AFC Champions League Two

Annual second-tier Asian club football competition From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The AFC Champions League Two (abbreviated as the ACL Two or ACL2) is an annual continental club football competition organised by the Asian Football Confederation. It is the second-tier competition of Asian club football, ranked below the AFC Champions League Elite and above the AFC Challenge League.

Organiser(s)AFC
Founded2004; 22 years ago (2004) (as AFC Cup)
RegionAsia
Teams32 (group stage)
Quick facts Organiser(s), Founded ...
AFC Champions League Two
Organiser(s)AFC
Founded2004; 22 years ago (2004) (as AFC Cup)
RegionAsia
Teams32 (group stage)
Qualifier forAFC Champions League Elite
Related competitionsAFC Champions League Elite (1st tier)
AFC Challenge League (3rd tier)
Current championsUnited Arab Emirates Sharjah (1st title)
Most championshipsKuwait Al-Kuwait
Iraq Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya
(3 titles each)
Websitewww.the-afc.com
2025–26 AFC Champions League Two
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The competition was founded in 2004 as the AFC Cup, it was played primarily among clubs from nations that did not receive direct qualifying slots to the top-tier AFC Champions League. The competition rebranded to its current name in 2024.[1] In a bid to increase competitiveness, its format was also changed to include clubs from higher ranked AFC member associations, and the prize money was increased.

Clubs qualify for the competition based on their performance in national leagues and cup competitions. Participation in the competition is open to clubs from the top 12 nations in the East and the West region based on the AFC club competitions ranking. The participant from each nation ranked 1–6 in each region is the highest-placed club in that nation that did not qualify for the AFC Champions League Elite. The nations ranked 7–12 in each region enter their top club(s) directly to the AFC Champions League Two.

The winner of the AFC Champions League Two will be allocated an indirect preliminary stage slot for the next AFC Champions League Elite season, if they have not already qualified through domestic competition. The current champions of the competition is Sharjah, who defeated Lion City Sailors in the 2025 final. Al-Kuwait and Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya are the most successful clubs in the competition's history, having won three titles each. Clubs from Kuwait have won four titles, making them the most successful nation in the competition.

History

More information Season, Winners ...
Winners[2]
SeasonWinners
AFC Cup
2004Syria Al-Jaish
2005Jordan Al-Faisaly
2006Jordan Al-Faisaly (2)
2007Jordan Shabab Al-Ordon
2008Bahrain Al-Muharraq
2009Kuwait Kuwait SC
2010Syria Al-Ittihad Aleppo
2011Uzbekistan Nasaf Qarshi
2012Kuwait Kuwait SC (2)
2013Kuwait Kuwait SC (3)
2014Kuwait Qadsia
2015Malaysia Johor Darul Ta'zim
2016Iraq Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya
2017Iraq Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya (2)
2018Iraq Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya (3)
2019Lebanon Al-Ahed
2020Cancelled[a]
2021Bahrain Al-Muharraq (2)
2022Oman Al-Seeb
2023–24Australia Central Coast Mariners
AFC Champions League Two
2024–25United Arab Emirates Sharjah
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The AFC Cup began in 2004 as a second-tier competition to relate back to the AFC Champions League, as 14 countries that had developing status competed in the first competition, with 18 teams being nominated. The winners and three runners-up would then head to the knock-out stage. Al-Jaish took the first AFC Cup after they defeated fellow Syrian opponents Al-Wahda on away goals.

In 2005, 18 teams competed from nine nations with the nations still being allowed to choose from one or two teams entering. After Syrian teams left the AFC Cup to try at the AFC Champions League for four years, Al-Faisaly defeated Nejmeh in the final. With it, Jordanian teams would win the next two AFC Cup seasons with Bahrain joining the league while Bangladesh was relegated to the AFC President's Cup until the tournament's abolition in 2014.

Al-Muharraq would break the trend in 2008 as they won the last two-legged final before it headed back into a one-leg system, a rule that was never changed until now.

