Ali Thameem
Dhivehi Premier League champions of the 2025-2026 season, Maziya Sports and Recreation, are preparing to take on Tajikistan Cup champions, Regar-TadAZ, this Wednesday.
The preliminary-stage clash of the 13th edition of Asia’s third-tier league, the AFC Challenge League game between Maziya and Regar-TadAZ, was initially scheduled for Tuesday evening, but had to be pushed back to Wednesday due to flight delays for the away side.
The 2026–27 AFC Challenge League will be the third season under the rebranded name. Regar-TadAZ are a well-established club on the Asian stage. They were the back-to-back champions of the League in 2008 and 2009, back when the tournament was called ‘AFC President’s Cup’.
As the DPL champions of the past three seasons, this would be the third time Maziya is competing in the AFC Challenge League. In the 24/25 season, when Maldivian domestic league was halted, Maziya played against FC Arkadag of Turkmenistan and Kuwait’s Al Arabi SC, but were defeated in both games.
Maziya competed in the preliminary stage of the League last season as well, but were knocked out by Al Arabi once again, as the Green Boys hosted the Kuwaiti side at home in Galolhu National Stadium.
As the DPL champions take on the Tajik side tomorrow evening, this would be the first time in the competition that Maziya are competing on the back of an active domestic season.
Three more clubs from the SAFF region are also competing in Asia’s third-tier club competition besides Maziya. Bangladesh Football League were allocated two slots, but champions Bashundhara Kings and runner-ups Dhaka Abahani will not be able to play due to an AFC ban. Two other clubs from Bangladesh will compete in the preliminary stage of this AFC Challenge League. Another club from the SAFF region, The Bhutan Premier League Champions Paro, will also compete in the preliminary stage alongside Maziya.
