View source for AFC Champions League Elite

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2013}}

{{Infobox football tournament
| logo                 = File:AFC Champions League 2008 logo.svg
| upright              = 0.9
| founded              = {{Start date and age|df=yes|1967}} (since 2002 in its current format)
| region               = [[Asia]] ([[Asian Football Confederation|AFC]])
| number of teams      = 45 (total)<br/>32 (group stage)
| qualifier for        = [[FIFA Club World Cup]]
| related comps        = [[AFC Cup]]
| current champions    = {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Kashima Antlers]] (1st title)
| most successful club = {{flagicon|KOR}} [[Pohang Steelers]] (3 titles)
| website              = [http://www.the-afc.com/competition/afc-champions-league AFC Champions League]
| current              = [[2019 AFC Champions League]]
}}

The '''AFC Champions League''', commonly known as the '''Asian Champions League''', is an annual [[continent]]al [[football team|club]] [[association football|football]] competition organised by the [[Asian Football Confederation]] (AFC). Introduced in 2002, the competition is a continuation of the '''Asian Club Championship''' which had started in 1967. It is the premier club tournament in Asia, equivalent to the [[CONMEBOL]] [[Copa Libertadores]], and the [[UEFA Champions League|UEFA]], [[CAF Champions League|CAF]], [[CONCACAF Champions League|CONCACAF]] and [[OFC Champions League|OFC]] Champions League competitions.

A total of 32 clubs compete in the round robin group stage of the competition. Clubs from Asia's strongest national leagues receive automatic berths, with clubs from lower-ranked nations eligible to qualify via the qualifying playoffs, and they are also eligible to participate in the [[AFC Cup]]. Since 2009, the champions do not qualify automatically for the following year's competition. The winner of the AFC Champions League qualifies for the [[FIFA Club World Cup]].

The most successful club in the competition is the [[Pohang Steelers]] with a total of three titles. The [[2018 AFC Champions League|reigning champions]] of the competition are the [[Kashima Antlers]], who won the competition for the first time.

==History==

===1967–2002: Beginnings===
The competition started as the Asian Club Championship, a tournament for the champions of each [[Asian Football Confederation|AFC]] nation, and had a variety of different formats, with the inaugural tournament staged as a straightforward knockout format and the following three editions consisting of a group stage. [[List of football clubs in Israel|Israeli clubs]] dominated the first four editions of the competition, partly due to [[Boycotts of Israel in sports|the refusal of Arab teams to face them]]. In [[1970 Asian Club Championship|1970]], [[Lebanon|Lebanese]] side [[Homenetmen Beirut F.C.|Homenetmen]] refused to play against [[Hapoel Tel Aviv F.C.|Hapoel Tel Aviv]] in the semi-final and Hapoel thus went straight to the final, while in [[1971 Asian Club Championship|1971]], [[Al-Shorta SC|Al-Shorta]] of [[Iraq]] refused to play against [[Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C.|Maccabi Tel Aviv]] on two separate occasions in the tournament including the finale itself, with the Arab media considering the Iraqi side as the tournament's winners and the team holding an [[Open top bus#Use|open top bus parade]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Al-Mal'ab Newspaper - April 1971 - Champions of Asia Return to Baghdad
|url=https://s13.postimg.org/6jiozc0o7/shorta_aliyat_article.jpg|website=Kooora|language=Arabic|date=April 1971}}</ref> After these two editions, the AFC decided that teams who refused to play matches for political reasons would be disqualified from the tournament, but this failed to act as a deterrent as the [[1972 Asian Club Championship|1972]] edition had to be cancelled after two Arab teams refused to commit to playing against Israeli side [[Maccabi Netanya F.C.|Maccabi Netanya]]. After this, the AFC stopped holding the competition and Israel were expelled from the confederation. Asia's premier club tournament made its return in [[1985–86 Asian Club Championship|1985]], and in 1990, the [[Asian Football Confederation]] introduced the [[Asian Cup Winners' Cup]], a tournament for the cup winners of each AFC nation. The 1995 season saw the introduction of the [[Asian Super Cup]] where the winners of the Asian Club Championship and Asian Cup Winners' Cup faced against each other.

