On 11 February, Turkmenistan's ‘Arkadag’ will face Saudi Arabia's ‘Al-Nassr’ at the Olympic Stadium in Ashgabat as part of the AFC Champions League 2. During his visit to the stadium, the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, noted the importance of the upcoming match for the country and called for its organisation to be carried out at a high level, according to the publication ‘Turkmenistan: Golden age’.

‘A victory for the team will be a great achievement, a draw will be a matter of chance, and any outcome of the match will be a celebration for the people and an incentive for new victories,’ said the Hero Arkadag. He also stressed the need for thorough preparation of the infrastructure, spectator stands and playing field, as well as coordination of all structures involved.

The stadium, which can accommodate 45,000 spectators, was built for the 5th Asian Games in 2017 and will host its first official football match. The management must also ensure high-quality coverage of the event, an advertising campaign and conditions for the work of foreign media.

The round of 16 matches will be played in two stages: the first in Ashgabat on 11 February and the second leg on 18 February in Saudi Arabia. The winner of the tie will play in the quarter-finals against the winner of the Al-Zawraa (Iraq) vs Al Wasl (UAE) tie.