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2024–25 AFC Champions League Two

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The 2024–25 AFC Champions League Two (ACL Two) will be the 21st edition of the Asia's second-tier club football tournament, organized by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

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

Previously known as the AFC Cup, which had been in existence for the previous 20 seasons, this is the first season using a revised format and the new name (AFC Champions League Two).[1][2] It will feature 32 teams in the group stage.[3]

Association team allocation

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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
Notes
  1. ^
    AFC Licensing (AFC): Association did not have a licensed club.[citation needed]

Teams

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

The number of appearances and last appearance include 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. ^
    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.
  3. ^
    Saudi Arabia (KSA): Al Hilal being the 2023–24 King Cup winners, have already qualified to 2024-25 AFC Champions League Elite as the 2023–24 Saudi Pro League champions, so Saudi Pro League fourth-placed team will qualify for the Champions League Two group stage.[6]
  4. ^
    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, also qualified for the group stage as the second-best placed local team in the 2023 Singapore Premier League.
  5. ^
    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.
  6. ^
    Tajikistan (TJK): Istiklol won both the 2023 Tajikistan Higher League and 2023 Tajikistan Cup. Ravshan Kulob, as the league runners-up, also entered the group stage.
  7. ^
    Turkmenistan (TKM): Arkadag, the 2023 Ýokary Liga and 2023 Turkmenistan Cup champions only have AFC Challenge League license. So Altyn Asyr, the regular season runners-up replaced Arkadag in AFC Champions League Two qualifying play-offs.
  8. ^
    United Arab Emirates (UAE): Al-Wasl, who has already qualified to Champions League Elite as 2023–24 UAE President's Cup winners, also won the 2023–24 UAE Pro League and Al Ain, the UAE Pro League third-placed team was assured a place in the 2024–25 AFC Champions League Elite league stage by winning the 2023–24 AFC Champions League, so UAE Pro League fourth-placed team, Sharjah, qualified for the Champions League Two group stage.

Schedule

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

Stage Round Draw date First leg Second leg
Preliminary stage Preliminary stage 3 No draw 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 11–30 February 2025 18–290 February 2025
Quarter-finals 4–6 March 2025 11–13 March 2025
Semi-finals 8–9 April 2025 15–16 April 2025
Final 17 Muharram 2025

Qualifying play-offs

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Losers of the preliminary rounds will enter the group stage of the 2024–25 AFC Challenge League.

Preliminary round 3

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Team 1  Score  Team 2
West Region
East Bengal   West 1 (14 Aug)   Altyn Asyr
Al-Ahli   West 2 (14 Aug)   Al-Kuwait

See also

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References

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  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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