News ID: 324

Date: 10 June 2025 - 16:26

#AFC_Competitions

AFC men’s club competitions’ 2025/26 line-ups revealed

AFC today confirmed the list of participating clubs for the 2025/26 campaigns of its three men’s competitions.

The line-ups for the upcoming seasons of the AFC Champions League Elite™ (ACL Elite), AFC Champions League Two™ (ACL Two) and AFC Challenge League™ (ACGL) were determined in accordance with the finalised AFC Club Competitions 2025/26 slot allocations—which can be found in full here—and list of licensed clubs.

Inclusive of each competition’s Preliminary Stage, a total of 85 teams across 37 Member Associations (MAs) will be involved in Continental action, underlining the Confederation’s determination to stage top-class competitions to elevate the level of Asian football.

The Preliminary Stage will be played across August 12 and 13, 2025, while the draws for the ACL Elite League Stage and ACL Two Group Stage will be held on August 15, with the ACGL Group Stage draw to be conducted on August 28.

ACL Elite

Asia’s elite men’s club tournament will feature 13 teams across six MAs, each from the West and East regions. Each region has 11 clubs entering the League Stage, scheduled for kick-off on September 15, and two indirect slots for entry into the Preliminary Stage.

Qatar’s Al Duhail SC will take on Foolad Mobarakeh Sepahan SC of the Islamic Republic of Iran and China PR’s Chengdu Rongcheng FC will face off against Thai outfit Bangkok United, with the winner of each Preliminary Stage tie progressing to the League Stage, while the losing sides will enter the ACL Two 2025/26 Group Stage.

The full list of entries, along with the respective MA rankings and slot allocations, can be found below:

West

Rank

Member Association

Club

Direct

Indirect

1

Saudi Arabia

Al Ahli Saudi FC

-

Al Ittihad Club

Al Hilal SFC

2

United Arab Emirates

Shabab Al Ahli

Sharjah FC

Al Wahda FC**

3

Qatar

Al Sadd SC

Al Duhail SC

Al Gharafa SC

4

Islamic Republic of Iran

Tractor FC

Foolad Mobarakeh Sepahan SC

5

Uzbekistan

PFC Nasaf

-

6

Iraq

TBC*

*Club to be confirmed pending completion of ongoing domestic competition(s).

**Directly qualifies to the League Stage.

East

Rank

Member Association

Club

Direct

Indirect

1

Japan

Vissel Kobe

-

Sanfrecce Hiroshima

FC Machida Zelvia

2

Korea Republic

Ulsan HD FC

Gangwon FC

FC Seoul*

3

China PR

Shanghai Port FC

Chengdu Rongcheng FC

Shanghai Shenhua FC

4

Thailand

Buriram United

Bangkok United

5

Australia

Melbourne City FC

-

6

Malaysia

Johor Darul Ta’zim FC

*Directly qualifies to the League Stage.

ACL Two

The ACL Two features the largest cast across the AFC’s club competitions and the 2025/26 edition will see 29 sides—14 from the West region and 15 from the East (including the clubs eliminated from the ACL Elite Preliminary Stage of each region)—granted entry to the Group Stage, with six more teams to occupy the indirect slots and do battle in the Preliminary Stage.

In the West, FC Goa of India will come up against Oman’s Al Seeb Club while Tajikistan’s FC Regar-TadAZ take on Ahal FC of Turkmenistan; in the East, Philippines’ Manila Digger FC square off against Persib Bandung of Indonesia. The winner of each Preliminary Stage tie will progress to the Group Stage, which comprises 16 teams in each region and starts on September 16; the three losing sides will enter the ACGL 2025/26 Group Stage.

