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Jonathan White

Hong Kong will host the AFC Cup bubble this season with teams from Mongolia and Taiwan, the Asian Football Confederation announced on Monday.
The city will welcome group J – which includes Hong Kong Premier League sides Eastern and Lee Man plus Mongolia’s Athletic 220 and Taiwan’s Tainan City.
Games are set to be played in May, it is unknown if fans will be allowed to be in attendance.
The understanding is that teams will be allowed to travel without going through quarantine and the government are yet to confirm if this can go ahead, though the HKFA have said they are confident. Hong Kong arrivals currently have to do 21 days quarantine.

It’s official: @AFCCup Group J, featuring Hong Kong clubs Eastern and Lee Man, will be staged in Hong Kong between May 14th-20th (single round robin). Opponents are Mongolia’s @Athletic220 and Taiwan’s Tainan FC. Yet to see if open to general public.
— Football in HK (@offsideHK) March 1, 2021

Hong Kong Football Association chairman Pui Kwan-kay was delighted the city will host the matches, saying it was boost for local fans, who have been craving for top Asian football.
“We want to get fans to the matches as they can help cheer for the home teams which is also why we want to stage the event,” said Pui. “We are quite confident of this as local matches have already allowed spectators even though only a maximum capacity half of the stadium can be filled.
Details on the host for the AFC Champions League groups, which include Hong Kong Premier League champions Kitchee’s group J, are expected to follow.
The AFC confirmed that Singapore has been given AFC Cup hosting rights for group H – Malaysia’s Kedah Darul Aman, Singapore’s Lion City Sailors, Saigon and the winner of a play-off.
Hong Kong sport bubble could be breath of fresh air
Singapore’s Geylang International, Kaya FC-Iloilo of the Philippines and Myanmar’s representative will play that out.
The host for group G of the AFC Cup is yet to be decided.
The 2020 edition of the AFC Cup was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, when quarantine regulations in many nations made international travel almost impossible.
Last year’s Asian Champions League, Asia’s premier club competition, went ahead despite the difficulties, with Qatar hosting the majority of the tournament on a centralised basis.
South Korea’s Ulsan Hyundai won that title, defeating Persepolis from Iran in the final in Doha.
Regarding the 21-day quarantine requirement for all players coming into the city, Pui said:
“We are still working with the government on the quarantine requirements for the visiting teams. Of course it would be impossible for their players and officials to go through a 21-day quarantine in Hong Kong before they start the tournament.
“Our plan is to get the teams arriving in Hong Kong three days before the tournament so that they can have time for training and practice. We will set up a safety bubble in which these teams will not be allowed to make any contact with the community as they can only travel between their hotels and training and competition venues.”
Commissioner of Sports Yeung Tak-keung said they had received the FA proposal of staging the event and are consulting the relevant authorities regarding quarantine measures.
Additional reporting by Chan Kin-wa


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Kitchee fans cheer during the Kitchee versus Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors AFC Champions League match in 2018. Photo: Jonathan Wong

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Hong Kong Premier League sides set to play at home as AFC decides Covid-19 group stage hosts as Kitchee’s AFC Champions League group yet to be decided.


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AFC Champions League