1972 Asian Champion Club Tournament

The 1972 Asian Champion Club Tournament was to be the fifth edition of the annual Asian club football competition organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).[1] Seven clubs from seven countries were to compete in the tournament, which was to be held in Tehran, Iran in April 1972. The seven clubs were split into two groups, with the group winners and the runners-up set to advance to the semifinals.[2]

1972 Asian Champion Club Tournament
Tournament details
Host countryIran
DatesApril 1972
Teams7
Venue(s)Tehran

However, before the start of the tournament, Kuwaiti club Al-Qadsia and Lebanese club Racing Beirut refused to commit to playing against Israeli club Maccabi Netanya for political reasons if the situation arose. The AFC excluded both teams to avoid any repeat of what had happened in 1970 (a semi-final) and 1971 (a group match and the final), where Arab clubs had forfeited against Israeli clubs. Furthermore, Hong Kong Rangers were forced to withdraw at short notice due to logistical and financial problems.

With only four teams remaining, the FFIRI no longer considered it viable to invest its share of the money (including half of each team's flight expenses to and from Tehran) and resources required for the tournament due to the likely financial losses.

On 2 April 1972, the AFC informed the remaining teams that the competition was postponed, and it was eventually cancelled.[3]

Participants

The seven clubs originally scheduled to participate were:[4]

Teams:
Team Qualifying method
Hong Kong Hong Kong Rangers 1970–71 Hong Kong First Division League champions
Iran Persepolis 1971–72 Local League champions
Israel Maccabi Netanya 1970–71 Liga Leumit champions
Kuwait Al-Qadsia 1970–71 Kuwaiti Premier League champions
Lebanon Racing Beirut 1969–70 Lebanese Premier League champions
South Korea Korea University 1971 Korean National Football Championship champions
Thailand Port Authority of Thailand 1972 Kor Royal Cup champions

Groups

The draw for the groups had split the seven teams into two groups (one group of three, one group of four) prior to the tournament's cancellation,[4] with the top two from each group to advance to the semi-finals.

Group A

Team
Israel Maccabi Netanya
Hong Kong Hong Kong Rangers (withdrew)
South Korea Korea University

Group B

Team
Iran Persepolis
Thailand Port Authority of Thailand
Kuwait Al-Qadsia (excluded)
Lebanon Racing Beirut (excluded)

References

  1. "History of the Asian Club Championship". Asian Football. 9 April 1997. Archived from the original on 9 April 1997. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  2. "Asian Club Competitions 1972". RSSSF. 4 January 2018.
  3. דתייה טכנית מעוררת מהשבות Davar, 9 April 1972, Page 9, Historical Jewish Press (in Hebrew)
  4. Maccabi Netanya players are about to go to the Asian Championship in Tehran Davar, 2 April 1972, Page 10, Historical Jewish Press (in Hebrew)
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