The upcoming match on February 11 between Turkmenistan’s “Arkadag” and Saudi Arabia’s “Al-Nassr” in the AFC Champions League Two will be a celebration for the people. This was stated by the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan, Hero-Arkadag, during a visit to the capital’s Olympic Complex, where the match would take place.
“A victory by the “Arkadag” team, which in recent years has achieved great success on the international stage, would be a tremendous accomplishment for our country. If the footballers draw, it will be, as people say, a matter of chance. Even if the Turkmen athletes lose, the match will still become a real celebration for our people, attended by foreign guests, and will serve as a stimulus for new achievements,” said Hero-Arkadag, expressing confidence that the players will make every effort and demonstrate honest, beautiful football.
After thoroughly familiarizing himself with the stadium’s overall infrastructure, including the condition of the pitch and spectator stands, the Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan emphasized that finding optimal solutions to all current issues is a priority task.
“Not a single detail should be overlooked. It is necessary to approach the organization of the upcoming match, which is of enormous importance for enhancing the country’s sporting prestige, with the utmost responsibility,” said Hero-Arkadag.
The well-organized conduct of the football match and the creation of all necessary conditions for fans and spectators have been identified as key tasks. At the same time, it is important to coordinate the activities of all involved institutions and to take a responsible approach to the broad coverage of the upcoming match.
“Here it is necessary to provide everything required not only for spectators, but also for athletes and coaches. In this work, the latest technologies and advanced global practices should be actively used,” emphasized Hero-Arkadag, addressing a number of leaders with valuable recommendations in this regard.
The National Leader of the Turkmen people also stressed the importance of ensuring high-level coverage of the upcoming international football match, of which only 10 days remain before kickoff, organizing an appropriate advertising campaign, and creating all conditions for the effective work of foreign media. In this connection, a number of recommendations were given to the relevant officials.
Ashgabat’s Olympic Stadium, which seats 45,000 spectators, is the largest sports facility in Central Asia. The arena was built for the 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in 2017. The upcoming AFC Champions League Two match will be the first official football match in the stadium’s history.
It should be recalled that FC “Arkadag” and Saudi Arabia’s “Al-Nassr” will play each other twice in the round of 16 of Asia’s second most important club tournament. The first match will take place in Turkmenistan, with the return leg scheduled for February 18 in Saudi Arabia. The winner of this two-legged tie will face the winner of the “Al-Zawraa” (Iraq) – “Al-Wasl” (UAE) pairing in the quarterfinals. In the other Western Zone quarterfinals, the winners of the matches “Foolad Mobarakeh Sepahan” (Iran) – “Al-Ahli” (Qatar) and “Esteghlal” (Iran) – “Al-Hussein” (Jordan) will meet.
The opponent of the Turkmenistan champions, Saudi Arabia’s “Al-Nassr”, finished first in Group D in the previous stage of the AFC Champions League Two with a flawless record: six wins in six matches and an impressive goal difference of 22–2. “Arkadag”, with one win, four draws, and one loss, finished second in Group B, scoring 5 goals and conceding 6 in six matches.
Since 2023, “Al-Nassr” has featured the winner of five Ballons d’Or, four Golden Boots, a five-time UEFA Champions League winner, as well as the 2016 European champion and the 2024/2025 UEFA Nations League winner with the Portugal national team, Cristiano Ronaldo, who will turn 41 on February 5.
In addition to C. Ronaldo, “Al-Nassr” also includes other world football stars, among them Portuguese João Félix, two-time reigning African champion with Senegal Sadio Mané, French player Kingsley Coman, Spaniard Iñigo Martínez, and Croatian Marcelo Brozović. Brazilians also play an important role in the Saudi team, including goalkeeper Bento Krepski and forward Gabriel Ângelo. The Saudi club is coached by 71-year-old Portuguese specialist Jorge Jesus.
According to the Transfermarkt portal, the total market value of “Al-Nassr’s” players amounts to €138.13 million.
