2026–27 AFC Champions League Two
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Dates | Qualifying: 29 July – 12 August 2025 Competition proper: 15 September 2025 – 15 May 2026 |
| Teams | Competition proper: 32 Total: 36 (from 24 associations) |
← 2025–26 2027–28 → | |
The 2026–27 AFC Champions League Two will be the 23rd edition of the Asia's second-tier club football tournament, organized by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and the third under the AFC Champions League Two title.[1][2]
The tournament will feature 32 teams in the group stage.[3] The winner will be given a play-off slot for the 2027–28 AFC Champions League Elite, if they have not already qualified through their domestic performance.[4]
Association team allocation
The associations are allocated slots according to their club competitions ranking which was published after the 2024–25 competitions were completed.[5][6][7]
| Participation for 2025–2026 AFC Champions League Two | |
|---|---|
| Participating | |
| Not participating | |
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- Notes
India (IND): The 2025–26 Indian Super League only features 13 matches per team. The AFC regulations requires a minimum of 24 matches per team for a direct slots. Thus the ISL winner direct berth is shifted to the play-offs.[8]
Teams
Note: Teams in italics may still qualify for the 2026–27 AFC Champions League Elite.
The following team will also qualify to the Group stage of the West or East region unless they have already qualified based on their domestic performance.
| Team | Qualifying method | App. (last) |
|---|---|---|
|
2025–26 AFC Challenge League winners |
- Notes
- ^ Australia (AUS): Newcastle Jets may still qualify for the Champions League Elite by virtue of league position.
- ^ Japan (JPN): Machida Zelvia may still qualify for the Champions League Elite by winning the 2026 J1 100 Year Vision League.
- ^ South Korea (KOR): As 2025 Korea Cup winners Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors qualified for the Champions League Elite via their league position, the spot reserved for the Korea Cup winners was transferred to the fifth-placed team in the 2025 K League 1.
- ^ Malaysia (MAS): Johor Darul Ta'zim may still qualify for the Champions League Elite by virtue of league position.
- ^ Singapore (SGP):If Lion City Sailors win the 2025–26 Singapore Premier League, the spot reserved for the Singapore Cup winners will be transferred to the runners-up of the 2025–26 Singapore Premier League.
See also
References
- ^ "Asian Champions League to relaunch with fewer teams and more prize money in 2024–25 season". AP News. August 14, 2023.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "AFC Executive Committee approves biggest prize purse in Asian club football history from 2024/25; announces AFC Women's Champions League". the-AFC.
- ^ "More Member Associations to benefit from inclusive AFC Champions League". the-afc.com. Asian Football Confederation. 23 November 2019. Archived from the original on 27 November 2019. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
- ^ "AFC Men's Club Competition Ranking 2024/25". the-afc.com. Asian Football Confederation. Archived from the original on 4 October 2025. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
- ^ "AFC Men's Club Competitions Ranking 2024/25" (PDF). the-afc.com. Asian Football Confederation. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
- ^ "AFC Club Competitions 2026/27 Slot Allocation" (PDF). the-afc.com. Asian Football Confederation. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
- ^ "India to lose ACL 2 direct slot over non-compliance of AFC matchcount". News9Live. 15 January 2026.