On 23 December 2022, it was announced that the AFC competition structure would change from the established formats from the 2024–25 season. A new second-tier tournament called the AFC Champions League Two would be introduced.[3] Meanwhile, a new third-tier competition was also launched under the name AFC Challenge League.[4][5][6]

On 24 May 2024, AFC announced that the records and statistics of the preceding AFC club competitions will be recognised and integrated within the revamped club competitions, with the data from the AFC Cup transferring to the AFC Champions League Two.[7]

Format

Map of AFC countries whose teams reached the group stage of the AFC Cup/ACL Two
  AFC member country that has been represented in the group stage
  AFC member country that has not been represented in the group stage

Some changes were applied in terms of teams and format for the 2017 AFC Cup. A total of 36 teams participated in the group stage (12 each from West Asia and ASEAN, and 4 each from East Asia, Central Asia, and South Asia). The final is played as a one-off match.

Allocation

The allocation of group stage teams by member country was listed below; asterisks represent occasions where at least one team was eliminated in qualification for the group stage. Those who had not reached the group stage but had only played in qualification are not bolded.

More information Associations, Spots ...
Associations Spots
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023–24 2024–25 2025–26
EAFF
China China 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1
Chinese Taipei Chinese Taipei 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0* 1 1 1* 1 1 2* 0 0
Guam Guam 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0* 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Hong Kong Hong Kong 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 0 0 2 1 2 2 0 2 2
Japan Japan 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1
Macau Macau 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0* 0 1 0 1 0 0 1* 0 0
Mongolia Mongolia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0* 1 0* 0* 0* 1 0* 1 0 0
North Korea North Korea 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 1* 0 0 0 0 0 0
South Korea South Korea 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1
Total 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 4 4 4 4 3 4 5 5
AFF
Australia Australia Part of OFC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 1
Brunei Brunei 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0* 0* 0 0* 0 0
Cambodia Cambodia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1* 1 1 1 2 2 1* 0 0
Indonesia Indonesia 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 2 1 2 2 2 0 0 2 2 2 2 2 2* 1 1*
Laos Laos 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0* 0* 1 1* 0* 1 0* 0 0
Malaysia Malaysia 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 0 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 0 0 2 2 2 1 1
Myanmar Myanmar 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 0 0 1* 0 0
Philippines Philippines 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1* 2 2 2 2 2 0 1 2 2 1*
Singapore Singapore 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1* 2 2
Thailand Thailand 0 0 0± 1 0 2 2 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3* 3*
Timor-Leste Timor-Leste 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0* 1 0 0 0 0
Vietnam Vietnam 0 0 0 1 0 2 2 2 2 2 2 0 0 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 2
Total 4 4 4 6 4 8 8 7 10 10 10 10 9 11 12 12 12 11 11 12 11 11
SAFF
Bangladesh Bangladesh 1 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0* 1 1* 1* 1 1* 1* 1* 1* 0 0
Bhutan Bhutan 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0* 0* 0* 0* 0* 0* 0* 0* 0 0
India India 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1* 2 2 2* 1* 2*
Maldives Maldives 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1* 2 2 2 2 1* 1* 0 2 1* 1* 1* 0 0
Nepal Nepal 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0* 0 0* 0 1 0 0* 0* 0* 0 0
Pakistan Pakistan 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0* 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Sri Lanka Sri Lanka 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0* 0 0* 0* 0* 0* 0 0 0
Total 5 6 6 4 4 4 4 4 3 4 4 4 5 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 1 2
CAFA
Afghanistan Afghanistan 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0* 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Iran Iran 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2* 2*
Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0* 0* 2 1* 1* 2 2 2 1* 0 0
Tajikistan Tajikistan 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 1* 1* 1* 1* 2 2 2 2 1* 2 1*
Turkmenistan Turkmenistan 2 2 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1* 1* 1* 2 1* 2 2 2 2* 1* 2*
Uzbekistan Uzbekistan 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 1
Total 2 2 2 2 0 1 1 2 1 2 2 2 2 4 4 4 7 7 7 4 6 6
WAFF
Bahrain Bahrain 0 0 1 1 2 2 1 0 0 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1* 1* 2
Iraq Iraq 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 0 0 0 0 2 1 1
Jordan Jordan 0 2 2 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 0 1 2 2
Kuwait Kuwait 0 0 0 0 0 2 3 3 3 2 2 2 0 0 0 2 2 1 2 2 1* 0
Lebanon Lebanon 2 2 2 2 2 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 0 0
Oman Oman 1 0 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1* 2 2 2 1* 1* 0 2 1* 0 0*
Palestine Palestine 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0* 1* 2 0* 0* 1 1 2 2 1* 0 0
Qatar Qatar 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1
Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1
Syria Syria 2 0 0 0 0 2 3 3 2 1* 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2* 0 0
United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2* 1
Yemen Yemen 1 0 0 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 0* 0* 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 6 4 6 10 10 17 16 17 16 14 14 14 14 12 12 12 12 11 12 12 9 8
Total
Finals 18 18 20 24 20 32 31 32 32 32 32 32 32 34 36 36 39 37 37 36 32 32
Qualifying 18 18 20 24 20 32 31 32 33 33 34 41 40 50 44 43 48 43 43 49 34 35
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Prize money

