By Staff Reporter
KUALA LUMPUR: The Asian Football Confederation (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 and list of licenced 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 12th-13th August 2025, while the draws for the ACL Elite League Stage and ACL Two Group Stage will be held on 15th August, with the ACGL Group Stage draw to be conducted on 28th August.
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 15th September, and two indirect slots for entry into the Preliminary Stage.
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.
The winner of each Preliminary Stage tie will progress to the Group Stage, which comprises 16 teams in each region and starts on 16th September; the three losing sides will enter the ACGL 2025/26 Group Stage.
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 25th October.
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.
