Ahead of the Islanders’ landmark second appearance in the AFC Champions League, Mumbai City FC have announced that the club will be playing their ‘home’ games at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Balewadi, Pune.
The present infrastructural set up at the Mumbai Football Arena makes the venue ineligible to host the home games. Mumbai City FC will thus set up base in Pune for their three ‘home’ games in the Group Stage of the 2023-24 AFC Champions League.
Also Read: AFC Champions League 2023-24 draw on August 24, Mumbai City aim for easy group
Being the only top-division football club from the state of Maharashtra, the decision to adopt Pune as the club’s ‘home’ for the games was taken to make sure top level continental footballing action stayed within Maharashtra – one of the steps towards Mumbai City FC’s vision of helping football grow in the state.
Last season, Mumbai City FC won the ISL Shield and met the winners of the 2021-22 Shield, Jamshedpur FC, in a playoff game. It was for a spot in the 2023-24 AFC Champions League. They qualified for the competition after defeating Jamshedpur FC 3-1 in April.
As a result, the club is under intense pressure to capitalise on the opportunity. They have been drawn in the Western region and might face any of the four Saudi clubs: Al-Ittifaq, Al-Hilal, or Al-Fayha. Cristiano Ronaldo’s team, Al-Nassr, is also involved. Al Nassr will compete in the qualifying round on August 22.
The Islanders made history in 2022 in The AFC Champions League. They defeated the Iraqi Air Force Club.
The Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex serves as the nearest football-specific stadium to Mumbai. It allows Mumbai City FC to maintain close proximity for fans to travel from Mumbai.
Mumbai City FC will find out their opponents at the Group Stage Draw scheduled at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on August 24 at 1:30 PM IST.
