AFC Champions League Elite
FIFA Region
AFC
Season
2025-2026
Location
Asia/Australia
Abbreviation
AFCCL
Summary
The 2025-2026 AFC Champions League Elite (AFCCL) is Asia's premier club football tournament where 26 top premier league/1st division club teams from 12 AFC participating F/As (football associations) are represented. The 2025-2026 winner will play in the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup and the 2026 FIFA Intercontinental Cup.
The 2025-2026 AFCCL Team Allocation table details club team slots earned by each F/A for the 2025-2026 AFC competitions . Overall F/A rankings are based on the AFC F/A Rankings published on 18 May 2025.
Al-Ahli Saudi SFC (KSA1) are the defending AFCCL champion.
More Info...
2025-2026 AFCCL Team Allocation
| AFC | AFCCL Stage | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F/A | Rank | Group | Playoff | Prelim | ||
| Saudi Arabia | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Japan | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Korea Republic | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| United Arab Emirates | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Qatar | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Iran | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Thailand | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| China PR | 8 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Uzbekistan | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Australia | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Malaysia | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Iraq | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Competition Structure
| Stage | # Teams | New Teams Entering This Round | Teams From Previous Round | Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preliminary Round | 4 | 1 team each from China PR, Iran, Qatar and Thailand | 4 Knockout matches, most goals advance | |
| League Stage | 24 | East Region: 3 teams each from Japan, Korea Republic; 2 teams from China PR; 1 team each from Australia, Malaysia, Thailand; West Region: 3 teams each from Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates; 2 teams from Qatar; 1 team each from Iran, Iraq, Uzbekistan | 2 winners from Preliminary Round | 2 groups (Regions) of 12 with Home/Away matches (played at centralized venues) against each team in group, top 8 teams in each region advance |
| Round of 16 | 16 | None | top 8 teams each from East and West regions, 8 group runners-up | 8 sets of Home/Away matches, highest aggregate goals advances |
| Quarterfinals | 8 | None | 8 winners from Round of 16 | 4 sets of Home/Away matches, highest aggregate goals advances |
| Semifinals | 4 | None | 4 winners from Quarterfinals | 2 sets of Home/Away matches, highest aggregate goals advances |
| Final | 2 | None | 2 winners from Semifinals | 1 match played at a neutral site |
Group Stage
| Group East | League | Home | Road | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POS | MP | W - D - L | PTS | CPTS | GF | GA | GD | MP | W - D - L | PTS | GF | GA | GD | MP | W - D - L | PTS | GF | GA | GD | |
| 1 | Vissel Kobe (JPN1) | 1 | 1 -0-0 | 3 | - | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 -0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 -0-0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 2 | Sanfrecce Hiroshima (JPN1) | 1 | 1 -0-0 | 3 | - | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 -0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 -0-0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 3 | Ulsan Hyundai FC (KOR1) | 1 | 1 -0-0 | 3 | - | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 -0-0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 -0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Buriram United FC (THA1) | 1 | 1 -0-0 | 3 | - | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 -0-0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 -0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | Gangwon FC (KOR1) | 1 | 1 -0-0 | 3 | - | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 -0-0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 -0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | FC Machida Zelvia (JPN1) | 1 | 0 -1-0 | 1 | - | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 -1-0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 -0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | FC Seoul (KOR1) | 1 | 0 -1-0 | 1 | - | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 -0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 -1-0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 8 | Chengdu Rongcheng FC (CHN1) | 1 | 0 -0-1 | 0 | - | 1 | 2 | -1 | 0 | 0 -0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 -0-1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | -1 |
