KUALA LUMPUR: The Asian Football Confederation Competitions Committee has recommended a series of enhancements to the region’s premier club competition, the AFC Champions League Elite™ (ACL Elite), headlined by a move to a 32-team format beginning in the 2026-27 season. 

The reforms underscore the AFC’s commitment to further promote inclusivity and excellence across the Continent whilst introducing a more rigorous qualification pathway to the Knockout Stage.
Central to this evolution is the expansion of the League Stage from 24 to 32 participating clubs.

Under the new structure, the competition will continue to be divided equally with 16 teams each in the East and West Regions. This increase in scale is intended to provide opportunities for elite clubs to compete against the Continent’s best, while simultaneously incentivising higher standards of professionalism and performance within domestic leagues across Asia.

Qualification to Round of 16
The progression criteria following the League Stage – to be implemented after the 2026/27 season – will also be revised to heighten the stakes of the opening round. Upon the conclusion of the League Stage, the clubs ranked first through sixth in each Region will earn direct qualification to the Round of 16. In a significant departure from previous formats, clubs that finish seventh to 10th will not be eliminated but will instead progress to a newly established Knockout Stage Playoff.

Knockout Stage Playoff
To reward superior performance during the League Stage, the higher-ranked club in each pairing—specifically the seventh-and eighth-ranked teams—will retain home-ground advantage. The winners of these Playoff encounters will then secure the remaining berths in the Round of 16, ensuring that every position in the League Stage remains consequential until the final matchday.

Due to the current congested global competitions calendar, the Knockout Stage Playoff will not be implemented for the 2026-27 season; it is currently slated for introduction in subsequent seasons.

This latest expansion reinforces the AFC’s dedication to delivering a more inclusive and commercially viable Continental platform. By broadening the geographical representation of elite football, the AFC ensures that the ACL Elite remains at the forefront of the global footballing landscape, providing fans and stakeholders with a premier sporting spectacle.

All decisions need to be ratified by the AFC Executive Committee before taking effect.

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