Kaya FC–Iloilo Eager for First Taste of AFC Champions League Two teams stand in the way of Kaya FC-Iloilo’s quest to make their debut in the AFC Champions League Group Stage.

For the first time in Kaya’s history, the club has the opportunity to play at the pinnacle of Asian club football — the AFC Champions League. To qualify for the big stage though, the Philippine side first need to overcome two massive hurdles. They will first have to beat Australian club Brisbane Roar FC in the Preliminary round, then outplay Chinese outfit Beijing FC in the Playoff. The final victor would then have the privilege of advancing to the prestigious ACL Group Stage.

Brisbane Roar have actually played two other Filipino teams in the past, managing mixed results. They handily defeated Global FC in 2017, but were then shocked by Ceres Negros the following year. The Australian side had a big clear out of players last season, and have just appointed their young academy head as their new head coach. Kaya will be hoping to  deny Brisbane a fourth appearance in the ACL Group Stage, and move on to face a Chinese powerhouse in the Playoff.

Beijing Sinobo Guoan FC made a quarterfinal run in last year’s tournament, where they lost to Korean powerhouse and eventual champs Ulsan Hyundai. They’ve retooled this season with a stacked roster reinforced by signings from Europe and South America, as well as their new coach Slaven Bilić: a former manager for the Croatian national team, as well as clubs in Russia, Turkey, and England. It’s a daunting task to go up against a team with such talent and resources, but such is the norm in Asia’s highest level.

The potential two-match gauntlet is certainly the biggest challenge Kaya have faced to date. The team will need to pull off back-to-back upsets in order to advance, all while a single loss would mean the club would drop back to challenging for the AFC Cup. Head Coach Yu Hoshide couldn’t help but be thrilled for the daunting road ahead.

“It’s an honor to play in the Champions League and a really good experience for the players. We are challengers, so as long as we have a chance to play at that level, we will try our best to win. We never know what’s going to happen, that’s football,” he stated.

Should Kaya FC–Iloilo pull off the unthinkable, their reward would be an even steeper challenge, with a literal den of champions awaiting in the Group Stage. The winner of the playoff will be placed in the loaded Group F, alongside Thai champions BG Pathum United, Vietnamese champions Viettel FC, and the reigning AFC Champions League winners Ulsan Hyundai FC.

The Preliminary Round will take place on April 7, with the playoff scheduled the following week. Details on the venue/s are yet to be finalized. If the club falls short in their Champions League pursuit, they’ll still have the AFC Cup Group Stage to look forward to in June.