The dream run is over for Iranian club Tractor in the Asian Champions League Elite. Their campaign came to a halt in the round of 16 on Tuesday, falling 3-0 to a clinical Shabab Al Ahli side from the United Arab Emirates in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

The match presented a unique challenge for Tractor, who had not played a competitive fixture since late February following military strikes against Iran. Shabab Al Ahli capitalized, with goals from Yuri Cesar, Iranian international Saeid Ezatolahi, and Brazilian forward Mateusao sealing a comprehensive victory. The Dubai-based club now advances to a Saturday quarterfinal showdown against Thailand's Buriram United.

In other knockout action, Al Ittihad of Saudi Arabia needed extra time to secure their quarterfinal berth. A dramatic 120th-minute penalty from Fabinho gave them a 1-0 win over the UAE's Al Wahda, setting up a clash with Japan's Machida Zelvia. All knockout-stage matches are being held in a centralized venue in Jeddah, with the final scheduled for April 25.

Off the pitch, the Asian Football Confederation has proposed a major format change for future tournaments. A recommendation was made to expand the competition from 24 to 32 clubs starting in the 2026-27 season, while maintaining a balanced 16-team split between East and West regions. The new format would see only the top six from each group automatically advance to the round of 16, with clubs finishing seventh to tenth entering a new knockout stage playoff instead of being eliminated. This proposal awaits final ratification by the AFC's Executive Committee.