Turkmen midfielder Ruslan Mingazov's team will face South Korean side “Gangwon”, Malaysian side “Kuching City”, and Cambodian side Phnom “Penh Crown” in the AFC Champions League East Zone group stage. The teams are in group “H”.

A total of 32 teams will participate in the tournament's group stage, divided into eight groups—four in the Western Zone and four in the Eastern Zone. The top two teams from each group will advance to the playoffs. The first group stage matches will be held on September 15-16 and 16-17. The tournament final will be held on May 15, 2027.

It was previously reported that Turkmen midfielder Mingazov extended his contract with Hong Kong's “Kitchee” until the summer of 2027. The 34-year-old has been with the club since April 2022. Last season, he was one of the team's leaders, scoring four goals and providing eight assists in the league, and also captained “Kitchee” for the first time. The club won the Hong Kong Premier League at the end of the 2025/26 season.

Turkmenistan's “Arkadag” is also participating in the AFC Champions League 2, but clubs from the Eastern and Western zones don't face each other until the final. Following the draw, “Arkadag” will play “Al-Jazira” (UAE), “Gol Gohar” (Iran), and “Al-Muharraq” (Bahrain) in group “B” of the Western Zone.