The features of the AFC Champions League 2026 started completing after most of the leagues in the countries that are entitled to play in the strongest continental championship, led by the State of Qatar, which participates in two direct seats and an indirect seat, as the features of the AFC Champions League began to complete as well
12 of the strongest teams of the continent after changing the competition system will participate in the AFC Champions League, and they play with each other with the return system and through a draw that does not put one state teams in the face of each other, and the first eight centers qualify for the round of 16, and they continue the competition for the final rounds that Saudi Arabia hosts for the second time in a row from the quarter -finals to the final.
11 teams from the west of the continent, which are Al -Sadd, have qualified the champion of the stars, and Al -Gharafa, the champion of the Prince Cup, with the Saudi Al -Ahly champion of the AFC Champions League 2025, with his citizens Al -Ittihad, the champions of the league and the runner -up, and the youth of Al -Ahly, the UAE champions and its citizens, Sharjah, the AFC Champions League champions 2, the UAE runner -up, the third unit, the league, the Iranian league champion, the champion of the Uzbek champion.
The Iraqi league champion, in addition to the qualifying match, remains only for the qualifying qualifying match, which brings together Al -Duhail, the summer of the Al -Nujoom League, and the Iranian Spaan and the Iranian league summer, which is expected to be held next August 12 in Doha.
East continent difference
11 teams also qualified from the East teams, Vesel Koba, the Japanese champions, the runner -up, Matchida Zilvia, the third of the league, and from South Korea, both the champions of the league, the runner -up, Ganguun, the fourth South Korea Football League, 2024, the fourth league, and from China Shanghai Port, the champions of the league, Shanghai Xinhua, the runner -up, and Puraim United, the champions of the league Thai, Melbourne City, the Australian League summer, and the Fahour of the Malaysian League champion.
One team will be qualified for the separation match that brings together Chengdu Rongzheng, the third of the Chinese league with Bangkok United and the Thai league summer, which is expected to be held August 5 in China.
Matches dates
According to the calendar announced by the Asian Football Confederation, the matches of the first round of the AFC Champions League will start September 15, the eighth round and the closing of February 17, 2026. The round of the 16th round of March 3, March 3 and the second leg 9 and 10 March will be held. And the quarter -finals April 26 and 26, and the semi -finals 28 and 29 April and the final May 2 in Saudi Arabia.
AFC Champions League 2
The AFC Champions League 2 was determined by Al -Ahly qualifying the fourth stars league, Saudi Al -Nasr, Emirati arrival, Iranian independence of Tehran, Uzbaki, Al -Hussein, Al -Hussein and Jordanian units, Bahraini Khalidiya, Tajik independence, and Turkmenism, the champion of the challenge league.
And it will join these losing teams of the qualifying matches of the AFC Champions League, in addition to the Iraq Cup champion.
From the east of the continent, the Japanese Gampa Osaka, the South Korean bohang, the Chinese Beijan Guan, the Thai United Pathom United, the Australian McCar, and the Malaysian Slagor, Tai Pu and Esterin City from Hong Kong, Leon City, Singaporean, Kaya and Manila are from the Philippines.
The losers will join them from the qualifying qualifications of the AFC Champions League for the elite from the east of the continent, the league champion and the cup champion in Vietnam.