Three Qatari football clubs are set to compete in the AFC Champions League Elite group stage matches on Monday as part of the tournament’s expanded format.

Al Gharafa will host Iran’s Esteghlal at the Thani Bin Jassim Stadium, seeking to rebound from a defeat in their opening group match. Head coach Pedro Martins expressed confidence in the team’s preparations ahead of the encounter, emphasizing efforts to correct both individual and collective errors that have impacted their performances so far. Martins described Esteghlal as a well-organized side with a solid defensive unit and the ability to launch effective counter-attacks, noting that his team would need to maintain discipline on both ends of the pitch to secure their first victory of the campaign.

Meanwhile, Al Shamal will face Tractor FC of Iran at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Muscat. Al Shamal, who are making their AFC Champions League Elite debut after finishing as runners-up in the 2025-26 Qatar Stars League, are coming off a hard-fought draw. Spanish coach David Prat said the team was ready for the challenging fixture and that a prior loss to Al Duhail would not affect their focus. Tractor began their campaign with a defeat and will be aiming to improve their goal-scoring efficiency, having managed just one shot on target out of seven attempts in their first match against UAE’s Shabab Al Ahli.

On Tuesday, Al Sadd will host Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium. Al Sadd, who recently suffered their first loss of the Qatar Stars League season to Al Arabi, will be looking to recover and strengthen their position in the group.

The current edition of the AFC Champions League Elite features a significant expansion, with the number of participating teams increasing from 24 to 32, equally split between East and West Zones. This expansion has also increased Qatar’s direct qualification slots to three, up from two direct and one playoff slot in the previous season. Each team will play eight matches—four home and four away—against different opponents within their zone from September 14, 2026, through February 17, 2027.

These developments highlight Qatar’s growing presence in Asian club football, with three representatives aiming to make an impact in a highly competitive field.