Cristiano Ronaldo reportedly faces format change for Al Nassr’s AFC Champions League Two tie

Cristiano Ronaldo‘s stated goal ahead of the 2026 World Cup is to end Al Nassr‘s long wait for silverware, with the Saudi Pro League serving as the primary target, though the AFC Champions League Two has also emerged as a realistic opportunity. After the original fixtures were postponed, the Portuguese star is now reportedly set to contend with a format change from the AFC for the remainder of the competition.

After eliminating Arkadag FK, Al Nassr were scheduled to face Dubai side Al Wasl in the quarterfinals of the Champions League Two, with the first leg on March 4 and the return leg on March 11. The ongoing conflict in the Middle East forced the AFC to postpone those games, and with the schedule now heavily compressed, a significant structural change is reportedly on the way.

According to Asharq Al Awsat, the AFC is set to announce on Monday that the quarterfinals and semifinals of the Champions League Two will be condensed into single-leg matches played at a neutral venue between April 19 and 22. Rather than factoring in the home regions of the participating clubs, the games are expected to be held in either Oman or Qatar.

The change represents a notable setback compared to the original format, under which Al Nassr would have traveled to Dubai for the first leg before having the opportunity to seal qualification at home in the return fixture. Moving to a neutral venue removes that advantage, which could prove costly given the Saudi side’s extraordinary home record this season.

Al Awwal Park has been one of the most difficult venues in Asia to visit during the 2025-26 campaign. In the Saudi Pro League, Al Nassr have posted a record of 11 wins and just one defeat across 12 home matches, conceding only eight goals, the fewest of any team at home in the division. In the AFC Champions League Two, they have won all four home games while conceding just once.

Al Nassr and the possibility of playing at home

Beyond the Al Nassr-Al Wasl quarterfinal, the AFC will also need to find venues for the other Middle Eastern tie, between Al Ahli Doha and Al Hussein Irbid. On the other side of the bracket, Japanese side Gamba Osaka and Thailand’s Bangkok United have already completed their quarterfinal fixtures and are set to meet in the semifinals.

According to Saudi journalist Khaled Al-Rasheed, the AFC has been in contact with the football associations of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan and the UAE to discuss hosting the quarterfinal and semifinal matches in a centralized, tournament-style format. Should the Saudi Football Federation submit a hosting bid, Al Nassr could play both the quarterfinal and semifinal at Al Awwal Park, giving Ronaldo a far better chance of featuring, given his reluctance to travel outside the country during the current period.