2025–26 AFC Champions League Two

The 2025–26 AFC Champions League Two will be the 22nd edition of the Asia's second-tier club football tournament, organized by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and the second under the AFC Champions League Two title.^[1][2] It will feature 32 teams in the group stage.^[3] The winner will be given an indirect preliminary stage slot for the 2026–27 AFC Champions League Elite, if they have not already qualified through their domestic performance.

2025–26 AFC Champions League Two

Tournament details
Teams	Competition proper: 32 (from 24 associations)
← 2024–25 2026–27 →

Association team allocation

The associations are allocated slots according to their club competitions ranking which was published after the 2023–24 competitions were completed.^[4][5]

Participation for 2025–26 AFC Champions League Two
	Participating
	Not participating

West Region (4 groups) Rank Member association Points Slots Group stage Play-off Zone AFC — — 2025–26 AFC Champions League Elite qualifying round losers — 1 or 2 0 1 1  Saudi Arabia 103.148 1 0 2 4  United Arab Emirates 74.873 1 0 3 5  Qatar 70.330 1 0 4 6  Iran 68.640 1 0 5 9  Uzbekistan 47.259 1 0 6 10  Iraq 37.118 1 0 7 13  Jordan 30.403 1 1 8 16  Bahrain 23.368 1 1 9 17  India 22.806 1 1 10 18  Tajikistan 22.493 1 1 11 19  Turkmenistan 20.217 0 1 12 20  Oman 20.048 0 1 Total Participating associations: 12 11–12 6 17–18

East Region (4 groups) Rank Member association Points Slots Group stage Play-off Zone AFC — — 2025–26 AFC Champions League Elite qualifying round losers — 1 or 2 0 1 2  Japan 96.999 1 0 2 3  South Korea 93.600 1 0 3 7  China 57.764 1 0 4 8  Thailand 49.546 1 0 5 11  Australia 34.703 1 0 6 12  Malaysia 31.331 1 0 7 14  Vietnam 28.657 1 1 8 15  Hong Kong 26.888 1 1 9 23  Singapore 17.350 1 1 10 25  Philippines 16.230 1 1 11 28  Indonesia 14.816 0 1 12 29  North Korea 13.923 0 1 Total Participating associations: 12 11–12 6 17–18

Teams

The number of appearances and last appearance include the AFC Cup as the predecessor of the AFC Champions League Two.

West Region Group stage direct entrants Team Qualifying method 2025–26 AFC Champions League Elite qualifying round losers 2025–26 AFC Champions League Elite qualifying round losers 2024–25 Saudi Pro League third place 2024–25 UAE Pro League third place 2024–25 Qatar Stars League third place 2024–25 Hazfi Cup winners Andijon 2024 Uzbekistan Cup winners 2024–25 Iraq FA Cup winners 2024–25 Jordanian Pro League champions 2024–25 Bahraini Premier League champions Mohun Bagan SG 2024–25 Indian Super League Champions Istiklol 2024 Tajikistan Higher League Champions[6] Qualifying play-off participants Team Qualifying method 2024–25 Jordan FA Cup winners 2025 Bahrain FA Cup winners 2025 Indian Super Cup winners Regar-TadAZ Tursunzoda 2024 Tajikistan Cup winners Ahal 2024 Ýokary Liga runners-up[Note TKM] 2024–25 Oman Professional League champions

East Region Group stage direct entrants Team Qualifying method 2025–26 AFC Champions League Elite qualifying round losers 2025–26 AFC Champions League Elite qualifying round losers Gamba Osaka 2024 J1 League fourth place[Note JPN] Pohang Steelers 2024 Korean FA Cup winners[Note KOR] Beijing Guoan 2024 Chinese Super League fourth place[Note CHN] 2024–25 Thai League 1 runners-up Macarthur FC 2024 Australia Cup winners Johor Darul Ta'zim 2024 Malaysia FA Cup winners 2024–25 V.League 1 champions 2024–25 Hong Kong Premier League champions 2024–25 Singapore Premier League champions 2024–25 Philippines Football League champions Qualifying play-off participants Team Qualifying method 2024–25 Vietnamese Cup winners 2024–25 Hong Kong FA Cup winners 2024–25 Singapore Cup winners 2024 Copa Paulino Alcantara winners 2024–25 Liga 1 champions 2024–25 DPR Korea Premier Football League champions

The following teams will also qualify to the West or East region unless they had already qualified based on their domestic performance.

West or East Region League stage direct entrants Team Qualifying method App. (last) 2024–25 AFC Challenge League winners

Notes

1. ^
   China (CHN): Because firstly Shanghai Port (which had already qualified for the Champions League Elite league stage) won the 2024 Chinese FA Cup, and secondly Shandong Taishan's withdrawal from the Champions League Elite, therefore Beijing Guoan the 2024 Chinese Super League fourth place, qualified for the Group stage.
2. ^
   Japan (JPN): Because Vissel Kobe (who had already qualified for the Champions League Elite league stage) also won the 2024 Emperor's Cup, therefore Gamba Osaka, the 2024 J1 League fourth place, qualified for the Group stage.
3. ^
   South Korea (KOR): Pohang Steelers qualified as the Korean FA Cup winner that also failed to reach top four in the K League 1.
4. ^
   Turkmenistan (TKM): Ahal qualified, as the 2024 Ýokary Liga champions Arkadag only have an AFC Challenge League license.

See also

• 2025–26 AFC Champions League Elite
• 2025–26 AFC Challenge League
• 2025–26 AFC Women's Champions League

Notes

References

1. "Asian Champions League to relaunch with fewer teams and more prize money in 2024-25 season". AP News. August 14, 2023.
2. "History beckons for AFC Cup 2023/24 contenders as final edition of popular competition kicks off". the-AFC.com. Asian Football Confederation. 15 September 2023. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
3. "AFC Executive Committee approves biggest prize purse in Asian club football history from 2024/25; announces AFC Women's Champions League". the-AFC.
4. "AFC Club Competitions Ranking". the-afc.com. Asian Football Confederation. Archived from the original on 2022-01-07. Retrieved 2021-12-10.
5. "AFC Club Competitions Ranking 2024". FootyRankings. 26 May 2024. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
6. "1XBet Çomi Toçikiston 2024 - Results, fixtures, tables and stats - Global Sports Archive".