Tonight at 20:00.
Shandong Taishan prefecture level city in Shandong
will have a crucial game at home as they take on Thailand in the AFC Elite League playoffs against the
Bangkok Union
. The match not only determines whether Taishan will advance to the AFC Elite League main round, but also directly affects the future of manager Choi Kang-hee's reign and the club's attractiveness to potential investors.
For Shandong Taishan, this match is a "battle of destiny". If the team is able to win the match, it will advance to the main round of the new season's AFC Elite League and have the opportunity to compete for more prizes and honors at a higher level of the competition. The AFC Elite League has a participation prize of US$800,000 (approximately RMB 5.74 million), with an additional US$100,000 for each win. If you can advance all the way to the final, the final prize for the winner is as much as US$10 million, while the runner-up gets US$4 million.
However, if Taishan loses this match, they will have to play in the AFC Second Division League. Compared to the elite league, the prize money and influence of the second tier league is significantly inferior. The entry prize for the group stage is only US$300,000, with US$2.5 million for the winner and US$1 million for the runner-up. This will not only have a significant impact on the club's financial returns, but will also affect the club's influence at home and abroad to some extent.
Shandong Taishan had reached the quarter-finals of the AFC Champions League last season, earning a total of US$800,000 in prize money from the group stage to the knockout phase. This time, facing Bangkok United, Taishan will not only fight for the victory, but also for a broader prospect. The Taishan fans and the club all hope that the team can successfully advance and lay a solid foundation for the new season's AFC Champions League journey.
