About AFC Champions Elite

The AFC Champions Elite (referred to as ACL Elite for short) is an annual intercontinental club football tournament organized by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), featuring Asia’s top football clubs. It is the most prestigious club competition in Asian football, participated in by national league champions from their respective national associations (and for some countries, one or more runners-up).

League History

The tournament was launched in 1967 as the Asian Club Championship. In 2002, it was renamed the AFC Champions League following the merger of the Asian Club Championship, Asian Cup Winners' Cup, and Asian Super Cup. It was renamed to its current title in 2024.

A total of 24 clubs participate in the league stage, divided into East and West Zones (12 teams each). The winner of the AFC Champions Elite qualifies for the FIFA Intercontinental Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup. If they have not already qualified through domestic performance, they also earn a spot in the league stage of the next edition of the AFC Champions Elite.

Successful Clubs

The most successful club in the tournament’s history is Al Hilal, with a total of four titles. Al-Ahli is the current champion, having defeated Kawasaki Frontale in the 2025 final.