| 9 | Johor Darul Ta'zim (MAS1) | 1 | 0 -0-1 | 0 | - | 1 | 2 | -1 | 0 | 0 -0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 -0-1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | -1 |
| 10 | Shanghai Shenhua FC (CHN1) | 1 | 0 -0-1 | 0 | - | 1 | 2 | -1 | 0 | 0 -0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 -0-1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | -1 |
| 11 | Melbourne City (AUS1) | 1 | 0 -0-1 | 0 | - | 0 | 2 | -2 | 1 | 0 -0-1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -2 | 0 | 0 -0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | Shanghai Port FC (CHN1) | 1 | 0 -0-1 | 0 | - | 0 | 3 | -3 | 1 | 0 -0-1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | -3 | 0 | 0 -0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Round of 16 Withdrew | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Date | Home | Status | Road | Venue | ||||
| 16.09.25 |  | 02 | Sanfrecce Hiroshima | AAMI Park |
 | 21 | Shanghai Shenhua FC | Chuncheon Songam Stadium |
 | 11 | FC Seoul | Machida GION Stadium |
 | 21 | Johor Darul Ta'zim | Chang Arena |
| 17.09.25 |  | 21 | Chengdu Rongcheng FC | Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium |
 | 03 | Vissel Kobe | SAIC Motor Pudong Arena |
| 30.09.25 | | Buriram United FC | Sangam Stadium |
| Shanghai Port FC | Edion Peace Wing Hiroshima |
| Gangwon FC | Phoenix Hill Football Stadium |
| FC Machida Zelvia | Sultan Ibrahim Stadium |
| 01.10.25 | | Melbourne City | Noevir Stadium Kobe |
| Ulsan Hyundai FC | Shanghai Stadium |
| 21.10.25 | | Buriram United FC | AAMI Park |
| Sanfrecce Hiroshima | Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium |
| Johor Darul Ta'zim | Phoenix Hill Football Stadium |
| FC Machida Zelvia | Shanghai Stadium |
| 22.10.25 | | Vissel Kobe | Chuncheon Songam Stadium |
| FC Seoul | Shanghai Stadium |
| 04.11.25 | | Chengdu Rongcheng FC | Sangam Stadium |
| Melbourne City | Machida GION Stadium |
| Gangwon FC | Edion Peace Wing Hiroshima |
| Shanghai Port FC | Chang Arena |
| 05.11.25 | | Ulsan Hyundai FC | Noevir Stadium Kobe |
| Shanghai Shenhua FC | Sultan Ibrahim Stadium |
| 25.11.25 | | Johor Darul Ta'zim | AAMI Park |
| FC Seoul | SAIC Motor Pudong Arena |
| FC Machida Zelvia | Chuncheon Songam Stadium |
| Sanfrecce Hiroshima | Phoenix Hill Football Stadium |
| 26.11.25 | | Buriram United FC | Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium |
| Vissel Kobe | Shanghai Stadium |
| 09.12.25 | | Chengdu Rongcheng FC | Noevir Stadium Kobe |
| Ulsan Hyundai FC | Machida GION Stadium |
| Gangwon FC | Chang Arena |
| Shanghai Port FC | Sultan Ibrahim Stadium |
| 10.12.25 | | Melbourne City | Sangam Stadium |
| Shanghai Shenhua FC | Edion Peace Wing Hiroshima |
| 10.02.26 | | FC Seoul | Noevir Stadium Kobe |
| Johor Darul Ta'zim | Edion Peace Wing Hiroshima |
| FC Machida Zelvia | Shanghai Stadium |
| Buriram United FC | Phoenix Hill Football Stadium |
| 11.02.26 | | Shanghai Port FC | Chuncheon Songam Stadium |
| Melbourne City | Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium |
| 17.02.26 | | Sanfrecce Hiroshima | Sangam Stadium |
| Chengdu Rongcheng FC | Machida GION Stadium |
| Shanghai Shenhua FC | Chang Arena |
| Vissel Kobe | Sultan Ibrahim Stadium |
| 18.02.26 | | Gangwon FC | AAMI Park |
| Ulsan Hyundai FC | SAIC Motor Pudong Arena |
| Group West | League | Home | Road | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POS | MP | W - D - L | PTS | CPTS | GF | GA | GD | MP | W - D - L | PTS | GF | GA | GD | MP | W - D - L | PTS | GF | GA | GD | |
| 1 | Al-Ahli Saudi SFC (KSA1) | 1 | 1 -0-0 | 3 | - | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 -0-0 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 -0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | Sharjah FC (UAE1) | 1 | 1 -0-0 | 3 | - | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 -0-0 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 -0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | Al-Hilal FC (Riyadh) (KSA1) | 1 | 1 -0-0 | 3 | - | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 -0-0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 -0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Al-Wahda FC (UAE1) | 1 | 1 -0-0 | 3 | - | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 -0-0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 -0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | Shabab Al Ahli Club (UAE1) | 1 | 0 -1-0 | 1 | - | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 -1-0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 -0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | Tractor Sazi Tabriz FC (IRN1) | 1 | 0 -1-0 | 1 | - | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 -0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 -1-0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 7 | Al-Shorta SC (IRQ1) | 1 | 0 -1-0 | 1 | - | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 -1-0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 -0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | Al-Sadd SC (QAT1) | 1 | 0 -1-0 | 1 | - | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 -0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 -1-0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 9 | Al-Gharafa SC (QAT1) | 1 | 0 -0-1 | 0 | - | 3 | 4 | -1 | 0 | 0 -0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 -0-1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | -1 |
| 10 | Al-Duhail SC (QAT1) | 1 | 0 -0-1 | 0 | - | 1 | 2 | -1 | 0 | 0 -0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 -0-1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | -1 |
| 11 | Al-Ittihad FC (KSA1) | 1 | 0 -0-1 | 0 | - | 1 | 2 | -1 | 0 | 0 -0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 -0-1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | -1 |
| 12 | FC Nasaf (UZB1) | 1 | 0 -0-1 | 0 | - | 2 | 4 | -2 | 0 | 0 -0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 -0-1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | -2 |
Round of 16 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Date | Home | Status | Road | Venue | ||||
| 15.09.25 |  | 43 | Al-Gharafa SC | Sharjah Stadium |
 | 21 | Al-Ittihad FC | Al-Nahyan Stadium |
 | 11 | Al-Sadd SC | Al-Shaab Stadium |
 | 42 | FC Nasaf | Al Inma Bank Stadium at King Abdullah Sport City |
| 16.09.25 |  | 11 | Tractor Sazi Tabriz FC | Rashid Stadium |
 | 21 | Al-Duhail SC | Kingdom Arena |
| 29.09.25 | | Al-Hilal FC (Riyadh) | Markaziy Stadion (Qarshi) |
| Al-Wahda FC | Yadegar-e-Emam Stadium |
| Al-Shorta SC | Thani Bin Jassim Stadium |
| Al-Ahli Saudi SFC | Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium |
| 30.09.25 | | Sharjah FC | Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium |
| Shabab Al Ahli Club | Al Inma Bank Stadium at King Abdullah Sport City |
| 20.10.25 | | Al-Duhail SC | Al-Nahyan Stadium |
| Tractor Sazi Tabriz FC | Sharjah Stadium |
| Al-Ittihad FC | Al-Shaab Stadium |
| Al-Gharafa SC | Al Inma Bank Stadium at King Abdullah Sport City |
| 21.10.25 | | FC Nasaf | Rashid Stadium |
| Al-Sadd SC | Kingdom Arena |
| 03.11.25 | | Al-Wahda FC | Markaziy Stadion (Qarshi) |
| Al-Shorta SC | Yadegar-e-Emam Stadium |
| Shabab Al Ahli Club | Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium |
| Al-Hilal FC (Riyadh) | Thani Bin Jassim Stadium |
| 04.11.25 | | Al-Ahli Saudi SFC | Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium |
| Sharjah FC | Al Inma Bank Stadium at King Abdullah Sport City |
| 24.11.25 | | Tractor Sazi Tabriz FC | Markaziy Stadion (Qarshi) |
| Al-Ittihad FC | Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium |
| Al-Gharafa SC | Rashid Stadium |
| Sharjah FC | Al Inma Bank Stadium at King Abdullah Sport City |
| 25.11.25 | | Al-Sadd SC | Al-Nahyan Stadium |
| Al-Shorta SC | Kingdom Arena |
| 22.12.25 | | Al-Duhail SC | Yadegar-e-Emam Stadium |
| Al-Hilal FC (Riyadh) | Sharjah Stadium |
| Al-Ahli Saudi SFC | Al-Shaab Stadium |
| Al-Wahda FC | Thani Bin Jassim Stadium |
| 23.12.25 | | Shabab Al Ahli Club | Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium |
| FC Nasaf | Al Inma Bank Stadium at King Abdullah Sport City |
| 09.02.26 | | Al-Shorta SC | Markaziy Stadion (Qarshi) |
| Al-Ahli Saudi SFC | Al-Nahyan Stadium |
| Al-Hilal FC (Riyadh) | Rashid Stadium |
| Sharjah FC | Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium |
| 10.02.26 | | Al-Sadd SC | Yadegar-e-Emam Stadium |
| Al-Gharafa SC | Al Inma Bank Stadium at King Abdullah Sport City |
| 16.02.26 | | Shabab Al Ahli Club | Al Inma Bank Stadium at King Abdullah Sport City |
| FC Nasaf | Sharjah Stadium |
| Al-Duhail SC | Al-Shaab Stadium |
| Al-Wahda FC | Kingdom Arena |
| 17.02.26 | | Tractor Sazi Tabriz FC | Thani Bin Jassim Stadium |
| Al-Ittihad FC | Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium |
Preliminary Round 1
| Date | Home | Status | Road | Venue | ||||
Tue - 12 Aug 2025
| 30 | Bangkok United FC (THA1) | Phoenix Hill Football Stadium |
| 32 | Foolad Mobarakeh Sepahan FC (IRN1) | Khalifa International Stadium |