Mumbai City FC's AFC Champions League home games relocated to Pune as Mumbai Football Arena fails to meet criteria

Mumbai City FC have confirmed that they will play their AFC Champions League home games at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Balewadi, Pune.

The Mumbai Football Arena, boasting a capacity of 6,600, has been rendered ineligible to host these matches as per the criteria outlined by the AFC. The club has clarified that the decision to shift to Pune is rooted due to infrastructural issues, prompting this relocation for the continental competition.

The rationale behind opting for Pune is to facilitate the ease of travel for their passionate supporters attending the Champions League fixtures. With an approximate capacity of 11,000, the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex boasts prior experience hosting games for the former ISL outfit Pune City FC and the Indian national team.

Speaking about their decision to change the venue, Mumbai City FC CEO Kandarp Chandra said (via Mumbai City's official website):

"While all of us at Mumbai City are excited about a huge season ahead of us, we are very disappointed at not being able to bring AFC Champions League football to Mumbai. Unfortunately, the current infrastructure in Andheri does not allow us to host Champions League games.”

“This provides us an opportunity to take the beautiful game to other parts of Maharashtra, which continues to be one of our key targets at Mumbai City."

Chandra further said:

"We believe that Mumbai City is a club that does not belong only to Mumbai but to all of Maharashtra and the AFC Champions League presents a wonderful chance for fans from Pune and the surrounding areas to watch their own football club in action against the very best clubs from Asia.”

Mumbai City FC will be the only representative from India in Asia’s most prestigious club competition. Their entry into the group stage was secured through a triumph over the 2021-22 ISL Shield winner, Jamshedpur FC, in the playoff round held in April.

Notably, Des Buckingham’s men made history in the competition back in 2022, where they became the first team from the country to win a game in the AFC Champions League. While they were eliminated from the group stage, they certainly had a solid campaign, narrowly missing out on the qualification.

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Who are Mumbai City FC’s potential opponents in the 2023-24 AFC Champions League?

The AFC Champions League group stage draw is scheduled to take place on Thursday, August 24, at 1:30 pm IST. This tournament comprises 40 teams, divided into Western and Eastern zones, each comprising five groups.

Mumbai City FC find themselves positioned in the Western zone of the competition, and are placed in Pot 3. This opens up the potential for an encounter with a Saudi Arabian club, presenting an enticing prospect for several European footballing icons to showcase their talents on Indian soil.

Karim Benzema’s Al-Ittihad and Neymar’s Al-Hilal are placed in Pot 1, while Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr are set to play the playoff round for a spot in the competition, which would position them in Pot 4 upon successful qualification.

Mumbai City FC could also face Qatar's Al Sadd SC, former winners of the AFC Champions League in 2011, or Al Duhail SC, presently ranked sixth in the AFC coefficient rankings.

Mumbai City's path in the competition is poised to be a challenging one, with mounting expectations for their performance. This year is of huge significance, as it marks the final year wherein Indian clubs can directly secure entry into the AFC Champions League.