Portuguese football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo could potentially make his debut in India as Saudi powerhouse Al Nassr have been drawn against Indian Super League (ISL) side FC Goa in the upcoming AFC Champions League 2, the draw announced on Friday.
Al Nassr, led by Ronaldo, find themselves in Group D alongside FC Goa, Iraq’s Al Zawraa SC, and Tajikistan’s FC Istiklol. The group stage will follow a home-and-away structure, meaning FC Goa will travel to Saudi Arabia to face Al Nassr, while the Saudi club will visit India for the return fixture.
Ronaldo’s participation in the India leg remains uncertain, as he is not contractually obligated to play in away matches, making it dependent on his personal choice.
Even if Ronaldo does not feature, fans can still witness Al Nassr’s other stars, including Sadio Mane, Joao Felix, and Inigo Martínez, on Indian soil.
Al Nassr missed out on qualifying for the AFC Champions League Elite after finishing third in the Saudi Pro League last season. FC Goa earned their spot in the tournament after winning the Super Cup 2025 and defeating Oman’s Al Seeb in the playoff round. Al Zawraa SC were runners-up in Iraq’s Stars League 2024–25, while FC Istiklol were champions of the Tajikistan Higher League 2024.
Thirty-two teams have been divided into eight groups of four, with 16 clubs each in the West and East zones. The top two from each group will advance to the Round of 16. The group stage will run from 16 September to 24 December 2025, followed by the Round of 16 from 10–19 February 2026. The quarter-finals and semi-finals are scheduled for 3–12 March and 7–15 April, respectively, with the final on 16 May 2026.
LND/MSA
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