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In a recent revelation, the ISL club Mumbai City FC has announced that they will play their home games in the AFC Champions League at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Pune, instead of their usual venue. The club had a stunning 2022-23 season, as they clinched the Premiership for the second time.
The draws for the 2023-24 AFC Champions League group stages will be disclosed at an event scheduled at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on August 24 at 1:30 PM IST. Mumbai City FC is placed in Pot 3 of the West Zone alongside Al Faisaly, FC Istiklol, Air Force Club, and Ahal FC.
The official statement by the club stated that the Mumbai Football Arena is not permitted to host AFC Champions League matches due to its current infrastructure, and in order to play their three "home" games in the Group Stage of the 2023–24 AFC Champions League, Mumbai City FC will be establishing a base in Pune.
Explaining the reason behind choosing Pune, the club stated that they wanted to make sure that the top-level continental footballing action stayed within Maharashtra, which is one of the steps towards Mumbai City FC’s vision of helping football grow in Maharashtra. With Pune being a neighbouring city to Mumbai, it will be easier for fans to commute to the venue. The new venue is the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex, and it has a rich history of hosting elite football.
The CEO of Mumbai City FC, Kandarp Chandra, also issued a statement saying, “While we share the disappointment of our fans in Mumbai, we will spare no effort to ensure our supporters cherish a memorable matchday experience in Pune as we prepare to welcome fans to experience AFC Champions League football for the first time not just in Maharashtra but for the first time in India.”
