Tournament details | |
---|---|
Host country | Thailand |
Dates | 21 March – 2 April 1971 |
Teams | 8 |
Venue(s) | Bangkok |
Final positions | |
Champions | Maccabi Tel Aviv (2nd title) |
Runners-up |
Al-Shorta (withdrew) |
Third place | Taj Tehran |
Fourth place | ROK Army |
Tournament statistics | |
Matches played | 20 |
Goals scored | 65 (3.25 per match) |
The 1971 Asian Club Championship was the fourth edition of the annual Asian club football competition hosted by Asian Football Confederation. Eight clubs from eight countries competed in the tournament. The tournament was held in Bangkok, Thailand from 21 March to 2 April. Eight clubs were split in two groups of four and the group winners and the runners-up advanced to semifinals.
Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C. (ISR) recorded their second Asian title after Al-Shorta (IRQ) refused to play against them in protest at the Israeli occupation of Palestine. Al-Shorta players instead waved the Palestinian flag and the Iraqi flag around the field.
They were regarded as the winners of the tournament in the Iraqi media (the Al-Mal'ab newspaper headline the following day read: "The Champions of Asia Return to Baghdad") and were greeted with a heroes' reception upon their return to the country. Israel were expelled from the AFC three years later (Maccabi now compete in UEFA competitions).
These are the group allocation matches. Each group will consist of two winners and two losers from this round.
1: Al-Shorta withdrew from this match, awarded to Maccabi.