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.

AFC Champions League 2
Organising bodyAFC
Founded2023 (2023)
RegionAsia
Number of teams32 (group stage)
Related competitionsAFC 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

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