The prospect of Portuguese football legend Cristiano Ronaldo coming to India has sparked immense excitement among fans. With millions of fans worldwide, Ronaldo playing a match in India would be nothing short of a festival for Indian fans.
Sports News: Great news for Indian football fans! The draw for the AFC Champions League Two 2025-26 has been announced, and India's FC Goa has been placed in Group D. Notably, Goa's team is grouped with Al-Nassr, the club for which Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo plays. This could mean that Ronaldo will participate in an official match in India for the first time.
Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the most popular football players in the world. He has millions of fans worldwide, including in India. Thus, the possibility of him setting foot in India has sent the excitement among Indian football fans to its peak. If Ronaldo comes to India and plays against FC Goa, it will be a historic moment in Indian football history. It will not only attract a large number of spectators to the stadium but also give Indian football more recognition on a global scale.
Which Teams are in Group D?
The draw for the AFC Champions League Two includes four teams in Group D:
- FC Goa (India)
- Al-Nassr (Saudi Arabia)
- Al-Zawra'a (Iraq)
- FC Istiklol (Tajikistan)
The matches in this group are expected to be very exciting because the presence of a b team like Al-Nassr and a superstar like Ronaldo will make it special.
Contract Clause Could Be a Hindrance
However, there is still some uncertainty regarding Ronaldo's arrival in India. According to reports, there is a clause in his contract that may prevent him from traveling abroad for some international matches. If this clause is enforced, Indian fans' dream of watching him play live may remain unfulfilled. Still, if the club and Ronaldo agree on this situation and he remains fit, his playing in India is considered almost certain.
Tournament Format and Schedule
A total of 32 teams are participating in the AFC Champions League Two. They have been divided into East and West zones with 16 teams each. After that, eight groups have been formed, with four teams in each group. Each team will play in a round-robin format in its group. The top-2 teams in the group stage will qualify for the Round of 16.
- Group Stage: 16 September – 24 December 2025
- Round of 16: 10 – 19 February 2026
- Quarter-Finals: 3 – 12 March 2026
- Semi-Finals: 7 – 15 April 2026
- Final: 16 May 2026
According to this schedule, matches to be played in India may take place around October or November. If Cristiano Ronaldo actually comes to India, it will be a historic moment for Indian football. For the first time, an Indian club will take the field against the player who is called the greatest of all time (GOAT) in football history.
