by Suman Gupta
Mumbai, August 2023: Mumbai City FC have been drawn in Group D of the 2023-24 AFC Champions League along with Al Hilal SFC (Saudi Arabia), Nassaji Mazandaran (Iran) and Navbahor (Uzbekistan) at the Group Stage Draw that took place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Thursday, August 24. 40 teams were drawn in 10 groups of four teams each at the draws, with five groups (A-E) in the West Region and five groups (F-J) in the East Region.
Mumbai City FC secured their second appearance in Asia’s biggest club football competition after lifting the 2022-23 Indian Super League Winners’ Shield and then subsequently defeating 2021-22 ISL Shield Winners Jamshedpur FC 3-1 in a single-leg playoff in April 2023.
The Islanders created history in their maiden AFC Champions League appearance in April 2022 after finishing second in Group B behind Saudi Arabian club Al Shabab, narrowly missing out on a spot in the knockout rounds. Des Buckingham’s side secured two wins in the process – both against Iraq’s Air Force Club – and became the first Indian club to win a game at the AFC Champions League.
Fixtures will be announced by the AFC shortly.
Des Buckingham, Head Coach – Mumbai City FC said:
“The teams in the AFC Champions League, they’re the best in their own country. As coaches and players, we always want to test ourselves against the best. It’s a wonderful opportunity for us to continue what we did last time around and to showcase what Indian football can do on that stage. We’re looking forward to giving a good account of ourselves against the likes of Al Hilal, Nassaji and Navbahor – some of the best clubs in Asia – and represent not just Mumbai but Indian football as a whole in the best way possible.”
Kandarp Chandra, CEO – Mumbai City FC said:
“All of us at Mumbai City FC were very proud of what we achieved in the 2022 AFC Champions League. Now in our second appearance, we have an opportunity to build on it. Des, his staff and the squad are focused on what will be an exciting and challenging season ahead and we hope we can put up a strong showing in front of our fans against some of Asia’s best clubs.”
About Mumbai City FC : Mumbai City FC was formed in August 2014 and is a club competing in the Hero Indian Super League. The Islanders, as the club is fondly known, is the only team in India to have won the unique ‘double’, winning the Hero ISL League and the Playoffs in the 2020-21 season. The club won a second league title in 2022-23 in record-breaking fashion. Mumbai City FC has competed at the Asian stage in the 2022 AFC Champions League, where it finished second in Group B and also became the first Indian club to register wins in Asia’s premier club competition.
Originally owned by Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor and businessman Bimal Parekh, City Football Group acquired a majority stake in Mumbai City FC in November 2019, joining the likes of Manchester City FC, New York City FC and Melbourne City FC and others in the CFG family. Mumbai City FC plays its home games at the 7,000-seater Mumbai Football Arena located in Andheri, Mumbai. The club’s crest houses key elements that represent the city of Mumbai and is a reflection of the dynamic, relentless and modern values that define Mumbai City FC.
