AFC President announces new era for Asian club football competitions

Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, President of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), has described the new season of Asian club competitions as a strategic turning point for football on the continent. The restructured system aims to increase the strength, reach, and value of Asian football through a multi-tiered framework.

The new ecosystem includes the AFC Champions League Elite, the AFC Champions League Two, the AFC Challenge League, and the AFC Women's Champions League. A key feature of the Elite tier is the expansion of the league stage to 32 clubs, split equally between the West and East regions to enhance competition.

Financial incentives have also seen significant growth, with prize money reaching unprecedented levels. This distribution covers participation, performance, and progression to knockout stages to ensure more stable returns for clubs.

Broadcasting metrics indicate substantial growth in viewership. For the 2025-2026 season, the AFC Champions League Elite saw a 174% increase in cumulative reach, totaling approximately 2.5 billion views, while the AFC Champions League Two grew by 32% to reach 916 million views.