Fawaz Al-Sharif slams AFC for unprofessional postponement of Al-Nassr vs Al-Wasl

Sports analyst Fawaz Al-Sharif has criticized the Asian Football Confederation’s decision to postpone the match between Al-Nassr and UAE’s Al-Wasl, describing the committee responsible for the postponement and rescheduling as “unprofessional.” He called for the reasons behind the decision to be made public, rather than simply notifying the clubs of the delay without providing clear justification.

The AFC had officially announced the postponement of the match, which was originally scheduled for the evening of Monday, October 26, 2026, at Al-Awwal Park in Riyadh, as part of the third round of the AFC Champions League Elite group stage.

Speaking on the “Malaeb” program with Faisal Al-Jafn on Al Arabiya FM, Al-Sharif said that decisions regarding matches should be based on specific, announced reasons so that clubs and fans can assess the logic behind them.

He explained that simply announcing the postponement and delaying the rescheduling without clarifying the reasons raises questions about the decision-making process, adding: “We say the committee responsible for this and for the rescheduling is unprofessional.”

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The sports analyst stressed that his objection is not about reminding others of the influence Saudi clubs have within the continental federation, but rather about the need to clarify the reasons for postponing the match. He said: “My point is: give me the reasons, tell me why the match was postponed, so it is not misunderstood that we are boasting about our participation in the AFC. No, we have not reached that stage. We are simply asking: you postponed the match, but why?”

Al-Sharif noted that Saudi clubs have significant weight in AFC competitions and also mentioned Saudi companies that support the continental federation. He emphasized that, in his view, the main issue is providing clear justification for the decision, not highlighting the extent of Saudi participation.