‘To Host Al-Nassr and Cristiano Ronaldo…’: FC Goa Brace for Once-in-a-Lifetime Moment
Cristiano Ronaldo may travel to India to face FC Goa in an Asian Champions League 2 match, a fixture being hailed as “historic” for Indian football.
Al-Nassr of Saudi Arabia and their star-studded squad were drawn on Friday against the Indian Super League (ISL) club in Group D, alongside Istiklol of Tajikistan and Iraq’s Al-Zawraa. The top two teams from each of the eight groups will advance to the second round.
“This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime moment for FC Goa,” club CEO Ravi Puskur told The Associated Press. “To host Al-Nassr and Cristiano Ronaldo is arguably the biggest game in Indian club football history.”
Ronaldo, 40, who joined the Riyadh club in 2022, has yet to win a major trophy with Al-Nassr. The team is expected to field a full-strength squad when the action begins in September. The club also boasts star players like former Liverpool ace Sadio Mane and Portuguese forward Joao Felix, who joined from Chelsea in July.
“For Indian football, this is historic,” Puskur added. “We are here on merit, and a match like this gives us the chance to show that we can compete on the continental stage, becoming part of the sport’s biggest narratives.”
Puskur is confident that the excitement will reverberate across the country, providing a much-needed boost to Indian football. “It’s a unique opportunity to bring global attention to Indian football and, most importantly, to spark greater interest among fans nationwide, giving the game the spotlight it has long deserved,” he said.
The draw comes amid a challenging time for domestic soccer in India. The 2025-26 ISL season, scheduled to begin in September, has been suspended due to uncertainty over the renewal of the organising agreement between the Indian federation and its commercial partner, Football Sports Development Ltd., pending a Supreme Court order. Bengaluru FC, Odisha FC, and Chennaiyin FC have either halted salaries or suspended operations until a solution is reached.
“While the financial boost is important, the bigger picture is the opportunity this creates for long-term growth,” Puskur said. “The global attention, sponsorship interest, and fan engagement from a moment like this strengthen the club’s foundations, allowing us to invest in the future.”
