face Yokohama F Marinos from Japan, Vietnam's Hoang Anh Gia Lai and the winners of a play-off featuring China's Changchun Yatai and the winners of a preliminary stage contest between Kaya from the Philippines and Australia's Sydney FC.

Johor Bahru in Malaysia will be the venue for Group I, which comprises J-League winners Kawasaki Frontale, two-time ACL winners Guangzhou FC of China as well as Malaysia's Johor Darul Ta'zim and the winners of a play-off tie between former ACL champions Ulsan Hyundai of South Korea and Thailand's Port FC.

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