Kaya Iloilo grouped with Patrick Reichelt's KL City, Jeff Tabinas' Buriram after Shopee Cup draw

Kaya Iloilo will play Patrick Reichelt and Jeff Tabinas' clubs in the Shopee Cup group stages. PFL (file photo)

By Ivan Saldajeno

MANILA--Kaya Iloilo was grouped with some friends following Thursday's group draw for the Shopee Cup in Ho Chi Minh.

The reigning PFL champion, led by national team standout Jarvey Gayoso, was drawn into Group B along with Malaysia's Kuala Lumpur City, Thailand's Buriram United, Vietnam's Cong An Hanoi, Indonesia's Borneo Samarinda, and Singapore's Lion City Sailors.

Patrick Reichelt is currently with KL City, while Jeff Tabinas is with Buriram.

The other, Group A, currently has BG Pathum United, Terengganu, PSM Makassar, and Thanh Hoa in it.

The last two clubs to complete Group A will be decided through two qualifying ties.

Laotian side Young Elephants and Cambodian club Svay Rieng collide in one qualifier, while Kasuka of Brunei takes on Shan United of Myanmar in the other qualifying series.

The two-legged qualifiers will happen on July 17 and 24.

Making its return after 19 years, the Shopee Cup, formerly known as the ASEAN Club Championship, pits the top clubs from 10 Southeast Asian countries.

Kaya Iloilo became the second Filipino side to join the Shopee Cup after Army took part in the inaugural staging in 2003.

Follow him on X: @IvanSaldajeno