Mumbai City vs Al-Hilal's AFC Champions League match will be played on 6th November

Mumbai City's clash with Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal will be a huge event in the country. This match holds unique significance as it will offer Indian football supporters the chance to witness Brazilian star Neymar on Indian soil for the first time ever. The Islanders will kick off their campaign against Iran's club FC Nassaji Mazandaran on their home turf on September 18. Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Balewadi, Pune, will be the home of Mumbai City FC for the AFC Champions League encounters.

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The home fixture against Al-Hilal will pull a capacity crowd and the match has been scheduled for November 6. The final home game against Uzbekistan side Navbahor will be played on December 4. Mumbai City revealed that the shift of home games to Pune is a result of the Mumbai Football Arena's inability to meet the AFC's infrastructural requisites. The Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex has hosted several games, including ISL games for Pune City FC, and the Indian national team.

AFC Champions League group stage schedule - Mumbai City FC

• September 18: Mumbai City FC vs. FC Nassaji Maazandaran – Home
• October 3: Navbahor vs Mumbai City FC – Away
• October 23: Al-Hilal SFC vs Mumbai City FC – Away
• November 6: Mumbai City FC vs Al-Hilal SFC – Home
• November 28: FC Nassaji Maazandaran vs Mumbai City FC – Away
• December 4: Mumbai City FC vs Navbahor – Home

A look at Mumbai City FC's opponents

Al Hilal SFC:

AL Hilal is the most successful team in AFC Champions League history having won the tournament a record four times. They won the tournament in 1991, 2000, 2019 and 2021. They were the runners-up of the last season as well. Neymar's inclusion in the squad has made them a better side on paper. Along with Neymar, they now have Kalidou Koulibaly, Yassine Bounou, Ruben Neves, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, and Aleksander Mitrovic. With this squad, they will surely be one of the favourites to top this group.

Nassaji Mazandaran FC:

The Iranian side qualified for the AFC Champions League after winning their first-ever silverware Hazfi Cup last year. Along with Mumbai City FC, they are making their debut as well in the tournament. Nassaji Mazandaran have an all-Iranian squad except for Alaa Abbas, who is a striker from Iraq.

Navbahor:

The side from Uzbekistan made it to the group stage after beating Qatar's Al Wakrah by 1-0 in the playoffs. Navbahor won the Uzbek League, their domestic league once before in 1996. They have won the Uzbek Cup thrice in 1992, 1995, 1998. Along with their domestic talents, Navbahor have some foreign players from Serbia and Montenegro.