===2002–present: Champions League era===
The 2002–03 season saw the Asian Club Championship, [[Asian Cup Winners' Cup]] and [[Asian Super Cup]] combine to become the AFC Champions League. League champions and cup winners would qualify for the qualifying playoffs with the best eight clubs from East Asia and the eight best clubs from West Asia progressing to the group stage. The first winners under the AFC Champions League name were [[Al Ain FC|Al-Ain]], defeating [[BEC Tero]] 2–1 on aggregate. In [[2004 AFC Champions League|2004]], 29 clubs from fourteen countries participated and the tournament schedule was changed to March–November. In the group stage, the 28 clubs were divided into seven groups of four on a regional basis, separating East Asian and West Asian clubs to reduce travel costs, and the groups were played on a home and away basis. The seven group winners along with the defending champions qualified to the quarterfinals. The quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals were played as a two-legged format, with [[away goals]], [[extra time]], and [[Penalty shootout (association football)|penalties]] used as tie-breakers.

The [[2005 AFC Champions League|2005 season]] saw [[Syria]]n clubs join the competition, thus increasing the number of participating countries to 15, and two years later, following their transfer into the AFC in 2006, [[Australia]]n clubs were also included in the tournament. Owing to the lack of professionalism in Asian football, many problems still existed in the tournament, such as on field violence and late submission of player registration. Many blamed the lack of prize money and expensive travel cost as some of the reasons. The Champions League expanded to 32 clubs in 2009 with direct entry to the top ten Asian leagues. Each country received up to 4 slots, though no more than one-third of the number of teams in that country's top division, rounded downwards, depending on the strength of their league, league structure (professionalism), marketability, financial status, and other criteria set by the AFC Pro-League Committee.<ref name="the-afc.com">{{cite web  |url=http://www.the-afc.com/uploads/Documents/common/cms/afc/AFC%20PRO-LEAGUE%20AD-HOC%20COMMITTEE%20ASSESSMENT%20CHARTS%201.pdf  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090205100912/http://www.the-afc.com/uploads/Documents/common/cms/afc/AFC%20PRO-LEAGUE%20AD-HOC%20COMMITTEE%20ASSESSMENT%20CHARTS%201.pdf  |dead-url=yes  |archive-date=5 February 2009  |accessdate=26 May 2008  |title=Asian Football Confederation  |df=dmy-all  }}</ref> The assessment criteria and ranking for participating associations would be revised by AFC every two years.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.the-afc.com/uploads/Documents/regulation/clubcriteria.pdf  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120818173523/http://www.the-afc.com/uploads/Documents/regulation/clubcriteria.pdf  |dead-url=yes  |archive-date=18 August 2012  |accessdate=5 January 2010|title=Criteria for Participation in AFC Club Competitions }}</ref>

The current format sees the eight group winners and eight runners-up qualify to the Round of 16, in which group winners play host to the runners-up in two-legged series, matched regionally, with away goals, extra time, and penalties used as tie-breakers. The regional restriction continues all the way until the final, although clubs from the same country cannot face each other in the quarterfinals unless that country has three or more representatives in the quarterfinals. Since 2013, the final has also been held as a two-legged series, on a home and away basis.<ref>[https://archive.is/20130630095202/http://www.the-afc.com/en/about-afc/afc-committees/25444-acl-base-widened-from-2014-120313.html ]</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.the-afc.com/en/about-afc/afc-committees/1127-executive-committee/27301-afc-exco-slots-261113.html |title=Archived copy |accessdate=4 July 2014 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203143845/http://www.the-afc.com/en/about-afc/afc-committees/1127-executive-committee/27301-afc-exco-slots-261113.html |archivedate=3 December 2013 }}</ref>

==Format==

===Qualification===
[[File:AFC members Champions League participants.svg|thumb|300px|Map of AFC countries whose teams reached the group stage of the AFC Champions League {{legend|#67E863|AFC member country that has been represented in the group stage}} {{legend|#6085EF|AFC member country that has not been represented in the group stage}}]]

As of [[2009 AFC Champions League|2009 edition]] of the tournament, the AFC Champions League has commenced with a double round-robin group stage of 32 teams, which is preceded by qualifying matches for teams that do not receive direct entry to the competition proper. Teams are also split into east and west zones to progress separately in the tournament.

The number of teams that each association enters into the AFC Champions League is determined annually through criteria as set by the AFC Competitions Committee.<ref name="ACL format">{{cite web|title=AFC ExCo okays ACL slots, format |url=http://www.the-afc.com/en/about-afc/afc-committees/1127-executive-committee/27301-afc-exco-slots-261113.html |website=The-afc.com |accessdate=4 July 2014 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203143845/http://www.the-afc.com/en/about-afc/afc-committees/1127-executive-committee/27301-afc-exco-slots-261113.html |archivedate=3 December 2013 |df=dmy }}</ref> The criteria, which is a modified version of the [[UEFA coefficient]], measures such thing as marketability and stadia to determine the specific number of berths that an association receives. The higher an association's ranking as determined by the criteria, the more teams represent the association in the Champions League, and the fewer qualification rounds the association's teams must compete in.

