AFC confirms clubs for 2026/27 competitions; draw set for August 18

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has confirmed the participating clubs for the 2026/27 editions of its three men’s club competitions, with a record 93 teams from 38 Member Associations set to compete across Asia.

The competitions include the expanded AFC Champions League Elite (ACL Elite), the AFC Champions League Two (ACL Two) and the AFC Challenge League (ACGL).

The preliminary stage will begin on August 11 for the ACL Elite and ACGL, while ACL Two qualifying matches are scheduled for August 12.

Ariana Radio and Television Network (ATN) has once again secured the exclusive rights to broadcast the ACL Elite and ACL Two live across Afghanistan.

First up however is the ACL Two Group Stage Draw which will be held on Tuesday, August 18, at 10:30 am Kabul time at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The ACL Elite League Stage Draw will follow at 12:30 pm.

The 2026/27 ACL Elite will feature an expanded 32-team league stage, up from 24 clubs in each of the previous two seasons.

Eighteen clubs from seven Member Associations in both the West and East regions have qualified, with four teams from each region competing in the preliminary stage for the remaining league-stage places. The league stage begins on September 14.

The ACL Two group stage will feature 32 clubs, including teams advancing from the ACL Elite and ACL Two preliminary rounds. The competition gets underway on September 15.

Meanwhile, the AFC Challenge League will feature 20 clubs, with the group stage running from October 17 to November 24.

The AFC said the expanded competitions are designed to provide more opportunities for clubs across the continent to compete at the highest level and further strengthen Asian club football.

Fans in Afghanistan

AFC fans can once again tune in to Ariana Radio and Television Network (ATN) to watch the draw on Tuesday, August 18. The events will be broadcast live and exclusively across Afghanistan on Ariana Television.

For schedule updates and more news and information on this event, viewers are encouraged to follow Ariana Television and Ariana News’ social media pages.