Al Jawiya opponents in AFC Champions League Elite official draw

Ittihad’s French forward, Karim Benzema, vies for the ball with Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya’s Iraqi defender Hammoud Mishaan during the AFC Champions League Group C football match between Iraq’s Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya and Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ittihad at the Franso Hariri Stadium in Erbil, Iraq. Photo: AFP Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) — Iraqi champions Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya discovered their path in the 2026–27 AFC Champions League Elite (West Region) following the official league stage draw conducted on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, in Kuala Lumpur. The Baghdad-based club was drawn into eight high-stakes continental fixtures, hosting four matches inside Iraq and traveling for four away matches against top Gulf and Central Asian opponents. Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya Fixture Breakdown VenueOpponentCountryHome (Iraq)Al-Ain FC🇦🇪 United Arab EmiratesHome (Iraq)Pakhtakor FC🇺🇿 UzbekistanHome (Iraq)Al-Gharafa SC🇶🇦 QatarHome (Iraq)Shabab Al-Ahli🇦🇪 United Arab EmiratesAwayAl-Sadd SC🇶🇦 QatarAwayAl-Wasl FC🇦🇪 United Arab EmiratesAwayAl-Shamal SC🇶🇦 QatarAwayNeftchi Fergana🇺🇿 Uzbekistan Key Tournament Details & Continental Stakes Expanded 32-Team Format:The 2026–27 edition features an expanded 32-club field (16 in the West Region and 16 in the East Region), with each team contesting eight matches against eight distinct opponents. Qualification Pathway:The top eight teams from each region advance to the Round of 16 scheduled for March 2027, followed by the centralized final stages in Saudi Arabia in April–May 2027. Continental Ambition: As Iraq’s premier continental representative, Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya enters the expanded competition looking to leverage home support in Baghdad to secure a knockout-stage qualification spot.