The full list of entries, along with the respective MA rankings and slot allocations, can be found below:

West

Rank

Member Association

Club

Direct

Indirect

1

Saudi Arabia

Al Nassr Club

-

2

United Arab Emirates

Al Wasl FC

3

Qatar

Al Ahli SC

4

Islamic Republic of Iran

Esteghlal FC

5

Uzbekistan

PFC Andijon

6

Iraq

TBC*

7

Jordan

Al Hussein

Al Wehdat**

8

Bahrain

Al Muharraq SC

Al Khaldiya SC**

9

India

Mohun Bagan Super Giant

FC Goa

10

Tajikistan

FC Istiklol

FC Regar-TadAZ

11

Turkmenistan

FC Arkadag

Ahal FC

12

Oman

-

Al Seeb Club

Note: In addition to the above, the losing team from the ACL Elite 2025/26 Preliminary Stage (West) tie between Al Duhail (QAT) and Foolad Mobarakeh Sepahan (IRN) will qualify directly for the ACL Two 2025/26 Group Stage (West).

*Club to be confirmed pending completion of ongoing domestic competition(s).

**Directly qualifies to the Group Stage.

East

Rank

Member Association

Club

Direct

Indirect

1

Japan

Gamba Osaka

-

2

Korea Republic

FC Pohang Steelers

3

China PR

Beijing FC

4

Thailand

BG Pathum United

Ratchaburi FC**

5

Australia

Macarthur FC

-

6

Malaysia

Selangor FC

7

Vietnam

TBC*

TBC*&**

8

Hong Kong, China

Tai Po

Eastern**

9

Singapore

Lion City Sailors FC

Tampines Rovers FC**

10

Philippines

Kaya FC Ilo-ilo

Manila Digger FC

11

Indonesia

-

Persib Bandung

Note: In addition to the above, the losing team from the ACL Elite 2025/26 Preliminary Stage (East) tie between Chengdu Rongcheng FC (CHN) and Bangkok United (THA) will qualify directly for the ACL Two 2025/26 Group Stage (East).

*Club to be confirmed pending completion of ongoing domestic competition(s).

**Directly qualifies to the Group Stage.

ACGL

A 26-strong cast is slated to contest the ACGL 2025/26, which will see five entries from the West region and three from the East in the Group Stage that begins on October 25.

A further 10 indirect entries will be involved in the Preliminary Stage (West), with eight clubs doing likewise in the East; match details will be finalised once all club entries are confirmed.

The full list of entries, along with the respective MA rankings and slot allocations, can be found below:

West

Rank

Member Association

Club

Direct

Indirect

11

Turkmenistan

Altyn Asyr FC

-

12

Oman

Al Shabab Club

13

Lebanon

TBC*

TBC*&**

14

Kuwait

-

Kuwait SC**

Al Arabi SC

15

Bangladesh

Abahani Limited Dhaka

Bashundhara Kings

16

Syria

TBC*

TBC*

17

Kyrgyz Republic

FC Abdysh-Ata

FC Muras United

18

Maldives

Maziya Sports & RC

22

Bhutan

Paro FC

23

Afghanistan

Abu Muslim Farah FC

Note: In addition to the above, the losing teams from the ACL Two 2025/26 Preliminary Stage (West) ties between FC Goa (IND)-Al Seeb Club (OMA) and FC Regar-TadAZ (TJK)-Ahal FC (TKM) will qualify directly for the ACGL 2025/26 Group Stage (West).

*Club to be confirmed pending completion of ongoing domestic competition(s).

**Directly qualifies to the Group Stage.

East

Rank

Member Association

Club

Direct

Indirect

11

Indonesia

-

Dewa United FC**

13

Cambodia

Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng FC**

Phnom Penh Crown FC

14

Myanmar

Shan United FC**

Yangon United FC

15

Chinese Taipei

Tainan City FC

Taichung Futuro

16

Mongolia

TBC*

TBC*

18

Laos

Ezra FC

19

Brunei Darussalam

Kasuka FC

Note: In addition to the above, the losing team from the ACL Two 2025/26 Preliminary Stage (East) tie between Manila Digger (PHI) FC and Persib Bandung (IDN) will qualify directly for the ACGL 2025/26 Group Stage (East).

*Club to be confirmed pending completion of ongoing domestic competition(s).

**Directly qualifies to the Group Stage.