AFC Champions League Elite 2026-27: Al Ahli face expanded field as full fixture list is released

Football fans across Asia are looking ahead to the 2026-27 AFC Champions League Elite, which will feature an expanded league phase and run from August 2026 until the final on 1 May 2027.

The competition attracts interest from more than one billion people across east and west Asia and is expected to deliver a series of high-profile and unpredictable matches.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) announced a major restructuring of its club competitions in December 2022. From the 2024-25 season, the previous two-tournament format was replaced by three competitions, a move designed to increase the commercial value of the events and attract larger global audiences.

The first phase of the 2026-27 tournament began on 11 August 2026. The league phase will take place from 14 September to 17 February 2027, followed by the last 16 in March. The knockout rounds are scheduled for the end of April, with the final to be played on 1 May.

Al Ahli Saudi are the reigning champions, having won the first edition of the AFC Champions League Elite in the previous two seasons, and face strong competition in their title defence.

New 32-team league phase

The AFC reduced the number of clubs in the continent’s leading competition from 40 to 24 for the league phase under the new format. Those teams were divided equally between the West and East regions, with 12 clubs in each.

Every team played eight matches against eight different opponents from its own region, including four home fixtures and four away games.

The top eight sides in each region qualified for the knockout stage. The last 16 was played over two legs, while every round from the quarter-finals through to the final was contested over one match at a neutral venue in a single host country.

The AFC confirmed in August 2023 that the format would begin in 2024-25, when the competition was officially renamed the AFC Champions League Elite. It also confirmed that the historic records and statistics of the AFC Champions League would remain valid and count towards the official AFC Champions League Elite record.

From 2026-27, the league phase has been expanded to 32 clubs, with 16 teams in each region. The change is intended to provide more matches, raise the level of competition and give more clubs the chance to compete in Asia’s premier club tournament.

The West region standings begin with Al Ahli Saudi, Al Ain, Al Gharafa, Al Hilal, Al Ittihad, Al Nassr, Al Qadsiah, Al Quwa Al Jawiya, Al Sadd, Al Shamal, Al Wasl, Esteghlal, Pakhtakor, Neftchi, Shabab Al Ahli and Tractor. All teams start with zero matches played, zero wins, draws and defeats, zero goals for and against, a goal difference of zero and no points.

In the East region, the initial order is Buriram United, Kashima Antlers, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, Shanghai Port, Daejeon Hana Citizen, Vissel Kobe, Newcastle Jets, Johor Darul Ta’zim, Porto, Beijing Guoan, Pohang Steelers, Kashiwa Reysol, Cong An Ha Noi, Kyoto Sanga, Ratchaburi and Gamba Osaka. These clubs also begin with no matches played and no points.

West region fixtures

The West league phase begins on Monday, 14 September. Neftchi play Al Quwa Al Jawiya at 16:45 Saudi time and 17:45 UAE time at Esteghlal. Al Shamal host Al Ittihad at 19:00 and 20:00 at Al Bayt, while Shabab Al Ahli meet Tractor at the same time at Rashid Stadium.

Al Qadsiah play Al Wasl at 21:15 Saudi time and 22:15 UAE time at Prince Mohammed bin Fahd Stadium. Esteghlal face Al Sadd at the same time at Basra International Stadium, Al Ahli Saudi host Pakhtakor at King Abdullah Sports City (Alinma), and Al Ain meet Al Nassr on Tuesday, 15 September, at 19:00 and 20:00 at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium. Al Hilal host Al Gharafa at 21:15 and 22:15 at Kingdom Arena.

The second round is scheduled for 12 and 13 October. Pakhtakor play Al Qadsiah, Al Wasl host Al Ahli Saudi, Tractor face Al Shamal, Al Gharafa meet Esteghlal, Al Nassr play Neftchi and Al Quwa Al Jawiya host Al Ain on 12 October. Al Sadd face Al Hilal and Al Ittihad meet Shabab Al Ahli on 13 October.

Matches on 26 and 27 October include Neftchi v Al Ittihad, Al Ain v Tractor, Al Ahli Saudi v Al Gharafa, Al Qadsiah v Al Sadd, Al Nassr v Al Wasl, Al Quwa Al Jawiya v Pakhtakor, Shabab Al Ahli v Esteghlal and Al Shamal v Al Hilal.

The fourth round, on 2 and 3 November, features Pakhtakor v Al Nassr, Al Sadd v Al Ahli Saudi, Al Wasl v Al Quwa Al Jawiya, Tractor v Neftchi, Al Gharafa v Al Qadsiah, Al Ittihad v Al Ain, Esteghlal v Al Shamal and Al Hilal v Shabab Al Ahli.

The fifth round is on 23 and 24 November. Neftchi play Al Hilal, Al Shamal meet Al Ahli Saudi, Tractor face Al Wasl, Al Ain host Esteghlal, Al Quwa Al Jawiya play Al Gharafa, Al Ittihad face Pakhtakor, Shabab Al Ahli meet Al Qadsiah and Al Nassr play Al Sadd.

