Southern Tigers pay the price as JDT, Xisco hit with AFC fines

Johor Darul Ta zim (JDT) and their head coach Xisco Munoz have been fined a total of US$13,200 by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) following their heated Asian Champions League Elite (ACLE) match against Buriram United. The penalties, imposed at the AFC Disciplinary and Ethics Committee's meeting on November 5, bring JDT's cumulative fines for the 2026-2027 season to US$15,200. This figure includes a US$2,000 fine previously given to midfielder Eddy Israfilov for a red card shown during the same match.

JDT faced the brunt of the latest sanctions, receiving US$9,450 for team misconduct due to six of their players receiving yellow cards during the game. The foul was JDT's sixth violation during the recidivism period. Additionally, the club was fined US$2,250 for causing a two-minute delay to the start of the second half, marking their third countdown violation.

Munoz was separately fined US$1,500 for failing to ensure his players concluded their preparations and exited the dressing room in line with the official countdown, leading to the delay. Buriram United also received a US$2,250 fine for their role in the delayed restart, while head coach Mario Silva was fined US$1,500.

Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia and Mohamed Simakan, one of their defenders, faced fines of US$22,500 each after Ronaldo failed to show up for a mandatory flash interview following their match against UAE side Al-Ain. Simakan received US$10,000 for not attending the interview, while Al-Nassr was ordered to pay US$12,500 for not ensuring the player fulfilled his post-match media obligations.

Al-Wasl from the UAE was the heaviest penalty recipient, fined US$80,000 for disorder during their match against Saudi Arabia's Al-Ahli. The chaos included fans throwing 80 objects, such as plastic cups, water bottles, and a signage board onto the pitch. Both Al-Nassr manager Kevin Muscat and his team, Shanghai Port, were each fined US$1,500 for remaining in the dressing room before their game against Thailand's Ratchaburi.

All sanctioned clubs and individuals must settle their fines within 30 days of receiving notification of the decisions, as per Article 11.3 of the AFC Disciplinary and Ethics Code.