===Tournament===
The tournament proper begins with a group stage of 32 teams, divided into eight groups. Seeding is used whilst making the draw for this stage, with teams from the same country not being drawn into groups together. The group stage is divided into two zones; the first zone is the four East Asian groups and the other zone is the four West Asian groups. Each team meets the others in its group home and away in a round-robin format. The winning team and the runners-up from each group then progress to the next round.

For this stage, the winning team from one group plays against the runners-up from another group from their zone of the group stage. The tournament uses the [[away goals rule]]: if the aggregate score of the two games is tied after 180 minutes, then the team who scored more goals at their opponent's stadium advances. If still tied the clubs play extra time, where the away goals rule is no longer applied. If still tied after extra time, the tie shall be decided by a [[Penalty shoot-out (association football)|penalty shootout]]. East and West zones continue to be kept part until the final.<ref name="ACL format"/>

The group stage and Round of 16 matches are played through the first half of the year (February–May), whilst the knock-out stage thereafter is played during the second half of the year (August–November). The knock-out ties are played in a two-legged format, including the final.

===Allocation===
Teams from only 19 AFC countries have reached the group stage of the AFC Champions League. The allocation of teams by member countries is listed below; asterisks represent occasions where at least one team was eliminated in qualification prior to the group stage. 32 AFC countries have had teams participate in qualification, and countries that have never had teams reach the group stage are not shown.

