Mumbai City FC have shifted their group stage home fixture against Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal in the AFC Champions League 2023-24 from Pune to Navi Mumbai, the club announced on Tuesday.
The match was initially scheduled to be hosted on November 6 at Pune’s Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex Stadium but has been moved to Navi Mumbai’s Dr DY Patil stadium and will be held on the same date.
Mumbai City FC lost their opening group stage fixture 0-2 in the AFC CL against Iran’s FC Nassaji Mazandaran in Pune while Al Hilal played their first AFC CL 2023-24 match against Uzbek club Navbahor FC which ended in a 1-1 draw.
Al Hilal are the most successful club in the AFC Champions League history and have an array of stars in their side that includes Brazil’s all-time leading goalscorer Neymar, Aleksander Mitrovic, Kalidou Koulibaly, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Ruben Neves. The Saudi Arabians will thus be a tough test for the Islanders who began their Indian Super League (ISL 2023-24) season with a 2-1 win at NorthEast United FC.
Before the match against Al Hilal in Navi Mumbai, Mumbai City FC travel to Navabhor and Al Hilal in the AFC Champions League looking to bounce back after the defeat in the opening fixture and enhance their chances of qualifying for the next round.
The pre-registration for tickets for the home game against Al Hilal begins on Friday, September 29 at 11 AM.