Jordanian Champions Al-Wehdat has been drawn to play against Saudi Arabia’s Al Ittihad in the preliminary stage of the AFC Champions League (ACL). The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has released the draw mechanism and fixtures for the preliminary stage and playoff stage of the ACL 2016 season. Al-Wehdat will play away to Al Ittihad on February 9th, at the playoffs of the West Asian Club Teams. The other playoff matches of the Western Region included Naft Tehran (Iran) who will face against El Jaish (Qatar), Bunyodkor (Uzbekistan) to play against Al Shabab (UAE), and Al Jazira (UAE) to meet Al Sadd (Qatar). The four winners from the playoff stage will join Al Nassr, Al Hilal, and Al Ahli from Saudi Arabia, Foolad Mobarakeh Sepahan, Zobahan, and Tractorsazi Tabriz from Iran, Pakhtakor, Nasaf, and Lokomotiv from Uzbekistan, in addition to Lekhwiya from Qatar at the ACL Group Stage for West Asia. Clubs winning the ACL Playoff matches will advance to ACL Group Stage. Losing clubs from a Member Association (MA) with ACL direct slot(s) will not participate in the AFC Cup and losing clubs from a MA with an ACL Playoff slot(s) will join the AFC Cup Group Stage. If a club from a MA with an ACL Playoff slot(s) qualifies for the ACL Group Stage, then its allocated AFC Cup Group Stage slot will be given to a next eligible club in its MA. http://www.jfa.com.jo/JfaNewsDetails.aspx?NID=7382&lang=en
Kuala Lumpur: Reigning champions Guangzhou Evergrande will learn their Group Stage opponents in the 2016 AFC Champions League when the official draw for next year's edition of Asia's premier club competition takes place on 10 December. The draw will be held at the Hilton Petaling Jaya at 4pm (GMT +8) on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur. The Group Stage, which kicks off on 23 February, will be preceded by the competition’s Preliminary Stages One (27 January) and Two (2 February) and also the Play-offs (9 February). Mohun Bagan AC (IND) will play Tampines Rovers (SIN) in the East Zone’s Preliminary Stage One, the winners of which will clash with Shandong Luneng FC (CHN) in Preliminary Stage Two, with Kitchee (HKG), Yangon United (MYA) and 2015 AFC Cup winners Johor Darul Ta’zim (MAS) receiving a bye to the next preliminary round. Preliminary Stage Two will also see the matches of Hanoi T&T (VIE) v Kitchee, Thailand’s third club (TBC) v Yangon United, and Muangthong United (THA) v Johor Darul Ta’zim. The four winners in Preliminary Stage Two will advance to the East Zone’s Play-offs where Pohang Steelers (KOR), Japan’s fourth club (TBC), Adelaide United (AUS) and Shanghai SIPG (CHN) await. The four play-off winners will advance to the Group Stage. Action in the West Zone will commence with the play-off matches of Al Ittihad (KSA) v Al Wehdat (JOR), Naft Tehran v (IRN) v El Jaish (QAT), Bunyodkor (UZB) v Al Shabab (UAE) and Al Jazira (UAE) v Al Sadd (QAT), with all four winners punching their ticket to the Group Stage. The clubs who have qualified directly for the Group Stage are: WEST ZONE Saudi Arabia: Al Nassr, Al Hilal, Al Ahli IR Iran: Foolad Mobarakeh Sepahan, Zobahan, Tractorsazi Tabriz Uzbekistan: Pakhtakor, Nasaf, Lokomotiv UAE: Al Ain, Al Nasr Qatar: Lekhwiya EAST ZONE Korea Republic: Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, FC Seoul, Suwon Samsung Bluewings FC Japan: First, second and third clubs (TBC) Australia: Melbourne Victory, Sydney FC China: Guangzhou Evergrande Jiangsu Sainty Thailand: Buriram United Vietnam: Becamex Binh Duong The clubs will be drawn into eight groups -- Groups A, B, C and D (West Zone) and Groups E, F, G and H (East Zone). KEY FIXTURES Preliminary Stage One – East Zone: 27 January Preliminary Stage Two – East Zone: 2 February Play-offs (West and East Zones): 9 February Group Stage: 23 & 24 February (MD1), 1 & 2 March (MD2), 15 & 16 March (MD3), 5 & 6 April (MD4), 19 & 20 April (MD5), 3 & 4 May (MD6) Round of 16: 17 & 18 May (1st Leg), 24 & 25 May (2nd Leg) Quarter-finals: 13 & 14 September (1st Leg), 20 & 21 September (2nd Leg) Semi-finals: 18 & 19 October (1st Leg), 25 & 26 October (2nd Leg) Finals: 19 November (1st Leg), 26 November (2nd Leg) http://www.the-afc.com/afc-champion...ngzhou-evergrande-to-learn-acl-2016-opponents
This MUST change! As like as preliminaries where higher seed is fixed to host lower ones... lower teams have no chance to progress this way, they will qualify in maybe 1/100 times. CHANGE it already! They could have made West preliminary zone two-legged affairs as there's only one round compared to East zone's three rounds. Pathetic and annoying!
