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2025–26 AFC Champions League Two

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2025–26 AFC Champions League Two
Tournament details
TeamsCompetition proper: 32 (from 24 associations)

The 2025–26 AFC Champions League Two will be the 22nd edition of the Asia's second-tier club football tournament, organized by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and the second under the AFC Champions League Two title.[1][2] It will feature 32 teams in the group stage.[3] The winner will be given an indirect preliminary stage slot for the 2026–27 AFC Champions League Elite, if they have not already qualified through their domestic performance.

Association team allocation

[edit]

The associations are allocated slots according to their club competitions ranking which was published after the 2023–24 competitions were completed.[4][5] Slots are subject to later re-balancing based on the 2024–25 competition results.

Participation for 2025–2026 AFC Champions League Two
Participating
Not participating

Teams

[edit]

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

Notes
  1. ^
    China (CHN): As 2024 Chinese FA Cup winners Shanghai Port qualified for the Champions League Elite via their league position, the spot reserved for the Chinese FA Cup winners was transferred to the fourth-placed team in the 2024 Chinese Super League.
  2. ^
    Japan (JPN): As 2024 Emperor's Cup winners Vissel Kobe qualified for the Champions League Elite via their league position, the spot reserved for the Emperor's Cup winners was transferred to the fourth-placed team the 2024 J1 League.
  3. ^
    Malaysia (MAS): As 2024 Malaysia FA Cup winners Johor Darul Ta'zim qualified for the Champions League Elite via their league position, the spot reserved for the Malaysia FA Cup winners was transferred to the runners-up of the 2024–25 Malaysia Super League.
  4. ^
    Qatar (QAT): Al-Gharafa may still qualify for the Champions League Elite by winning the 2025 Emir of Qatar Cup. If so, the team finishing fourth in the 2024–25 Qatar Stars League will qualify.
  5. ^
    Singapore (SGP): Lion City Sailors may still qualify for the Champions League Elite by winning the 2024–25 AFC Champions League Two. If so, the winners of the 2024–25 Singapore Cup will qualify for the group stage, and the runners-up of the 2024–25 Singapore Premier League will enter the qualifying play-offs. If Lion City Sailors also win the Singapore Cup, then the runners-up of the Singapore Premier League will qualify for the group stage, and the third-placed team will enter the qualifying play-offs.
  6. ^
    Turkmenistan (TKM): As Arkadag won the 2024–25 AFC Challenge League, 2024 Ýokary Liga, and 2024 Turkmenistan Cup, and since Turkmenistan has no ACL Two direct slot based on its regional ranking, one additional ACL Two direct slot was allocated to Turkmenistan for Arkadag and the spot reserved for Ýokary Liga champions was transferred to the runners-up, Ahal.
  7. ^
    United Arab Emirates (UAE): As 2024–25 UAE President's Cup winners Shabab Al Ahli qualified for the Champions League Elite via their league position, the spot reserved for the UAE President’s Cup was transferred to the third-placed team in the 2024–25 UAE Pro League. The spot originally reserved for the third-placed team was then transferred to the fourth-placed team.

Schedule

[edit]

The schedule of the competition is as follows.[7] All matches will be played on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, apart from the final which will take place on a Sunday.

Stage Round Draw date West Region East Region
Preliminary Stage Preliminary stage 1 No draw[a] 30 July 2025
Preliminary stage 2 6 August 2025
Preliminary stage 3 13 August 2025
Group stage Matchday 1 TBD 16-17 September 2025 17-18 September 2025
Matchday 2 30 September and 1 October 2025 1-2 October 2025
Matchday 3 21-22 October 2025 22-23 October 2025
Matchday 4 4–5 November 2025 5-6 November 2025
Matchday 5 25–26 November 2025 26-27 November 2025
Matchday 6 9–10 December 2025 10-11 December 2025
Knockout stage Round of 16 TBD 10-11 February and 17-18 February 2026 11-12 February and 18-19 February 2026
Quarter-finals 3-4 March and 10-11 March 2026 4-5 March and 11-12 March 2026
Semi-finals 7 April and 14 April 2026 8 April and 15 April 2026
Final 16 May 2026

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Pre-determined format

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Asian Champions League to relaunch with fewer teams and more prize money in 2024–25 season". AP News. August 14, 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 13 October 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 Ranking". the-afc.com. Asian Football Confederation. Archived from the original on 2022-01-07. Retrieved 2021-12-10.
  5. ^ "AFC Club Competitions Ranking 2024". FootyRankings. 26 May 2024. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
  6. ^ "SAFF approves mechanism for participation of Saudi clubs in AFC competitions". saudi gazette.
  7. ^ "AFC Competitions Calendar (Jul 2025 – Jun 2026)" (PDF). the-AFC. 10 April 2025. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
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