ISL 2020-21 window cleared for FC Goa's Asian Champions League debut

The start of the AFC Champions League group stage is set to be postponed from February to April as ISL club FC Goa is set to make it debut in the competition.

Published : Dec 28, 2020 13:52 IST , New Delhi

The ISL had earlier feared that the AFC Champions League schedule in January might interfere with FC Goa's league matches.
The ISL had earlier feared that the AFC Champions League schedule in January might interfere with FC Goa's league matches.
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The ISL had earlier feared that the AFC Champions League schedule in January might interfere with FC Goa's league matches.

The window for the Indian Super League (ISL 2020-21) has been cleared as the start date of the group stage round of AFC Champions League is set to be postponed from February 15 to April.

AFC member nations have already been notified about the same.

FC Goa will become the first Indian club to feature in the group stage of Asian Champions League this season.

The club's ISL campaign will not be hampered as feared before with the imminent postponement of the top continental event.

The ISL announced its fixtures until January 11, and is expected to release the schedule of the remaining league fixtures soon.

 

ISL 2020-21 is expected to end mid-March before the international break, where India is set to host Qatar in the World 2022 FIFA Cup qualifiers.

While the AFC Cup, involving ATK Mohun Bagan and Bengaluru FC, is set to be hosted in a centralised venue in April, FC Goa might have to play its group stage games in the ACL in a home and away basis.

The Asian Football Confederation's decision to hold all club competitions post April comes as a relief to ISL as the league is being played in a bio-secure bubble in Goa, and FC Goa's involvement in the competition will not create complications regarding scheduling and the team exiting and re-entering the bubble again.

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