2025–26 AFC Champions League Two

The 2025–26 AFC Champions League Two will be the 22nd edition of the Asia's second-tier club football tournament, organized by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and the second under the AFC Champions League Two title.[1][2] It will feature 32 teams in the group stage.[3] The winner will be given an indirect preliminary stage slot for the 2026–27 AFC Champions League Elite, if they have not already qualified through their domestic performance.

2025–26 AFC Champions League Two
Tournament details
TeamsCompetition proper: 32 (from 24 associations)
2026–27

Association team allocation

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The associations are allocated slots according to their club competitions ranking which was published after the 2023–24 competitions were completed.[4][5]

Participation for 2025–26 AFC Champions League Two
Participating
Not participating

Teams

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The number of appearances and last appearance include the AFC Cup as the predecessor of the AFC Champions League Two.

The following teams will also qualify to the West or East region unless they had already qualified based on their domestic performance.

Notes
  1. ^
    China (CHN): Because Shanghai Port (who had already qualified for the Champions League Elite league stage) also won the 2024 Chinese FA Cup, therefore Beijing Guoanas the 2024 Chinese Super League fourth place, qualified for the Group stage.
  2. ^
    Japan (JPN): Because Vissel Kobe (who had already qualified for the Champions League Elite league stage) also won the 2024 Emperor's Cup, therefore Gamba Osaka, the 2024 J1 League fourth place, qualified for the Group stage.
  3. ^
    South Korea (KOR): Pohang Steelers qualified as the Korean FA Cup winner that also failed to reach top four in the K League 1.

See also

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Notes

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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. August 14, 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 13 October 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 Ranking". the-afc.com. Asian Football Confederation. Archived from the original on 2022-01-07. Retrieved 2021-12-10.
  5. ^ "AFC Club Competitions Ranking 2024". FootyRankings. 26 May 2024. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
  6. ^ "1XBet Çomi Toçikiston 2024 - Results, fixtures, tables and stats - Global Sports Archive".