Articles by Martin Lowe

About Martin Lowe

Martin Lowe is a freelance football writer who has been covering Asian football for the best part of the last decade. He appeared on Al Jazeera English television and Football Nation Radio during the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, whilst writing for Sandals for Goalposts and other Asian football focused platforms. He has been a senior contributor to The Asian Game website since our launch in 2019.

Is history about to repeat for Qatar on the world stage?

June 1, 2026 Martin Lowe

Three and a half years on from their infamous group stage elimination, Qatar return to the FIFA World Cup under vastly different circumstances. The scrutiny is lower, the expectations more subdued, yet any sense of […]

Cannavaro names extended squad as Uzbekistan begin World Cup preparations

May 8, 2026 Martin Lowe

The year 2026 always shaped up to be a significant one for Uzbek football, and with the national team’s excitement ramping up ahead of a first FIFA World Cup appearance in just over a month’s […]

Can anyone stop Saudi Arabia’s continental dominance?

April 12, 2026 Martin Lowe

The AFC Champions League (ACL) Elite concludes over the coming fortnight, as an unexpectedly expanded finals series returns to Jeddah for its second edition. With the ongoing conflict in Iran forcing the postponement of the […]

Uzbekistan win but questions remain ahead of World Cup debut

March 31, 2026 Martin Lowe

Uzbekistan signed off on their World Cup preparations with an undefeated final international window, a penalty shoot-out victory, and an inaugural FIFA Series triumph in their home send off. Departing for the final domestic season […]

World Cup preparations thrown into chaos against the backdrop of ongoing war

March 25, 2026 Martin Lowe

It’s only three months to go until the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off in Mexico City. A historic tournament, not just for Asian football, but specifically West Asia, as expansion brings with it exposure […]

What we learned as ACL Elite league stage comes to a conclusion

February 19, 2026 Martin Lowe

The AFC Champions League Elite rounded off its league stage over the past fortnight, as the very best in Asia set their sights on the knockout stage next month; the stage almost set for the […]

Japan make history with U23 Asian Cup victory

January 26, 2026 Martin Lowe

A familiar sight greeted those in attendance at the Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Sports City Stadium in Jeddah on Saturday night, as Japan, once again, stood atop the podium, lifting a record third AFC U23 Asian […]

Still finding its place, AFC U23 Asian Cup kicks off new year in Asia

January 3, 2026 Martin Lowe

A new year of Asian football gets underway next week, with the start of the month-long AFC U23 Asian Cup kicking off in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. However, for a tournament that has existed for […]

Uzbekistan welcomes change at the top of its domestic game

December 2, 2025 Martin Lowe

A third different name on the trophy in as many years, late drama in the AFC Champions League qualification race, and a relegation battle that went down to the wire. For once, the Uzbek Super […]

The remarkable rise of Abdukodir Khusanov

January 21, 2025 Martin Lowe

On Monday evening, Abdukodir Khusanov made history, in becoming the first Uzbek player to sign for a Premier League club, following his big money move to champions Manchester City. His transfer marks a truly remarkable […]