New prize for ACL. Think they should spread out the prize $ as no increase in groupstage at all AFC Champions League Champions 1,500,000 + 1,500,000 3,000,000 Runners-up 750,000+ 750,000 1,500,000 Semi-finalists 120,000 / club + 80,000 / club 200,000 / club Quarter-finalists 80,000 / club + 40,000 / club 120,000 / club Round of 16 50,000 / club + 30,000 / club 80,000 / club
Google translator suggests teams losing in the ACL playoff/qualifying stages will also transfer to the AFC Cup. Will interesting to see what format the AFC Cup will take from next season, as the article suggests that all teams eliminated from the ACL groups stage (16 in total) will drop down, not just the 3rd place teams!
There's no need for any change - just additional round in knock-out stage. I don't like it, though. Last place in group stage must get you exit from (continental) competition, you can't be awarded with qualification to other competition. I'd rather see this: ACL 3-rd placed teams join 16 AC teams, total 24 teams. 1st knock-out round, single-legged: ACL 3rd-placed teams vs AC 2nd-placed teams (host) 2nd knock-out round, single-legged: 1st round winners vs AC 1st-placed teams (host) quarter-final semi-final final
Well if that happens, all teams eliminated from ACL will dominate the AC, I don't see the point, no one gains from this...
The ACL and AFC Cup teams are at different levels, especially for the East Zone... The teams qualified from AFC Cup group stage will be beaten by the ACL losers with large goal difference. They won't have any hope to advance.
It is good for the development and experience of the AFC Cup teams, so I'm happy with this decision (if they only include the 3rd placed teams). It will make the AFC Cup more competitive and exciting IMO.
1. clubs who eliminated from ACL qualifying rounds enters AFC cup group stage 2.clubs who failed to qualify from ACL group stage enters AFC Cup round of 32
those two points you listed will be applied starting from next year or its just your hopes HQ re sized avatar below
Mohun Bagan and Tampines opened the 2016 tourney. It's 2-1 for Indian side, final minutes of the first half.
Saudi Arabian clubs are being stubborn and won't play in Iran. I wonder how this will affect the tournament.
Well, they have rescheduled the Iran-Saudi Arabia group stage matches to matchdays 5 & 6, hoping the situation will improve. If it hasnt by March 15, these matches will be played on neutral venues. http://www.the-afc.com/standing-committee/decisions-following-afc-competitions-committee-meeting
Playing in neutral venues is exactly what the Saudis want, I don't see how that's a compromise. I'm guessing AFC will side with them like always.
Kitchee have traveled to Hanoi for the qualifying round against Hanoi T&T. They just beat arch-rivals South China 3-0 in the league and are full of confidence.
According to this https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017_AFC_Champions_League#Association_team_allocation Kuwait and Hong Kong will have one direct spot for next season. Underperforming Uzbekistan will lose two direct spots out of three while Qatar goes from one to two direct slots.
our clubs currently can't afford to buy high-quality foreign players like Arab teams doing, otherwise you'll see quite different performance
Now when you mention it, what happened with Bunyodkor and their big investments? Thai teams got very lucky today, Chonburi qualified to final round after extra time, Muangthong after penalties.