Kuala Lumpur, April 14: The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Competition Committee has proposed an increase in the number of clubs participating in the AFC Champions League Elite (ACL Elite) from 24 to 32.
Under the new structure, the competition will be evenly divided, featuring 16 teams from both the Eastern and Western regions.
An official statement from the AFC noted, “This expansion aims to provide elite clubs with the opportunity to compete with the continent’s best teams. It also seeks to promote higher standards of professionalism and performance within domestic leagues across Asia.”
At the conclusion of the league phase, the clubs finishing in the top six of each region will qualify directly for the ‘Round of 16.’ Clubs ranked seventh to tenth will not be eliminated; instead, they will advance to a newly established knockout playoff stage.
The statement further mentioned, “The criteria for progressing beyond the league phase will also be revised to enhance the significance of the early rounds, which will take effect after the 2026/27 season.”
Currently, the structure divides 24 teams into two regions (Eastern and Western), with each region containing 12 teams. Based on seeding, each team plays eight matches in the group stage, with the top eight teams from each region qualifying for the ‘Round of 16.’
To reward better performance during the league phase, the higher-ranked club in each matchup, particularly those finishing in seventh and eighth place, will retain the advantage of playing at home. The winners of these playoff matches will secure the remaining spots in the ‘Round of 16,’ ensuring that every position in the league phase remains crucial until the final matchday.
The AFC stated that “due to the current congestion in the global competition calendar, the knockout playoff stage will not be implemented for the 2026/27 season. It is currently planned to be introduced in later seasons.”
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