FC Goa 1-2 Al Qadsia leaves Gaurs out of AFC Challenge League knockouts

FC Goa lost 2-1 to Al-Qadsia at Mohammed Al-Hamad Stadium in Hawally on 24 October 2026 in an AFC Challenge League group-stage match, a result that eliminated Goa from the competition.

After six matchdays in the AFC Challenge League group stages at Mohammed Al-Hamad Stadium, Hawally, the West region's top four teams have qualified for the quarter-finals. FC Goa had secured a preliminary spot in the AFC Champions League 2 but a defeat to Arkadag in the preliminary round dropped them into the third tier of the continental competition. The Gaurs have now completed appearances across all three AFC tiers. Goa entered Group C as the top-seeded side and began the campaign with a 2-1 loss to Tajikistan’s Regar-TadAZ despite taking an early lead.

Goa subsequently recorded a hard-fought win over Bangladesh’s Fortis, with Chiki and Ortiz on the scoresheet.

Against Kuwait’s Al Qadsia in Hawally, Moroccan striker Khabba scored twice as Al Qadsia beat FC Goa 2-1; Chiki’s equaliser briefly gave Goa hope. "FULL-TIME | FC Goa 1-2 Al-Qadsia SC A tough battle for the Gaurs, but not the result they wanted. Chiki’s equaliser gave FC Goa hope, but despite their efforts, they fall short against Al-Qadsia SC in the AFC Challenge League.#IndianFootball #AFCChallengeLeague #FCGoa pic.twitter.com/Co7FsIIsI5"

Following the defeat to the Kuwaiti side, FC Goa’s Challenge League campaign came to an end as they failed to qualify for the knockouts. After three matchweeks, Al Qadsia finished atop the Group C points table with three wins from three games and six goals scored; Chiki’s goal was FC Goa’s solitary goal against the Kuwaiti side.

There was one direct qualification spot available for the best second-ranked team among all three groups; the second-ranked teams in both Group A and Group B have two wins and six points. All other teams in Group C are out of contention: the remaining three clubs finished the group stages on three points each and all with negative goal difference. Fortis finished second in Group C on superior head-to-head record over Regar-TadAZ, FC Goa finished third, and Regar-TadAZ finished bottom of the table.

As Group C winners, Al Qadsia advance to the quarter-finals of the AFC Challenge League, while FC Goa exit the competition after failing to secure one of the available knockout places.