On 7 and 8 December, the fixtures are Pakhtakor v Tractor, Al Qadsiah v Al Shamal, Al Wasl v Al Ittihad, Al Sadd v Al Quwa Al Jawiya, Al Hilal v Al Ain, Esteghlal v Neftchi, Al Gharafa v Al Nassr and Al Ahli Saudi v Shabab Al Ahli.

The league phase resumes on 8 and 9 February 2027 with Pakhtakor v Esteghlal, Al Ain v Al Qadsiah, Tractor v Al Sadd, Al Ittihad v Al Gharafa, Al Nassr v Al Shamal, Al Quwa Al Jawiya v Shabab Al Ahli, Neftchi v Al Ahli Saudi and Al Wasl v Al Hilal.

The final West-region round is scheduled for 15 February. Al Qadsiah play Neftchi, Al Shamal meet Al Quwa Al Jawiya, Al Hilal face Pakhtakor, Al Gharafa play Tractor, Shabab Al Ahli meet Al Nassr, Esteghlal face Al Wasl, Al Sadd host Al Ittihad and Al Ahli Saudi play Al Ain.

East region fixtures

The East-region schedule begins on Tuesday, 15 September 2026. Ratchaburi play Shanghai Port and Gamba Osaka meet Cong An Ha Noi at 13:00 Saudi time and 14:00 UAE time. Daejeon Hana Citizen face Kyoto Sanga and Kashima Antlers play Newcastle Jets at the same time.

Beijing Guoan meet Pohang Steelers and Johor Darul Ta’zim host Buriram United at 15:15 and 16:15. Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors play Kashiwa Reysol on 16 September, followed by Porto v Vissel Kobe.

The second round, on 13 and 14 October, includes Newcastle Jets v Gamba Osaka, Shanghai Port v Daejeon Hana Citizen, Pohang Steelers v Johor Darul Ta’zim, Kyoto Sanga v Ratchaburi, Cong An Ha Noi v Kashima Antlers, Buriram United v Beijing Guoan, Kashiwa Reysol v Porto and Vissel Kobe v Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors.

On 27 and 28 October, the fixtures are Daejeon Hana Citizen v Vissel Kobe, Kyoto Sanga v Newcastle Jets, Johor Darul Ta’zim v Porto, Shanghai Port v Cong An Ha Noi, Ratchaburi v Kashiwa Reysol, Beijing Guoan v Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, Gamba Osaka v Buriram United and Kashima Antlers v Pohang Steelers.

The fourth round, on 3 and 4 November, sees Newcastle Jets play Shanghai Port, Kashiwa Reysol meet Daejeon Hana Citizen, Vissel Kobe face Ratchaburi, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors play Johor Darul Ta’zim, Cong An Ha Noi meet Kyoto Sanga, Porto face Beijing Guoan, Pohang Steelers host Gamba Osaka and Buriram United play Kashima Antlers.

Fixtures on 24 and 25 November are Newcastle Jets v Kashiwa Reysol, Kyoto Sanga v Pohang Steelers, Daejeon Hana Citizen v Beijing Guoan, Cong An Ha Noi v Vissel Kobe, Ratchaburi v Johor Darul Ta’zim, Shanghai Port v Buriram United, Gamba Osaka v Porto and Kashima Antlers v Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors.

The sixth round, on 1 and 2 December, includes Pohang Steelers v Shanghai Port, Kashiwa Reysol v Cong An Ha Noi, Vissel Kobe v Newcastle Jets, Buriram United v Kyoto Sanga, Beijing Guoan v Ratchaburi, Johor Darul Ta’zim v Daejeon Hana Citizen, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors v Gamba Osaka and Porto v Kashima Antlers.

The East league phase returns on 9 and 10 February 2027 with Newcastle Jets v Johor Darul Ta’zim, Kyoto Sanga v Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, Daejeon Hana Citizen v Kashima Antlers, Shanghai Port v Porto, Cong An Ha Noi v Beijing Guoan, Ratchaburi v Gamba Osaka, Kashiwa Reysol v Buriram United and Vissel Kobe v Pohang Steelers.

The final round on 16 February features Pohang Steelers v Kashiwa Reysol, Gamba Osaka v Daejeon Hana Citizen, Beijing Guoan v Newcastle Jets, Porto v Kyoto Sanga, Johor Darul Ta’zim v Cong An Ha Noi, Buriram United v Vissel Kobe, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors v Shanghai Port and Kashima Antlers v Ratchaburi.

How to watch

In the Middle East, beIN Sports hold the exclusive rights to the 2026-27 AFC Champions League Elite. The network has allocated beIN SPORTS HD 1 and beIN SPORTS HD 2 for live coverage.

Al Kass channels are also listed as broadcasters of the AFC Champions League Elite 2025-26, specifically Al Kass 5 and Al Kass 6.

Online viewers can watch the competition through the TOD TV application. NordVPN is also promoted as an option for a secure and fast internet connection.

Al Hilal are the most successful Asian club in the history of the AFC Champions League, with four titles.