AFC Champions League

The AFC Champions League Elite, known until 2024 as the AFC Champions League, is the top club football tournament in Asia, organized each year by the Asian Football Confederation. It brings together league champions and leading cup winners from across the continent to compete for the title of Asian club champion. The winner earns a place in the FIFA Club World Cup, representing Asia against champions from other confederations.

The competition's roots go back to the Asian Club Championship, first held in 1967. That early tournament featured six teams after India and Iran withdrew. Israeli clubs dominated the early years, winning five of the first six editions before Israel was expelled from the AFC in 1974. The tournament was suspended from 1972 to 1985 after Arab clubs refused to play against Maccabi Netanya. It returned in 1985 as the Asian Club Championship and ran alongside the Asian Cup Winners' Cup (from 1990) and the Asian Super Cup (from 1995). In 2002, these three competitions were merged into a single AFC Champions League, creating one unified continental champion. The first winner under the new name was Al Ain of the United Arab Emirates in 2002–03.

Starting with the 2024–25 season, the tournament was restructured and rebranded as the AFC Champions League Elite. The new format features 24 teams in the main stage, split equally into East and West Asia regions. Each team plays eight matches within its region, and the top eight from each side advance to a knockout stage. The round of 16 is two-legged, but from the quarter-finals onward all matches are single-leg at a centralized venue. A second-tier competition, the AFC Champions League 2, was also introduced at the same time. [edit]

The Asian Club Championship was first held in 1967 with six teams. Israel's Hapoel Tel Aviv won the first two editions, and Maccabi Tel Aviv added two more titles before Israel's expulsion from the AFC in 1974. The competition was suspended for 14 years after the 1972 edition was cancelled when Arab clubs refused to play Maccabi Netanya. It resumed in 1985 as the Asian Club Championship, with Daewoo Royals of South Korea winning the first post-suspension title.

The Asian Cup Winners' Cup was introduced in 1990 for domestic cup champions, and the Asian Super Cup began in 1995, pitting the winners of the club championship and the cup winners' cup against each other. This three-tournament system lasted until 2002, when the AFC merged them into a single AFC Champions League. The first champion under the unified format was Al Ain of the UAE. Saudi Arabia's Al Ittihad won back-to-back titles in 2004 and 2005. The competition grew steadily in stature, with clubs from China, Japan, South Korea, and Saudi Arabia dominating the next two decades.

In 2024, the AFC announced a major restructuring. The top-tier tournament was rebranded as the AFC Champions League Elite, with a streamlined format and increased prize money. The second-tier became the AFC Champions League 2, and a third-tier AFC Challenge League was also created. The inaugural Elite final was held in May 2025, with Al Ahli of Saudi Arabia defeating Kawasaki Frontale of Japan in Jeddah. [edit]

The AFC Champions League Elite is the highest achievement in Asian club football, and its winner represents the continent at the FIFA Club World Cup. The tournament has driven the professionalization and international visibility of clubs across Asia, particularly in Saudi Arabia, Japan, South Korea, China, and the UAE. Clubs that win the competition often see a significant boost in revenue and global recognition, and the tournament has helped raise the standard of football infrastructure and youth development in many member nations. The rivalry between East and West Asian clubs adds a layer of continental pride to the competition, and the rebranding to Elite reflects the AFC's ambition to elevate the tournament's status alongside European and South American counterparts. [edit]

The 1972 Asian Club Championship was cancelled after Arab clubs refused to play against Israeli champion Maccabi Netanya, triggering a 14-year hiatus of the competition. Israel was subsequently expelled from the AFC in 1974. The tournament has also faced criticism over the years for frequent format changes and the geographical imbalance between East and West Asia, which led to the introduction of regional group stages. The rebranding to AFC Champions League Elite in 2024 was seen by some as an attempt to increase commercial appeal rather than a genuine competitive improvement. [edit]