Myanmar football teams withdraw from tournaments again

Myanmar football teams withdraw from tournaments again

Two Myanmar football teams have pulled out of Asian tournaments for the second year running, officials said Wednesday, as the country faces ongoing turmoil after last year's coup.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said Shan United FC withdrew from the AFC Champions League, while Hantharwady United FC pulled out of the AFC Cup.

The Champions League is Asia's top club tournament, while the AFC Cup is a second-tier club competition.

Hantharwady had been drawn in Group I for the AFC Cup, while Shan United were to take part in the preliminary stage of the Champions League.

No reason was given for the withdrawals, and there was no announcement on which teams would replace them.

Both teams pulled out of the same tournaments last year.

Myanmar has been gripped by violence since a coup in February last year ousted Aung San Suu Kyi's civilian government.

More than 1,400 civilians have since been killed in a military crackdown on dissent, according to a local monitoring group.

More news from Mizzima
September 17, 2026
A Myanmar military regime airstrike killed three family members and injured four others in...
September 16, 2026
A dispute over cargo loading priorities at a border crossing between India’s Mizoram State and...
September 15, 2026
Fuel prices in Myanmar continue to surge, with official retail rates for standard gasoline...
September 12, 2026
Authorities in India’s northeastern state of Manipur have turned back or deported nearly 15,000...