{|class="wikitable" style="text-align: Center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"|Associations
! colspan="16"|Entrants
|-
! [[2002–03 AFC Champions League|2002–03]]
! [[2004 AFC Champions League|2004]]
! [[2005 AFC Champions League|2005]]
! [[2006 AFC Champions League|2006]]
! [[2007 AFC Champions League|2007]]
! [[2008 AFC Champions League|2008]]
! [[2009 AFC Champions League|2009]]
! [[2010 AFC Champions League|2010]]
! [[2011 AFC Champions League|2011]]
! [[2012 AFC Champions League|2012]]
! [[2013 AFC Champions League|2013]]
! [[2014 AFC Champions League|2014]]
! [[2015 AFC Champions League|2015]]
! [[2016 AFC Champions League|2016]]
! [[2017 AFC Champions League|2017]]
! [[2018 AFC Champions League|2018]]
|-
! style="text-align:center;" colspan="17"|East Asia
|-
|align=left|'''{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Football Federation Australia|Australia]]'''
|–
|–
|–
|–
|2
|2
|2
|2
|2
|3
|1*
|3
|2*
|2*
|3
|2*
|-
|align=left|'''{{flagicon|CHN}} [[Football Association of the People's Republic of China|China PR]]'''
|2
|2
|2
|2
|2
|2
|4
|4
|4
|3
|4
|4
|4
|4
|3*
|4
|-
|align=left|'''{{flagicon|HKG}} [[Hong Kong Football Association|Hong Kong]]'''
|0*
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0*
|0*
|0*
|1*
|1*
|-
|align=left|'''{{flagicon|IDN}} [[Football Association of Indonesia|Indonesia]]'''
|0*
|2
|2
|0
|2
|0
|1*
|1*
|1*
|0*
|0
|0
|0*
|0
|0
|0*
|-
|align=left|'''{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Japan Football Association|Japan]]'''
|2
|2
|2
|2
|2
|3
|4
|4
|4
|4
|4
|4
|4
|4
|4
|4
|-
|align=left|'''{{flagicon|KOR}} [[Korea Football Association|South Korea]]'''
|2
|2
|2
|2
|3
|2
|4
|4
|4
|4
|4
|4
|4
|4
|4
|4
<!--
|-
|align=left|'''{{flagicon|MAC}} [[Associação de Futebol de Macau|Macau]]'''
|0*
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|-
|align=left|'''{{flagicon|MAS}} [[Football Association of Malaysia|Malaysia]]'''
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0*
|0*
|0*
|0*
|-
|align=left|'''{{flagicon|MYA}} [[Myanmar Football Federation|Myanmar]]'''
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0*
|0*
|0*
|-
|align=left|'''{{flagicon|PHI}} [[Philippine Football Federation|Philippines]]'''
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0*
|0*
-->
|-
|align=left|'''{{flagicon|SIN}} [[Football Association of Singapore|Singapore]]'''
|0*
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|1
|1
|0
|0
|0
|0*
|0*
|0*
|0*
|0*
|-
|align=left|'''{{flagicon|THA}} [[Football Association of Thailand|Thailand]]'''
|2
|2
|2
|0
|1
|2
|0*
|0*
|0*
|1*
|2
|1*
|1*
|1*
|1*
|1*
|-
|align=left|'''{{flagicon|VIE}} [[Vietnam Football Federation|Vietnam]]'''
|0*
|2
|2
|2
|1
|2
|0
|0*
|0
|0
|0
|0*
|1*
|1*
|0*
|0*
|-
|align=left|'''Total'''
|'''8'''
|'''12'''
|'''12'''
|'''8'''
|'''13'''
|'''13'''
|'''16'''
|'''16'''
|'''15'''
|'''15'''
|'''15'''
|'''16'''
|'''16'''
|'''16'''
|'''16'''
|'''16'''
|-
! style="text-align:center;" colspan="17"|West Asia
|-
|align=left|'''{{flagicon|BHR}} [[Bahrain Football Association|Bahrain]]'''
|0*
|2
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0*
|0*
|0
|0
|0*
<!--
|-
|align=left|'''{{flagicon|BRU}} [[National Football Association of Brunei Darussalam|Brunei]]'''
|0*
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|-
|align=left|'''{{flagicon|IND}} [[All India Football Federation|India]]'''
|0*
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0*
|0*
|0*
|0
|0
|0*
|0*
|0*
|0*
|0*
-->
|-
|align=left|'''{{flagicon|IRN}} [[Islamic Republic of Iran Football Federation|Iran]]'''
|2
|2
|2
|2
|1
|2
|4
|4
|4
|3*
|3*
|4
|4
|3*
|4
|4
|-
|align=left|'''{{flagicon|IRQ}} [[Iraq Football Association|Iraq]]'''
|1*
|2
|2
|2
|2
|2
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0*
|0
|0
|0
|0
<!--
|-
|align=left|'''{{flagicon|JOR}} [[Jordan Football Association|Jordan]]'''^
|0*
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0*
|0*
|0*
|0*
|0*
-->
|-
|align=left|'''{{flagicon|KUW}} [[Kuwait Football Association|Kuwait]]'''
|0*
|2
|2
|2
|2
|2
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0*
|0*
|0
|0
|0
<!--
|-
|align=left|'''{{flagicon|KGZ}} [[Football Federation of the Kyrgyz Republic|Kyrgyzstan]]'''
|0*
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|-
|align=left|'''{{flagicon|LIB}} [[Lebanon Football Association|Lebanon]]'''
|0*
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|-
|align=left|'''{{flagicon|MDV}} [[Football Association of Maldives|Maldives]]'''
|0*
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|-
|align=left|'''{{flagicon|OMN}} [[Oman Football Association|Oman]]'''
|0*
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0*
|0*
|0
|0
|0
|-
|align=left|'''{{flagicon|PLE}} [[Palestinian Football Association|Palestine]]'''
|0*
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
-->
|-
|align=left|'''{{flagicon|QAT}} [[Qatar Football Association|Qatar]]'''
|1*
|2
|2
|2
|2
|2
|2
|2
|3
|4
|4
|4
|2*
|2*
|2*
|4
|-
|align=left|'''{{flagicon|KSA}} [[Saudi Arabian Football Federation|Saudi Arabia]]'''
|1*
|2
|3
|3
|2
|2
|4
|4
|4
|3*
|4
|4
|4
|4
|4
|2
<!--
|-
|align=left|'''{{flagicon|SRI}} [[Football Federation of Sri Lanka|Sri Lanka]]'''
|0*
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
-->
|-
|align=left|'''{{flagicon|SYR}} [[Syrian Arab Federation for Football|Syria]]'''
|0*
|0
|2
|2
|2
|2
|0
|0*
|0*
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|-
|align=left|'''{{flagicon|TKM}} [[Football Federation of Turkmenistan|Turkmenistan]]'''
|1*
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|-
|align=left|'''{{flagicon|UAE}} [[United Arab Emirates Football Association|UAE]]'''
|1*
|3
|2
|2
|2
|2
|4
|4
|4
|4
|4
|3*
|2*
|3*
|4
|4
|-
|align=left|'''{{flagicon|UZB}} [[Uzbekistan Football Federation|Uzbekistan]]'''
|1*
|2
|2
|2
|2
|2
|2
|2
|2
|3*
|2*
|1*
|4
|4
|2*
|2*
<!--
|-
|align=left|'''{{flagicon|YEM}} [[Yemen Football Association|Yemen]]'''
|0*
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
-->
|-
|align=left|'''Total'''
|'''8'''
|'''17'''
|'''17'''
|'''17'''
|'''15'''
|'''16'''
|'''16'''
|'''16'''
|'''17'''
|'''17'''
|'''17'''
|'''16'''
|'''16'''
|'''16'''
|'''16'''
|'''16'''
|-
! style="text-align:center;" colspan="17"|Total
|-
|Finals
|'''16'''
|'''29'''
|'''29'''
|'''25'''
|'''28'''
|'''29'''
|'''32'''
|'''32'''
|'''32'''
|'''32'''
|'''32'''
|'''32'''
|'''32'''
|'''32'''
|'''32'''
|'''32'''
|-
|Qualifying
|53
|29
|29
|25
|28
|29
|35
|37
|36
|37
|35
|47
|49
|45
|47
|46
|}
<!-- ^ India was placed in the East Asia region for the 2002–03 season, 2014, 2015 and 2016 seasons -->

