2024–25 AFC Champions League Two

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2024–25 AFC Champions League Two
Tournament details
TeamsCompetition proper: 32 (from 24 associations)
← 2023–24 (AFC Cup)
2025–26 →

The 2024–25 AFC Champions League Two (ACL Two) will be the first edition of the AFC Champions League Two, Asia's second-tier club football tournament organized by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). Previously known as the AFC Cup, which had been in existence for the previous 20 seasons, this was also the first running of the tournament under revamped format.[1][2] It will feature 32 teams in the group stage.[3]

Association team allocation[edit]

The associations are allocated slots according to their club competitions ranking,[4] which was published after the 2022 competitions were completed.[5]

Participation for 2024–25 AFC Champions League Two
Participating
Not participating

Teams[edit]

class=notpageimage|
Location of the 2024–25 AFC Champions League Two group stage teams
Orange: East Region; Blue: West Region

The number of appearances and last appearance are including the AFC Cup as the predecessor of the AFC Champions League Two.

Notes
  1. ^
    Malaysia (MAS): Johor Darul Ta'zim, the 2023 Malaysia FA Cup winners, also won the league title. As a result, the 2023 Malaysia Super League runners-up, Selangor, qualified for the Champions League Two.
  2. ^
    Saudi Arabia (KSA): Al Hilal and Al Nassr, the 2023–24 King Cup finalists, have already qualified to 2024-25 AFC Champions League Elite as the 2023–24 Saudi Pro League champions or runners-up, so Saudi Pro League fourth-placed team will qualify for the Champions League Two group stage.[6]
  3. ^
    United Arab Emirates (UAE): Al-Wasl, who has already qualified to Champions League Elite as 2023–24 UAE President's Cup winners, is assured of a top two finish in 2023–24 UAE Pro League, and Al Ain is assured a place in the 2024-25 AFC Champions League Elite play-off round by winning the 2023-24 AFC Champions League, so UAE Pro League third or fourth-placed team will qualify for the Champions League Two group stage if Al Ain finish in top three.
  4. ^
    Qatar (QAT): Al-Sadd had already qualified for the Champions League Elite as the 2023-24 Qatar Stars League champions has also won the 2024 Emir of Qatar Cup. Thus, second-placed Al-Rayyan have also qualified for the Champions League Elite league stage, the third-placed Al-Gharafa qualified for the Champions League Elite qualifying play-off, the fourth-placed Al-Wakrah qualified for the Champions League Two group stage.
  5. ^
    Singapore (SGP): Albirex Niigata (S), the 2023 Singapore Premier League champions, are a team from Japan and thus ineligible to represent Singapore in AFC club competitions. As a result, Lion City Sailors, the Singapore Premier League runners-up, qualified for the Champions League Two group stage. Since Lion City Sailors also won the 2023 Singapore Cup, Tampines Rovers FC, qualified for the qualifying play-offs as the second-best placed local team in the 2023 Singapore Premier League.
  6. ^
    South Korea (KOR): Pohang Steelers had already qualified for the Champions League Elite as the 2023 K League 1 runners-up when they won the 2023 Korean FA Cup. Thus, third-placed Gwangju FC qualified for the Champions League Elite qualifying play-off, while the fourth-placed Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors qualified for the Champions League Two group stage.
  7. ^
    Tajikistan (TJK): Istiklol won both the 2023 Tajikistan Higher League and 2023 Tajikistan Cup. Ravshan Kulob, as the league runners-up, enter the qualifying play-offs.
  8. ^
    Jordan(JOR): Al-Hussein-Irbid qualified for the group stage directly by winning the 2023-24 Jordanian Pro League, the 2023-24 Jordan FA Cup champions enter the qualifying playoffs.

Schedule[edit]

The schedule of the competition is as follows.[7]

Stage Round Draw date First leg Second leg
Preliminary stage Preliminary round 1 TBA 31 July 2024
Preliminary round 2 7 August 2024
Preliminary round 3 14 August 2024
Group stage Matchday 1 16 August 2024 17–19 September 2024
Matchday 2 1–3 October 2024
Matchday 3 22–24 October 2024
Matchday 4 5–7 November 2024
Matchday 5 26–28 November 2024
Matchday 6 3–5 December 2024
Knockout stage Round of 16 12 December 2024 11–13 February 2025 18–20 February 2025
Quarter-finals 4–6 March 2025 11–13 March 2025
Semi-finals 8–9 April 2025 15–16 April 2025
Final 17 May 2025

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Asian Champions League to relaunch with fewer teams and more prize money in 2024-25 season". AP News. 14 August 2023.
  2. ^ "History beckons for AFC Cup 2023/24 contenders as final edition of popular competition kicks off". the-AFC.com. Asian Football Confederation. 15 September 2023. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  3. ^ "AFC Executive Committee approves biggest prize purse in Asian club football history from 2024/25; announces AFC Women's Champions League". the-AFC.
  4. ^ "AFC Club Competitions 2024/25 Slot Allocation" (PDF). fas.org.sg. Football Association of Singapore. 10 May 2023. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  5. ^ "AFC Club Competitions Ranking". the-afc.com. Asian Football Confederation. 24 November 2021. Archived from the original on 7 January 2022. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
  6. ^ Sportstar, Team (1 May 2024). "Al Nassr vs Al Khaleej Highlights, King's Cup Semifinal: Ronaldo scores twice to help Al Nassr beat Al Khaleej 3–1". Sportstar. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
  7. ^ "AFC Competitions Committee approves key decisions on reformatted competitions". AFC. 1 July 2023.
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