AFC Champions League 2
The AFC Champions League 2 is an upcoming annual continental club football competition organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). It will be the second-tier competition of Asian club football, ranked below the AFC Champions League Elite and above the AFC Challenge League.
| Organising body | AFC |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2023 |
| Region | Asia |
| Number of teams | 32 (group stage) |
| Related competitions | AFC Champions League Elite (1st tier) AFC Challenge League (3rd tier) |
 2024–25 AFC Champions League 2 | |
Clubs will qualify for the competition based on their performance in their national leagues and cup competitions. Participation in the competition is open to clubs from the top 12 nations in the East region and the top 12 nations in the West region based on the AFC Club Competitions Ranking.
The participants from the nations ranked 1–6 in each region will be the highest-placed club in that nation that did not qualify for the AFC Champions League Elite. Meanwhile, the nations ranked 7–12 in each region will enter their top club(s) directly to the AFC Champions League 2.[1]
History
On 23 December 2022, it was announced that the AFC club competition structure would change from the established formats. Under the new plans, the top club competition of Asian football will only consist of 24 teams, divided into East and West regions, while the second-tier will consist of 32 teams, divided along with same lines like the top-tier. It was also announced that a third-tier competition would also commence for the clubs failed to qualify into the top two club competitions.[2] On 14 August 2023, it was confirmed that the new second-tier competition would commence from the 2024–25 season onwards with the name of AFC Champions League 2.[3]
See also
References
- "AFC Club Competitions 2024/25 Slot Allocation" (PDF). Football Association of Singapore. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
- "AFC Competitions Committee recommends strategic reforms to elevate Asian club football". AFC. 23 December 2022. Retrieved 24 December 2022.
- "AFC Executive Committee approves biggest prize purse in Asian club football history from 2024/25; announces AFC Women's Champions League". AFC. 14 August 2023. Retrieved 14 August 2023.