FIFPRO Disappointed AFC Secretly Move Asian Champions League To Doha

Bali United footballer Paulo Sergio (second right) competes for bo (Photo: Antara) with Melbourne Victory footballer Migjen Basha in the 2020 Asian Champions League preliminary round

JAKARTA - The FIFPRO global footballers' union has expressed concern about the lack of consultation over the Asian Football Confederation's (AFC) decision to settle the eastern zone of the elite Asian football club competition in Qatar due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

After the Asian Champions League (ACL) was suspended in March, the west zone matches were completed in Qatar and the AFC then decided to also move the remaining eastern zone matches to the Gulf nation which will be played from November 18 to December 13.

Despite stringent bio-security measures, a series of players contracted COVID-19 in Doha where defending champion Al Hilal was excluded from the competition after only being able to collect 11 players for his final match in the group stage.

"FIFPRO is disappointed and is concerned about the lack of consultation with professional players in the matter of scheduling the AFC Champions League in Qatar and planning the COVID-19 protocol," FIFPRO said as quoted by Reuters.

"These things affect their mental and physical health as well as their participation in the domestic league," continued FIFPRO.

"Neither FIFPRO nor our affiliated player associations in Australia, Japan, Malaysia, South Korea and Thailand ... were not asked about the AFC eastern region competition before it was announced."

FIFPRO admits that it has not received any information about the virus outbreak in the tournament's bio-secure bubble.

FIFPRO added that some of the players who will compete in Qatar have raised concerns to their unions about travel during the pandemic and must face a two-week quarantine period upon returning home.

The Sydney Morning Herald reported Thursday that Australia Sydney FC, Melbourne Victory and Perth Glory will fulfill their obligations after the AFC said they face a fine of $ 300,000 and a two-year ban if both clubs resign.

AFC is eager to finish this competition to meet broadcasting requirements.

Iran's Persepolis won the western zone and will face teams from the eastern zone in the final in Doha on December 19.