==Prize money==
The prize money from the [[2018 AFC Champions League]]:<ref>{{cite book|title=AFC Champions League 2018 Competition Regulations|publisher=Asian Football Confederatopm|page=31|url=http://res.cloudinary.com/deltatreafcprod/image/upload/aqaplddwcotiym9md65c.pdf|accessdate=6 December 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=AFC increases prize money for 2018 club competitions|url=http://www.the-afc.com/competitions/afc-champions-league/latest/news/afc-increases-prize-money-for-2018-club-competitions|website=The AFC|accessdate=7 December 2017}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: Center;"
|-
! Phase
! Purse <br> (USD)
! Travel Subsidy <br> (per match)
|-
| Preliminary stage
| N/A
| $20,000
|-
| Playoff stage
| N/A
| $20,000
|-
| Group stages
| Win: $50,000 <br> Draw: $10,000
| $30,000
|-
| Round of 16
| $100,000
| $30,000
|-
| Quarter-finals
| $150,000
| $30,000
|-
| Semi-finals
| $250,000
| $30,000
|-
| Final
| Champions: $4,000,000 <br> Runners-up: $2,000,000
| $60,000
|}

==Marketing==

===Sponsorship===
[[File:AFC Champions League trophy.jpg|thumb|Tournament's trophy]] 
Like the [[FIFA World Cup]], the AFC Champions League is sponsored by a group of multinational corporations, in contrast to the single main sponsor typically found in national top-flight leagues.

The tournament's current main sponsors are:

* [[Abu Dhabi International Airport|Abu Dhabi Airport]]<ref name="ReferenceA"/>
* [[Emirates (airline)|Fly Emirates]]<ref name="ReferenceA">{{cite web|url=http://www.the-afc.com/en/tournaments/clubs/afc-champions-league.html |title=Archived copy |accessdate=26 February 2013 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130227160420/http://www.the-afc.com/en/tournaments/clubs/afc-champions-league.html |archivedate=27 February 2013 }}</ref>
* [[Nike, Inc.|Nike]]<ref name="ReferenceA"/> (Will be replaced by [[Molten Corporation|Molten]] from 2019 onwards<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.the-afc.com/competitions/afc-asian-cup/latest/news/afc-appoints-world-leading-ball-manufacturer-molten-as-official-match-ball-suppl|title=AFC appoints world-leading ball manufacturer Molten as official match ball supplier|website=www.the-afc.com|language=en-GB|access-date=2018-10-24}}</ref>)
* [[Nikon]]<ref name="ReferenceA"/>
*[[Kärcher]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.the-afc.com/media/afc-club-competitions-continue-to-grow-in-appeal-with-latest-karcher-deal|title=AFC club competitions continue to grow in appeal with latest Kärcher deal|website=www.the-afc.com|language=en-GB|access-date=2018-10-24}}</ref>
* [[QNB Group]]<ref name="ReferenceA"/>
*[[Allianz]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.the-afc.com/media/afc-announces-multi-year-partnership-with-allianz-34922|title=AFC announces multi-year partnership with Allianz|website=www.the-afc.com|language=en-GB|access-date=2018-10-24}}</ref>
*[[Toyota]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.the-afc.com/news/afcsection/toyota-signs-on-as-full-afc-partner-22201|title=Toyota signs on as full AFC partner|website=www.the-afc.com|language=en-GB|access-date=2018-10-24}}</ref>
* [[Tsingtao Brewery|Tsingtao]]<ref name="ReferenceA"/>
* [[Seiko]]<ref name="ReferenceA"/>
*[[China Resources Beverage|C'estbon]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.the-afc.com/media/afc-club-competitions-attract-cestbon-deal-38314|title=AFC club competitions attract C’estbon deal|website=www.the-afc.com|language=en-GB|access-date=2018-10-24}}</ref>
*[[Lagardère Group]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sportcal.com/News/FeaturedNews/115254|title=Agencies poised as AFC sets out new timeline for rights tender {{!}} Featured News{{!}} News {{!}} Sportcal|website=www.sportcal.com|access-date=2018-10-24}}</ref>
* [[Pro Evolution Soccer|PES]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.konami-pes2013.com/en/2013/04/afc-champions-league-coming-to-pes/ |title=PES 2016 |website=Konami-pes2013.com |date= |accessdate=2016-05-05 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131012220141/https://www.konami-pes2013.com/en/2013/04/afc-champions-league-coming-to-pes/ |archivedate=12 October 2013 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

