Hoang Anh Gia Lai to represent Vietnam in AFC Champions League 2022

By Duc Dong November 27, 2021 | 06:00 am PT

Hoang Anh Gia Lai players in V. League 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Duc Dong

Hoang Anh Gia Lai (HAGL) are the only Vietnamese club to play AFC Champions League (ACL) next year.

According to the regulations, the V. League champion will directly qualify for the ACL group stage. However, V. League 2021 was canceled without a champion.

Vietnam Football Federation proposed HAGL be made eligible for ACL since the club led the table when the league got canceled, and it was approved by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

This is HAGL's return to ACL after 17 years. The club's head coach Kiatisuk Senamuang used to play for HAGL in ACL at the time, but the club got eliminated during the group stage.

"It's coming home," Kiatisuk wrote on his Facebook page after receiving the news.

HAGL have prepared two different jerseys for ACL. The club also plan to renovate their home stadium Pleiku for the tournament.

The ACL group stage is set to take place from April 15 to May 26, 2022.