The Asian Football Confederation is expecting the continent's top club competitions to go ahead year amid the coronavirus pandemic, even if it means games will be played in empty stadiums.
Professional football around the world has gone into lockdown due to the Covid-19 outbreak, including the Asian Champions League and the second-tier AFC Cup, which are both on hold until at least the end of June.
Windsor John, general secretary of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), said he was confident both competitions would both be completed.
"Both will be played this year. We still have time," John told AFP, adding that new dates for the competitions may be known by the end of April.
However, John did not rule out matches being played without fans "if that's what the health authorities need".
The AFC is determined for both tournaments to go ahead "for sporting reasons and to fulfil commercial obligations", he said.
His comments came after the AFC on Tuesday announced the indefinite postponement of all matches scheduled for May and June due to the virus.
The Champions League, the region's premier club competition, and the second-tier AFC Cup were both halted in March as the pandemic's spread forced governments to impose strict travel restrictions.
Both tournaments are on an increasingly tight schedule, with the 32-team Champions League needing to complete four rounds of group-stage matches in July before the postponed knock-out phase begins in August.
The UAE has four clubs competing in the Champions League group stage: Al Wahda, Shabab Al Ahli, Sharjah, and Al Ain.
The group phase of the AFC Cup will also have to be completed in a rush once matches resume.
The finals for both tournaments - which traditionally take a break in July, to avoid the worst of the Asian summer heat - are scheduled to take place in November.
Domestic leagues remain on hold around the world, including the UAE's Arabian Gulf League, and organisers have resolved to make a decision on the suspended season by the end of the month, with a cancellation of the campaign unlikely.
Asia's extended shutdown, announced on Tuesday, also affects the two-legged women's Olympic qualifying play-off between China and South Korea, which had already been moved to June 1 and 9.
June qualifiers for the men's 2022 World Cup and 2023 Asian Cup had been postponed before the AFC's announcement on Tuesday, with the UAE scheduled to face Thailand and Vietnam during that time.
Asian football was an early sporting casualty of the coronavirus pandemic, before competitions in Europe - including Euro 2020 - and the rest of the world were also affected.
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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Iceland 0 England 1 (Sterling pen 90 1)
Man of the match Kari Arnason (Iceland)
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