Seeb, Al Shabab all set for AFC Challenge League

MUSCAT, OCT 22

Oman’s Al Shabab will make their debut at the 2025/2026 AFC Challenge League (ACGL) as they will play in the West Zone's Group A which will feature from Altyn Asyr (TKM), the hosts Paro FC (BHU) and FC Abdysh-Ata (KGZ). Another Omani club Seeb will vie for a slot in Group B which includes Al Ansar FC (LBN), Bashundhara Kings (BAN) and hosts Kuwait SC (KUW).

The Al Shabab team arrived in Bhutan on Tuesday to gear up for the matches and adapt with the weather and venue conditions. The team, under guidance of Hassan Rustam, began their training sessions on Wednesday.

The southern Batinah based team, which won their maiden HM Cup title in 2024-25, will face home side Paro FC, who are involved in the ACGL for a second time after winning their fourth consecutive league title—and record fifth overall—in 2024, on Saturday at the Changlimithang Stadium in Thimphu, Bhutan. The match will kick off at 4 pm (Oman time). The next match will be against Abdysh-Ata from Kyrgyzstan on Tuesday and they will conclude group matches on October 31 as they will meet Altyn Asyr from Turkmenistan.

Seeb players during practice in Kuwait City.

Seeb will play their matches at the Jaber Al Mubarak Al Sabah Stadium in Sulaibikhat in Kuwait City which will host Group B matches. Seeb, 2024-25 Oman League champions, will begin their campaign against opponents Bashundhara Kings, who lifted a fourth domestic cup trophy in 2024-25 on top of finishing third in the Bangladeshi League on Saturday. The match will kick off at 5 pm (Oman time). The last season’s quarterfinalists will meet hosts Kuwait team in their second match on Tuesday while the concluding match is scheduled against Lebanon’s Al Ansar, who ended a four-year drought in claiming a record 15th Lebanese League title in 2024-25, on October 31.

Seeb will look to rekindle the 2022 memories as they had recorded their name in golden letters after lifting their historic continental 2022 AFC Cup title following the 3-0 win over Kuala Lumpur City FC. The Seeb delegation arrived in Kuwait on Wednesday night and they will commence their training sessions on Thursday in Kuwait City.