The prize money as of the 2024–25 AFC Champions League Two are as follows, in United States dollar (USD):[8]

More information Round, Teams ...
Round Teams Amount
Per team Total
Final (Champions) 1 $2.5 million
Final (Runners-up) 1 $1 million
Semi-finals 4 $240,000 $960,000
Quarter-finals 8 $160,000 $1,280,000
Round of 16 16 $80,000 $1,280,000
Group stage 32 $300,000 $9,600,000
Total 32 $16,620,000
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Marketing

Sponsorship

The tournament has been sponsored by a group of multinational corporations, in contrast to the single main sponsor typically found in national top-flight leagues.

Official Global Partners

Official Global Supporters

Records and statistics

Main article: AFC Cup and AFC Champions League Two records and statistics

Results

See also: List of AFC Cup and AFC Champions League Two finals
More information Season, Winners ...
List of AFC Cup and AFC Champions League Two finals
Season Winners Score Runners-up Venue Attendance
AFC Cup era (2004–2024)
Two-legged format
2004 Syria Al-Jaish 3–2 Syria Al-Wahda Abbasiyyin Stadium, Damascus, Syria
0–1 Abbasiyyin Stadium, Damascus, Syria
Aggregate 3–3, Al-Jaish won on away goals.
2005 Jordan Al-Faisaly 1–0 Lebanon Nejmeh Amman International Stadium, Amman, Jordan
3–2 Rafic Hariri Stadium, Beirut, Lebanon
Al-Faisaly won 4–2 on aggregate.
2006 Jordan Al-Faisaly 3–0 Bahrain Al-Muharraq Amman International Stadium, Amman, Jordan 7,000
2–4 Bahrain National Stadium, Riffa, Bahrain 3,000
Al-Faisaly won 5–4 on aggregate.
2007 Jordan Shabab Al-Ordon 1–0 Jordan Al-Faisaly Amman International Stadium, Amman, Jordan 5,500
1–1 Amman International Stadium, Amman, Jordan 7,500
Shabab Al-Ordon won 2–1 on aggregate.
2008 Bahrain Al-Muharraq 5–1 Lebanon Safa Bahrain National Stadium, Riffa, Bahrain 6,000
5–4 Sports City Stadium, Beirut, Lebanon 2,000
Al-Muharraq won 10–5 on aggregate.
Single match format
2009 Kuwait Al-Kuwait 2–1 Syria Al-Karamah Al Kuwait Sports Club Stadium, Kuwait City, Kuwait 17,400
2010 Syria Al-Ittihad 1–1 (a.e.t.)
(4–2 p)		 Kuwait Al-Qadsia Jaber International Stadium, Kuwait City, Kuwait 58,604
2011 Uzbekistan Nasaf 2–1 Kuwait Al-Kuwait Markaziy Stadium, Qarshi, Uzbekistan 15,753
2012 Kuwait Al-Kuwait 4–0 Iraq Erbil Franso Hariri Stadium, Erbil, Iraq 30,000
2013 Kuwait Al-Kuwait 2–0 Kuwait Al-Qadsia Al-Sadaqua Walsalam Stadium, Kuwait City, Kuwait 10,000
2014 Kuwait Al-Qadsia 0–0 (a.e.t.)
(4–2 p)		 Iraq Erbil Maktoum Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Stadium, Dubai, UAE 5,240
2015 Malaysia Johor Darul Ta'zim 1–0 Tajikistan Istiklol Pamir Stadium, Dushanbe, Tajikistan 18,000
2016 Iraq Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya 1–0 India Bengaluru Suheim Bin Hamad Stadium, Doha, Qatar 5,806
2017 Iraq Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya 1–0 Tajikistan Istiklol Hisor Central Stadium, Hisor, Tajikistan 20,000
2018 Iraq Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya 2–0 Turkmenistan Altyn Asyr Basra International Stadium, Basra, Iraq 24,665
2019 Lebanon Al-Ahed 1–0 North Korea April 25 Kuala Lumpur Stadium, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 500
2020 Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Asia.[17]
2021 Bahrain Al-Muharraq 3–0 Uzbekistan Nasaf Al-Muharraq Stadium, Arad, Bahrain 9,060
2022 Oman Al-Seeb 3–0 Malaysia Kuala Lumpur City Bukit Jalil National Stadium, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 27,722
2023–24 Australia Central Coast Mariners 1–0 Lebanon Al-Ahed Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex, Muscat, Oman 1,930
AFC Champions League Two era (2024–present)
2024–25 United Arab Emirates Sharjah 2–1 Singapore Lion City Sailors Bishan Stadium, Singapore 9,737
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Performance by club

