KUALA LUMPUR: On 15th August 2025, the Asian Football Confederation(AFC) held the draw ceremony for the 2025-26 AFC Champions League Elite and Champions League Two.
ACL Elite Overview
This year will mark the 44th edition of the tournament as Asia’s top teams will feature once again in the ACL Elite. 24 teams have been drawn into two groups of twelve, west and east region. The west region includes the likes of Saudi Pro League teams Al Ahli, Al Hilal and Al Ittihad. Al Sadd, Al Duhail and Al Gharafa will be representing the Qatar Stars League.
The UAE Pro League will be represented by Shabab Al Ahli, Sharjah and Al Wahda. Other teams include Iraq’s Al Shorta, Iran’s Tractor and Uzbekistan’s Nasaf. The east region features Australian Giants Melbourne City.
South Korea will be represented by three teams as well, FC Seoul, Gangwon FC and Ulsan HD. Likewise, Machida Zelvia, Sanfrecce Hiroshima and Vissel Kobe will travel from Japan. Other teams include China’s Chengdu Rongcheng, Shanghai Port and Shanghai Shenhua.
The League stage will begin on 15 September and will last till 18 February 2026. With each team playing 4 home and 4 away games. Teams progressing from this stage will feature in the Round of 16, which will take place in March. Followed by the Quarter-finals and semi-finals, eventually leading to the final, all being held in Saudi Arabia in April.
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Al Hilal has won the title on four occasions, being the most successful team in the event’s history. Al Ahli are the defending champions, having defeated Kawasaki Frontale 2-0 last year. The winner of this edition will also book their ticket to the FIFA 2029 Club World Cup.
ACL Two Overview
The ACL Two draw stole the spotlight, featuring Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr. Indian football fans are excited at the possibility of the 5-time Ballon d’Or winner playing in India. Al Nassr was drawn in Group D of the ACL Two, alongside FC Goa. 2024-25 Indian Super League winners, Mohun Bagan Super Giant, have been drawn in Group C of the ACL Two.
The draw featured 32 teams from 26 nations, who were drawn into two regions, each consisting of four groups of four. The second division of the Asian Champions League will follow a similar format to the first division, with the group stage lasting from 16 September to 11 December.
Al Kuwait and Iraq’s Al Quwa Al Jawiya are the most successful teams in history, winning the competition thrice. The previous edition was won by Sharjah, who beat Singapore’s Lion City Sailors 2-1. The event has taken place 22 times in history.
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