Shanghai Port fined $1,500 by AFC

The AFC has announced disciplinary sanctions against Shanghai Port and the club's head coach, Kevin Muscat, with both receiving fines of $1,500 for a delayed kick-off in an away match in the AFC Champions League Elite.

The incident occurred on September 15 during the league stage of the 2026-27 AFC Champions League Elite, when Shanghai Port travelled to Thailand to face Ratchaburi FC.

According to the AFC's disciplinary records, members of the Shanghai Port team failed to comply with the official match countdown procedures, as they did not leave the dressing room in time to complete all pre-match preparations. This directly resulted in a two-minute delay to the kick-off of the first half. Muscat was also held responsible for failing to ensure that his players followed the required pre-match procedures.