=== Broadcasting rights ===
{{Columns-start|num=2}}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Country/Region
! Channels
! Reference
|-
| {{flag|ASEAN}}
| [[Fox Sports Asia]]
|
|-
| {{flag|Australia}}
| [[Fox Sports Australia]]
|
|-
| {{flag|Canada}}
| [[DAZN|DAZN Canada]]
|
|-
| {{flag|China}}
| [[China Sports Media|CSM]]<br />[[PPTV]]
| <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dongqiudi.com/archive/289862.html|title=体奥动力接手，PPTV独家直播全部亚冠赛事 -懂球帝 |website=dongqiudi.com |accessdate=28 February 2017}}</ref>
|-
| {{Flag|Cambodia}}
| [[Bayon Television|BTV News]]
|
|-
| {{flag|Europe}}
| [[Eurosport]]
|
|-
| {{flag|India}}
| [[DSport]]
|
|-
| {{flag|Indonesia}}
| [[MNC Media]] (featuring All Indonesian teams only (if involved), starting from play-off round match)
|
|-
| {{flag|Iran}}
| [[IRIB]]
|
|-
| {{flag|Japan}}
| [[Nippon TV]]
| 
|-
| {{flagicon|Arab League}} [[MENA]]
| [[beIN Sports (MENA)|beIN SPORTS]]
| 
|-
| {{flag|South Korea}}
| [[JTBC3 Fox Sports]]
|
|-
| {{Flag|Thailand}}
| [[Channel 7 (Thailand)|Channel 7]] (featuring All Thai teams only, starting from play-off round match)
|
|-
| {{flag|United States}}
| [[DAZN|DAZN USA]]
| 
|-
| {{flag|Uzbekistan}}
| [[National Television and Radio Company of Uzbekistan|MTRK]]
| 
|}
{{Columns-end}}

===Video game===
The current license holder for the AFC Champions League video game is [[Konami]] with the [[Pro Evolution Soccer]] series.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pes.konami.com/us/pes/exclusive-competitions-in-pes-2016/|title=PES 2016 licenses revealed!|work=Pro Evolution Soccer|accessdate=2016-05-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150918110143/http://pes.konami.com/us/pes/exclusive-competitions-in-pes-2016/|archive-date=18 September 2015|dead-url=yes|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The license also includes the competing teams.

== Records and statistics ==
{{Main|Asian Club Championship and AFC Champions League records and statistics}}
{{See also|AFC Champions League clubs performance comparison}}

=== Performances by club ===
{{Main|List of Asian Club Championship and AFC Champions League finals}}

{{AFC Champions League performances by club}}

=== Performances by nation ===
{{AFC Champions League performances by nation}}

=== Performances by region ===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
! colspan="2"|Federation (Region)
!Titles
!width="50"|Total
|-
|align="left"|[[East Asian Football Federation|EAFF]] ([[East Asia]])
|rowspan="2"|East Zone
|21
|rowspan="2"|24
|-
|align="left"|[[ASEAN Football Federation|AFF]] ([[Southeast Asia]])
|3
|-
|align="left"|[[West Asian Football Federation|WAFF]] ([[Western Asia|West Asia]])
|rowspan="3"|West Zone
|7
|rowspan="3"|10
|-
|align="left"|[[Central Asian Football Association|CAFA]] ([[Central Asia]])
|3
|-
|align="left"|[[South Asian Football Federation|SAFF]] ([[South Asia]])
|0
|}

Note: [[Israeli Premier League|Israeli]] clubs, winners of the [[1967 Asian Club Championship|1967]], [[1969 Asian Club Championship|1969]] and [[1971 Asian Club Championship|1971]] editions, are not included.

