Gwangju FC, ahead of its first 亞 stage, is preparing for 'inspection of the stadium → launch of new goods'
Aug 13, 2024
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Gwangju FC, led by head coach Lee Jung-hyo, is waiting for the Asian Champions League Elite (ACLE) draw to be held in Malaysia at 5 p.m. on the 16th (Korea time). Club officials will travel to the country on the 14th to attend the draw. Gwangju, which belongs to seed 2, will face eight teams except Ulsan HD and Pohang Steelers. Gwangju is expected to play its first historic ACLE home game at home as early as September or mid-October, depending on the results of the draw.
Gwangju ranked third in the K League 1 last year. For the first time since its foundation, it has won a ticket to an Asian club competition. However, the last gate remained. Gwangju originally only qualified for the playoffs (PO). If he broke through the PO, he was going to head to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC)'s top club competition, the elite (ACLE), and ACL2 if he fell.
I was lucky. It is related to the situation in the A-League of Australian professional football. Originally, the No. 1 team in the A-League will qualify for ACLE. Wellington Phoenix, which finished first, was a member of the Oceania Football Federation (OFC), not the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), so even if it finished first, it had nothing to do with the ACL. Thanks to this, the second-place Central Coast Mariners won the ACLE ticket, and Gwangju also benefited. Gwangju won the ACLE ticket as the PO opponent disappeared.
Gwangju, which won the ACLE ticket, moved quickly. The club prepared for the game at Gwangju World Cup Stadium in accordance with the ACLE game regulations. A club official said "In the past, K-League games were played at World Cup stadiums. However, after moving to the soccer stadium, there was no need to play at the World Cup Stadium. It is a situation in which maintenance is needed. It is being conducted in coordination with the sports association. We are continuing to work to improve the quality of the grass as well."
Gwangju also released a variety of new products ahead of the ACLE competition. The club opened an official online shopping mall and started selling about 30 kinds of MD products. The new MD consists of a variety of products that can add to the stadium's cheering heat, such as LED light sticks, circular pairs, and flags. In particular, it added player cards, stadium badges, and raincoats with the fans' wishes. The club has launched a variety of MD products ahead of the historic ACLE. We will continue to make efforts to move forward as a prestigious club in line with the needs of the fans."
In addition, Gwangju has also completed the preparation of the third uniform to be presented on the Asian stage. A club official hinted that `We will also present concept photos to meet the eye level of the fans.'
epi17@sportschosun.com
