CHENNAI: Indian Super League 2017-18 champions Chennaiyin FC have announced that they will be playing all their upcoming home matches in the group stages of the AFC Cup 2019 at ‘The Arena by TransStadia Ahmedabad’ instead of Chennai.
Chennaiyin played the home leg of their two-legged qualifying playoff matches recently against Sri Lankan heavyweights Colombo FC in the Gujarat city as playing Sri Lankan opposition in Tamil Nadu was not politically conducive.
The club had requested for permission from SDAT (Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu) to host the group stage matches at Chennai. But by the time the approvals were received from SDAT, significant financial commitments were made by the club towards TransStadia and in order to fulfill those obligations, the club will shift their base specifically for this tournament’s home games.
Below is the confirmed fixture schedule for the club’s 2019 AFC Cup group stage matches (Group E):
3 April 2019 – Chennaiyin FC v Minerva Punjab – The Arena Stadium, Ahmedabad
17 April 2019 – Chennaiyin FC v Manang Marshyangdi Club (NEP) – The Arena Stadium, Ahmedabad
30 April 2019 – Chennaiyin FC v Abahani Limited Dhaka (BAN) – The Arena Stadium, Ahmedabad
15 May 2019 – Abahani Limited Dhaka v Chennaiyin FC – Bangabandhu National Stadium, Dhaka, Bangladesh
19 June 2019 – Minerva Punjab v Chennaiyin FC – Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar
26 June 2019 – Manang Marshyangdi Club v Chennaiyin FC –ANFA Complex, Kathmandu, Nepal