== Awards ==
=== Most Valuable Player ===
{| class="wikitable"
!Year!!Player!!Club
|-
|[[2007 AFC Champions League|2007]]||{{Flagicon|JPN}} [[Yuichiro Nagai]]||{{Flagicon|JPN}} [[Urawa Red Diamonds]]
|-
|[[2008 AFC Champions League|2008]]||{{Flagicon|JPN}} [[Yasuhito Endō]]||{{Flagicon|JPN}} [[Gamba Osaka]]
|-
|[[2009 AFC Champions League|2009]]||{{Flagicon|KOR}} [[No Byung-jun]]||{{Flagicon|KOR}} [[Pohang Steelers]]
|-
|[[2010 AFC Champions League|2010]]||{{Flagicon|AUS}} [[Saša Ognenovski]]||{{Flagicon|KOR}} [[Seongnam FC|Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma]]
|-
|[[2011 AFC Champions League|2011]]||{{Flagicon|KOR}} [[Lee Dong-gook]]||{{Flagicon|KOR}} [[Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors FC|Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors]]
|-
|[[2012 AFC Champions League|2012]]||{{Flagicon|KOR}} [[Lee Keun-ho]]||{{Flagicon|KOR}} [[Ulsan Hyundai FC|Ulsan Hyundai]]
|-
|[[2013 AFC Champions League|2013]]||{{Flagicon|BRA}} [[Muriqui (footballer)|Muriqui]]||{{flagicon|CHN}} [[Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao F.C.|Guangzhou Evergrande]]
|-
|[[2014 AFC Champions League|2014]]||{{Flagicon|AUS}} [[Ante Covic]]||{{Flagicon|AUS}} [[Western Sydney Wanderers FC|Western Sydney Wanderers]]
|-
|[[2015 AFC Champions League|2015]]||{{Flagicon|BRA}} [[Ricardo Goulart]]||{{flagicon|CHN}} [[Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao F.C.|Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao]]
|-
|[[2016 AFC Champions League|2016]]||{{Flagicon|UAE}} [[Omar Abdulrahman]]||{{flagicon|UAE}} [[Al Ain FC|Al Ain]]
|-
|[[2017 AFC Champions League|2017]]||{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Yōsuke Kashiwagi]]||{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Urawa Red Diamonds]]
|-
|[[2018 AFC Champions League|2018]]||{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Yuma Suzuki]]||{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Kashima Antlers]]
|}

