Clubs are forewarned to ensure all documentation are in order, Velappan

AFC - All players participating in the quarter-finals of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League must have been registered with the club at least 30 days before the commencement of the tournament.

In addition, the players must also have signed the contract to play for the club for a period of not less than six months.

This is required under Article 7.6 of the AFC Champions League tournament regulations. The teams playing in the quarter-finals to be staged between March 9-15 are BEC Tero and Osotspa of Thailand, Shanghai Shenhua and Dalian Shide of China, Korea Republic’s Seongnam and Taejon Citizen, Al-Hilal of Saudi Arabia, Al-Sadd of Qatar, Esteghlal and Pirouzi of IR Iran, Al-Ain of UAE, Turkmenistan’s Nisa, Pakhtakor of Uzbekistan and Al-Talaba of Iraq.

In a reminder to all the teams concerned on the regulations, AFC General Secretary Dato’ Peter Velappan said that it has been brought to his notice that some clubs had been registering new players for the AFC Champions League.

“Teams can sign on players. But all players not registered for the AFC Champions League as per the tournament regulations will be barred from competing.

“Therefore, to avoid any undue complications, it is best that they comply fully with the regulations. All documents will be closely scrutinized at the team managers meeting before the start of the competition. It is necessary for all clubs to produce a copy of the original contract for any new players to be eligible to play in the Champions League.

“We will not bend the rules for anyone and clubs are forewarned to ensure that all documentation pertaining to their registered players is in order,” he added.

The AFC Champions League, which was launched last August, replaced the Asian Club Championship, Asian Cup Winners' Cup and Asian Super Cup. The 16-team group stage (March 9-15) will be followed by the two-leg semi-finals (April) and final (May), with the winners taking home a first prize of US$500,000.