AFC Champions League Elite Matchday 3: Fixtures and What to Watch
Matchday 3 of the AFC Champions League Elite 2026-27 is played this week. West Region games are on 26–27 October and East Region games on 27–28 October. Holders Al-Ahli host Al-Gharafa, and Al-Hilal travel to Qatar to face Al-Shamal at Al Bayt Stadium on Tuesday.
West Region fixtures (26–27 October)
| Home | Away |
|---|---|
| Neftchi | Al-Ittihad |
| Al-Ahli | Al-Gharafa |
| Al Ain | Tractor |
| Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya | Pakhtakor |
| Al-Nassr | Al Wasl |
| Al-Qadsiah | Al Sadd |
| Shabab Al Ahli | Esteghlal |
| Al-Shamal | Al-Hilal (27 Oct, Al Bayt Stadium) |
East Region fixtures (27–28 October)
| Date | Home | Away | Kick-off (JST) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 27 Oct | Kyoto Sanga | Newcastle Jets | 19:00 |
| 27 Oct | Daejeon Hana Citizen | Vissel Kobe | 19:00 |
| 27 Oct | Ratchaburi | Kashiwa Reysol | 21:15 |
| 28 Oct | Kashima Antlers | Pohang Steelers | 19:00 |
| 28 Oct | Gamba Osaka | Buriram United | 19:00 |
| 27–28 Oct | Shanghai Port | Công An Hà Nội | TBC |
| 27–28 Oct | Johor Darul Ta’zim | Port FC | TBC |
| 27–28 Oct | Beijing Guoan | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors | TBC |
Form guide: Japanese clubs
- Kashima Antlers have won both games: 7–1 against Newcastle Jets and 1–0 away at Công An Hà Nội. Their visitors, Pohang Steelers, are three-time Asian champions.
- Gamba Osaka have also won both: 4–1 against Công An Hà Nội and 3–1 at Newcastle.
- Vissel Kobe won 2–1 at Port FC and beat Jeonbuk 2–0.
- Kashiwa Reysol lost 2–1 at Jeonbuk, then beat Port FC 5–1.
- Kyoto Sanga beat Ratchaburi 1–0 on matchday 2.
What to watch
Kashima v Pohang on Wednesday is the pick of the East, a meeting of two former champions. In the West, Al-Hilal, the record four-time winners, visit Al-Shamal at Al Bayt Stadium, and Al-Nassr v Al Wasl is a Saudi–Emirati clash. The final is on 1 May 2027.
See our ACL Elite 2026-27 guide and the full list of Asian champions.
Sources: J.League ACL Elite fixtures, 2026–27 AFC Champions League Elite (Wikipedia), Starting11.