=== Top Scorer ===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Year!!Footballer!!Club!!Goals
|-
|align=center|[[AFC Champions League 2002–03|2002–03]]||{{flagicon|CHN}} [[Hao Haidong]]||{{flagicon|CHN}} [[Dalian Shide F.C.|Dalian Shide]]||align=center|9
|-
|align=center|[[2004 AFC Champions League|2004]]||{{flagicon|KOR}} [[Kim Do-hoon]]||{{flagicon|KOR}} [[Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma]]||align=center|9
|-
|align=center|[[2005 AFC Champions League|2005]]||{{flagicon|SLE}} [[Mohamed Kallon]]||{{flagicon|KSA}} [[Al-Ittihad (Jeddah)|Al-Ittihad]]||align=center|6
|-
|align=center|[[2006 AFC Champions League|2006]]||{{flagicon|BRA}} [[Magno Alves]]||{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Gamba Osaka]]||align=center|8
|-
|align=center|[[2007 AFC Champions League|2007]]||{{flagicon|BRA}} [[João Soares da Mota Neto|Mota]]||{{flagicon|KOR}} [[Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma]]||align=center|7
|-
|align=center|[[2008 AFC Champions League|2008]]||{{flagicon|THA}} [[Nantawat Tansopa]]||{{flagicon|THA}} [[Krung Thai Bank FC|Krung Thai Bank]]||align=center|9
|-
|align=center|[[2009 AFC Champions League|2009]]||{{flagicon|BRA}} [[Leandro Montera da Silva|Leandro]]||{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Gamba Osaka]]||align=center|10
|-
|align=center|[[2010 AFC Champions League|2010]]||{{flagicon|BRA}} [[José Roberto Rodrigues Mota|Jose Mota]]||{{flagicon|KOR}} [[Suwon Samsung Bluewings]]||align=center|9
|-
|align=center|[[2011 AFC Champions League|2011]]||{{flagicon|KOR}} [[Lee Dong-Gook]]||{{flagicon|KOR}} [[Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors]]||align=center|9
|-
|align=center|[[2012 AFC Champions League|2012]]||{{flagicon|BRA}} [[Ricardo Oliveira]]||{{flagicon|UAE}} [[Al Jazira Club|Al Jazira]]||align=center|12
|-
|align=center|[[2013 AFC Champions League|2013]]||{{flagicon|BRA}} [[Muriqui (footballer)|Muriqui]]||{{flagicon|CHN}} [[Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao F.C.|Guangzhou Evergrande]]||align=center|13
|-
|align=center|[[2014 AFC Champions League|2014]]||{{flagicon|GHA}} [[Asamoah Gyan]]||{{flagicon|UAE}} [[Al-Ain FC|Al-Ain]]||align=center|12
|-
|align=center|[[2015 AFC Champions League|2015]]||{{flagicon|BRA}} [[Ricardo Goulart]]||{{flagicon|CHN}} [[Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao F.C.|Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao]]||align=center|8
|-
|align=center|[[2016 AFC Champions League|2016]]||{{flagicon|BRA}} [[Carlos Adriano de Sousa Cruz|Adriano]]||{{flagicon|KOR}} [[FC Seoul]]||align=center|13
|-
|align=center|[[2017 AFC Champions League|2017]]||{{flagicon|SYR}} [[Omar Kharbin]]||{{flagicon|KSA}} [[Al-Hilal FC|Al-Hilal]]||align=center|10
|-
|align=center|[[2018 AFC Champions League|2018]]||{{flagicon|ALG}} [[Baghdad Bounedjah]]||{{flagicon|QAT}} [[Al Sadd SC|Al-Sadd]]||align=center|13
|}

=== Fair Play Award ===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Year!!Club
|-
|align=center|[[2008 AFC Champions League|2008]]||{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Gamba Osaka]]
|-
|align=center|[[2009 AFC Champions League|2009]]||{{flagicon|KOR}} [[Pohang Steelers]]
|-
|align=center|[[2010 AFC Champions League|2010]]||{{flagicon|KOR}} [[Seongnam FC|Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma]]
|-
|align=center|[[2011 AFC Champions League|2011]]||{{flagicon|KOR}} [[Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors]]
|-
|align=center|[[2012 AFC Champions League|2012]]||{{flagicon|KOR}} [[Ulsan Hyundai FC|Ulsan Hyundai]]
|-
|align=center|[[2013 AFC Champions League|2013]]||{{flagicon|KOR}} [[FC Seoul]]
|-
|align=center|[[2014 AFC Champions League|2014]]||{{flagicon|KSA}} [[Al-Hilal FC|Al-Hilal]]
|-
|align=center|[[2015 AFC Champions League|2015]]||{{flagicon|CHN}} [[Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao F.C.|Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao]]
|-
|align=center|[[2016 AFC Champions League|2016]]||{{flagicon|UAE}} [[Al Ain FC|Al-Ain]]
|-
|align=center|[[2017 AFC Champions League|2017]]||{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Urawa Red Diamonds]]
|-
|align=center|[[2018 AFC Champions League|2018]]||{{flagicon|IRN}} [[Persepolis F.C.|Persepolis]]
|}

==See also==
* [[List of Asian Club Championship and AFC Champions League winning managers]]
* [[Australian clubs in the AFC Champions League]]
* [[Chinese clubs in the AFC Champions League]]
* [[Indonesian clubs in Asian football]]
* [[Iranian clubs in the AFC Champions League]]
* [[Iraqi clubs in the AFC Champions League]]
* [[Japanese clubs in the AFC Champions League]]
* [[Qatari clubs in the AFC Champions League]]
* [[Saudi Arabian clubs in the AFC Champions League]]
* [[South Korean clubs in the AFC Champions League]]
* [[Thai clubs in the AFC Champions League]]
* [[Vietnamese clubs in the AFC Champions League]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Official website|http://www.the-afc.com/competition/afc-champions-league|name=AFC Champions League}}

{{AFC Club Football seasons|group=championsleague}}
{{AFC Champions League winners}}
{{AFC men's competitions}}
{{International Club Football}}
{{FIFA Club World Cup}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Afc Champions League}}
[[Category:AFC Champions League| ]]
[[Category:Asian Football Confederation club competitions|1]]