Competing in their second AFC Champions League campaign, ISL shield winners Mumbai City will take on competition finalists Al-Hilal, Iran league champions FC Nassaji and Navbahor from Uzbekistan. The Islanders were placed in pot 3 of the 2023/24 season AFC Champions League group stage draw that took place on Thursday, 24th August 2023 and are slotted in Group D.
This time the competition will return back to the original home-and-away format after playing in a centralized zone format during the pandemic was lifted. Mumbai City will play their home matches, away from the city, at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Balewadi, Pune. They are the first club from India to register a win in the group stages of the AFC Champions League as they defeated Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya of Iraq by 2-1 in their debut campaign.
Mumbai City had an incredible season in the Indian Super League or ISL last time. Not only were they crowned the shield winners but they won it record-breaking style. They collected the most number of points in league history, went on an unprecedented winning streak and demolished opponents on the way. They emerged victorious in the playoff battle against previous ISL Shield winners Jamshedpur FC to qualify for the AFC Champions League again. Mumbai City FC will be the last representative from India to earn a direct slot in the AFC Champions League.
Group D
Al-Hilal
FC Nassaji
Mumbai City
Navbahor
Fixtures
Monday, 18 September 2023
Mumbai City FC vs Nassaji Mazandaran FC (07:30 PM)
Tuesday, 3 October 2023
Navbahor vs Mumbai City FC (07:30 PM)
Monday, 23 October 2023
Al-Hilal vs Mumbai City FC (11:30 PM)
Monday, 5 November 2023
Mumbai City FC vs Al-Hilal (07:30 PM)
Tuesday, 28 November 2023
Nassaji Mazandaran FC vs Mumbai City FC (9:30 PM)
Saturday, 4 December 2023
Mumbai City FC vs Navbahor (9:30 PM)
Anticipation was building around the draw on the possibility of Mumbai City facing Saudi Arabian clubs that have signed world-beaters from Europe this summer after a spending spree backed by PIF or the Public Investment Fund. The ISL Shield winners have been successful in drawing one of them in Al-Hilal where Brazilian superstar Neymar moved to only this month from Paris-Saint Germain. He will be among the top names coming to India along with Kalidou Koulibaly, Ruben Neves, Yassine Bounou, Milinkovic Savic and Malcolm. The game at Balewadi will make its place in Indian football history. Al-Hilal also went to the final of the AFC Champions League, losing the doubled-legged tie against Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds.
FC Nassaji and Navbahor will also bring their own challenge, especially at their home where Mumbai City will find it difficult. However, the Islanders showed their capability last time with two wins against Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya and even restricting UAE giants Al-Jazira to a scoreless draw. Remarkably, they finished second behind another Saudi club Al-Shabab in their group and narrowly missed out on the knockout stages which could have been something else. Now with a better and more refined squad than before, the club from Western India will be hopeful to add more to their accomplishments.
