Abahani have expressed their displeasure and disappointment at not being able to participate in this year's AFC Cup.

The six-time Bangladesh Premier League champions were scheduled to play in the playoff stage of the AFC Cup against Club Eagles of Maldives but the Dhanmondi-based outfit's continued inability to host the Maldivians prompted AFC to award the tie to Club Eagles, deeming it as Abahani's withdrawal from the event.

"Taking into careful consideration the exceptional circumstances surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic, in particular the lockdown and travel restrictions in Bangladesh, the (AFC Covid-19) sub-committee decided that Abahani Limited Dhaka are considered to have withdrawn from the AFC Cup 2021 and that the situation constituted an event of force majeure," AFC said in a press release yesterday.

The sub-committee agreed to award the playoff stage slot to Club Eagles, who will face India's Bengaluru FC for a place in the AFC Cup Group D on May 11, 2021 in Maldives. The group stages begins in Maldives on May 14, with Bangladesh's Bashundhara Kings one of the four participants.

Abahani's director-in-charge Kazi Nabil Ahmed reacted with dismay at the news of the exclusion of the side from Asia's second-tier club competition.

"We have not withdrawn....AFC has deemed us as withdrawn. We were happy to go to Maldives, but they refused to host nor agreed to come here. We find this situation unjust," Nabil said in a message sent to reporters.

Abahani were originally scheduled to host Club Eagles on April 14 but the countrywide lockdown forced them to look for a neutral venue. The Dhanmondi outfit chose Kathmandu as host for the match on April 21 before looking for a venue in India later, but extended travel restrictions put paid to those plans. Eventually Abahani had expressed desire to host Club Eagles between May 5 and 7 in Dhaka, but that plan did not materialise either due to travel restrictions.