AFC expands Champions League Elite to 32 clubs

April 14, 2026 / 7:34 PM

Sharjah 24: The Asian Football Confederation's Competition Committee has recommended a series of strategic improvements to the AFC Champions League Elite, the most significant of which is expanding the field from 24 to 32 clubs — a move the committee believes will strengthen both inclusivity and the overall quality of the competition.

The continental governing body described the expansion as a "pivotal development," confirming it will take effect next season following ratification by the AFC Executive Committee.

Top six in each group to qualify automatically

The competition's unified league phase is divided into two regional pools — East and West — before the knockout rounds begin. While the overall structure of Asia's premier club competition will largely remain intact, from the 2026–27 season on, each group will grow from 12 to 16 sides, with the top six clubs in each group advancing automatically to round 16.

A new knockout play-off stage introduced

In a notable departure from previous formats, clubs finishing between seventh and tenth in each regional group will no longer be eliminated at that stage. Instead, they will progress to a newly introduced play-off round within the knockout phase, giving more sides a lifeline and adding an additional layer of drama to the competition's latter stages.