Gianni Infantino in the stands during the AFC Champions League final REUTERS/Ibraheem Al Omari/File Photo(Reuters) - The 2022 Asian Champions League final will be played on a home-and-away basis in February next year to accommodate the involvement of the continent's teams in the World Cup, the Asian Football Confederation has announced. Qatar's hosting of the World Cup finals in November and December means the Asia Champions League's usual slot in the schedule is unavailable. "Asian teams who are likely to qualify for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 are expected to put in place extensive preparation plans for the competition," the AFC said in a statement. The Asian Champions League has been severely disrupted by the pandemic, with the 2020 edition moved to Qatar following the COVID-19 outbreak while much of the 2021 competition was held in a series of biosecure hubs across Asia. Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal are the defending champions after winning a record fourth title in November when they defeated South Korea's Pohang Steelers.
