AFC Champions League

Asia's most prestigious club football tournament organized by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), reorganized as the 'AFC Champions League Elite' starting from the 2024-25 season.

AFC Champions League

Overview

The AFC Champions League (ACL) is the most prestigious club football tournament in the Asia-Pacific region, organized by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). It was launched in 1967 under the name Asian Club Championship, and was reorganized into its current name, the AFC Champions League, in the 2002-03 season. Participation is granted to top clubs from each country's league, and it is the stage that determines the strongest club in Asian football as well as a key competition offering a berth in the FIFA Club World Cup.

Key Details

History and Evolution

The tournament's origin is the Asian Club Championship, which began in 1967. In the early days, the number of participating countries and matches was small, so its stature was low, but in 2002 the AFC fully reorganized the competition, introducing the AFC Champions League brand and greatly expanding prize money and broadcasting rights. Since then, it has undergone several format reorganizations—in 2009, 2013, 2021, and so on—establishing the group stage and knockout tournament structure. Clubs from major Asian leagues such as Korea, Japan, China, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iran, and the UAE have consistently competed for the title.

Tournament Structure

Traditionally, the tournament was divided into the East Zone and the West Zone for the group stage, with the competition proceeding along regional lines up to the final. The group stage consisted of groups of four teams playing home and away, with the top one or two teams from each group advancing to the round of 16. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, a single centralized venue format was introduced. The winning team receives a berth in the next season's AFC Champions League main competition, along with a spot in the FIFA Club World Cup and substantial prize money.

Achievements of Korean Clubs

K League clubs have shown strength on the Asian stage. Seongnam Ilhwa (now Seongnam FC) reached the top in 1995 and 2010, and Suwon Samsung won consecutive titles in 2001 and 2002. Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors won twice, in 2006 and 2016, while Pohang Steelers (2009) and Ulsan Hyundai (2012, 2020) also lifted the trophy. The K League ranks among the top Asian leagues in total titles won, symbolizing the stature of Korean club football.

Major Rivals and Powerhouse Clubs

Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal, Al Nassr, Al Ittihad, and Al Ahli have built formidable squads by signing world-class star players backed by enormous capital. Japan's Yokohama F. Marinos, Kawasaki Frontale, and Urawa Red Diamonds; China's Guangzhou Evergrande (now Guangzhou FC); Qatar's Al Sadd and Al Duhail; and the UAE's Al Ain are also counted among the representative powerhouses. The East vs. West Asia clashes between these clubs are the tournament's biggest draw.

Latest Trends

Starting with the 2024-25 season, the AFC fully reorganized the competition into a two-tier structure: the AFC Champions League Elite (ACLE) and the AFC Champions League Two (ACL2). ACLE, the top-tier competition, introduced a new format in which a total of 24 teams—12 each from East and West Asia—play a single league phase (eight matches, similar to the Swiss system), after which the top teams advance to the round of 16. This is seen as a change in step with the trend of expansion and reorganization of the UEFA Champions League.

The inaugural ACLE title was won in May 2025 by Saudi Arabia's Al-Ahli Saudi FC, which defeated Japan's Kawasaki Frontale in the final to take the top spot. Meanwhile, in ACL2, the UAE's Sharjah FC won the title. As Saudi Pro League clubs continue massive investment, led by superstars such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema, analysts say the polarization of capital and squad strength in Asian club football is deepening. K League clubs are also adapting to the reorganized format and continuing to strengthen their squads and innovate tactically to restore East Asian competitiveness.

In addition, the AFC is pursuing a strategy to raise the tournament's commercial value by greatly expanding prize money and strengthening broadcasting and marketing rights. Its connection with the FIFA Club World Cup, which is being expanded from 2025, is also affecting the tournament's stature.