AIPS ASIA News:

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) today confirmed the list of participating clubs for the 2025/26 campaigns of its three men’s competitions.

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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*

**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

 
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

*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

*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

*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