News ID: 147

Date: 01 August 2024 - 01:32

AFC Champions League Elite

Preliminary battles to kick-start #ACLElite 2024/25

Kuala Lumpur: Five teams will embark on their quest to scale the pinnacle of Asian men’s club football this month when the Preliminary Stage of the AFC Champions League Elite™ (ACL Elite) 2024/25 takes place from August 6 to 13.

Having each been allocated indirect slots for the prestigious competition, Qatar’s Al Gharafa SC, Islamic Republic of Iran’s Foolad Mobarakeh Sepahan SC and United Arab Emirates’ Shabab Al Ahli will vie for one berth in the League Stage (West), while China PR’s Shandong Taishan FC will square off against Thailand’s Bangkok United to decide likewise for the East.

The two winning teams will join the 22 clubs that have qualified directly for the League Stage, while the three eliminated sides will directly enter the ACL Two Group Stage.

The ACL Elite 2024/25 Preliminary Stage kicks off at 7.45pm in the West on Tuesday when Sepahan host Shabab Al Ahli at the Naghsh-e-Jahan Stadium in Isfahan.

The home side, who earned their spot by virtue of winning the 2023/24 Hazfi Cup for a fifth time, have appeared on Asia’s pinnacle club stage on 14 occasions – the most by a club from IR Iran. The five-time league champions were defeated finalists in 2007 and reached the Round of 16 in the 2023/24 season.

Shabab Al Ahli will aim to extend their unbeaten record against Sepahan, having won once and drawn the other during their only two meetings to date, which came in the AFC Champions League™ 2014 Group Stage. Eight-time winners of the UAE Pro League, Shabab Al Ahli were runners-up in the 2023/24 league season and have nine previous AFC Champions League™ appearances under their belt – reaching the 2015 Final is their best ever finish.

The winner of the tie will go on to face Al Gharafa on August 13 for the right to reach the League Stage (West), with kick-off set for 6.30pm at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor. The Qatari side, who have won the league eight times, finished third in the 2023/24 campaign and will eye a return to top-tier Continental action after missing out in the previous season. Al Gharafa, who have qualified to the AFC Champions League™ nine times, count a Quarter-final finish in 2010 as their best achievement.

Also on August 13, Shandong Taishan welcome Bangkok United to the Jinan Olympic Sports Centre as both vie for the sole League Stage (East) spot in a clash that begins at 8pm.

A runners-up finish in the 2023 Chinese Super League (CSL) saw Taishan take their place at this stage and the four-time CSL winners, who reached the last eight for the third time during the AFC Champions League™ 2023/24 season, will surpass Guangzhou’s FC record for the most tournament appearances if they come out on top.

Bangkok United, who will meet their opponents for the first time, finished second in the 2023/24 Thai League 1 and added a maiden Thai FA Cup triumph to go along with it. The 2006 league champions ended a 16-year absence from the AFC Champions League™ by qualifying for the previous edition – where they reached the Round of 16 – and will hope to appear for a third time in the tournament.

Following the determination of the 24-strong cast, a draw will be conducted on August 16 to decide fixtures for the League Stage, which comprises two leagues of 12 teams – one each for the West and East regions – to be played from September 16, 2024 to February 19, 2025 with each team to play against eight different opponents within its region in the form of four home and four away matches.

The 22 teams that have qualified directly for the League Stage are listed below:

West: Al Hilal SFC, Al Nassr Club, Al Ahli Saudi FC (all KSA), Al Sadd SC, Al Rayyan SC (both QAT), Persepolis FC, Esteghlal FC (both IRN), Al Ain FC, Al Wasl FC (both UAE), Pakhtakor (UZB), Al Shorta (IRQ)

East: Vissel Kobe, Kawasaki Frontale, Yokohama F. Marinos (all JPN), Ulsan HD FC, FC Pohang Steelers, Gwangju FC (all KOR), Shanghai Port FC, Shanghai Shenhua FC (both CHN), Buriram United (THA), Central Coast Mariners (AUS), Johor Darul Ta’zim FC (MAS)

The top eight teams from each League advance to the Round of 16, which will be followed by a unique centralised Finals that will be contested in Saudi Arabia.