More information Winners, Runners-up ...
Performances in the AFC Cup and AFC Champions League Two by club
Club		 Winners Runners-up Years won Years runners-up
Kuwait Al-Kuwait 3 1 2009, 2012, 2013 2011
Iraq Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya 3 0 2016, 2017, 2018
Jordan Al-Faisaly 2 1 2005, 2006 2007
Bahrain Al-Muharraq 2 1 2008, 2021 2006
Kuwait Al-Qadsia 1 2 2014 2010, 2013
Uzbekistan Nasaf Qarshi 1 1 2011 2021
Lebanon Al-Ahed 1 1 2019 2023–24
Syria Al-Jaish 1 0 2004
Jordan Shabab Al-Ordon 1 0 2007
Syria Al-Ittihad 1 0 2010
Malaysia Johor Darul Ta'zim 1 0 2015
Oman Al-Seeb 1 0 2022
Australia Central Coast Mariners 1 0 2023–24
United Arab Emirates Sharjah 1 0 2024–25
Iraq Erbil 0 2 2012, 2014
Tajikistan Istiklol 0 2 2015, 2017
Syria Al-Wahda 0 1 2004
Lebanon Nejmeh 0 1 2005
Lebanon Safa 0 1 2008
Syria Al-Karamah 0 1 2009
India Bengaluru 0 1 2016
Turkmenistan Altyn Asyr 0 1 2018
North Korea April 25 0 1 2019
Malaysia Kuala Lumpur City 0 1 2022
Singapore Lion City Sailors 0 1 2024–25
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Performance by nation

More information Nation, Titles ...
Nation Titles Runners-up Total
 Kuwait 4 3 7
 Iraq 3 2 5
 Jordan 3 1 4
 Syria 2 2 4
 Bahrain 2 1 3
 Lebanon 1 3 4
 Uzbekistan 1 1 2
 Malaysia 1 1 2
 Oman 1 0 1
 Australia 1 0 1
 United Arab Emirates 1 0 1
 Tajikistan 0 2 2
 India 0 1 1
 Turkmenistan 0 1 1
 North Korea 0 1 1
 Singapore 0 1 1
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More information Season, Player ...
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See also

Notes

References

External links

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