July 17, 2026 09:11

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Find out the date of the 2026-2027 AFC Champions League Elite draw and the broadcast channels

The Asian Football Confederation announced the date of the draw for the 2026-2027 AFC Champions League Elite, the 45th edition of the prestigious Asian tournament.

Saudi Arabia's Al-Ahli Jeddah made history in the 55th edition (2025-2026), winning the second Asian title under the modern system.

The new format of the AFC Champions League Elite has produced fiery matches between teams from East and West of the Yellow Continent, increasing the excitement of competition.

Below, we present to you the date of the 2026-2027 AFC Champions League Elite draw and everything you need to know...

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What is the date of the 2026-2027 AFC Champions League Elite draw?

According to the Asian Football Confederation, the preliminary round will be held on August 11, then the draw for the league stage of the 2026-2027 AFC Champions League Elite will take place on August 18, 2025, where the matches and fixtures will be determined.

After that, the draw for the round of 16 matches will be held in February 2027, noting that the quarter-final and semi-final draw will be held in March 2026.

Event and date: Draw of the league stage of the 2026-2027 AFC Champions League Elite — Tuesday, August 18, 2026; Draw of the round of 16 of the 2026-2027 AFC Champions League Elite — February 2027; Draw of the quarter and semi-final of the 2026-2027 AFC Champions League Elite — March 2027.

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What are the broadcast channels for the 2026-2027 AFC Champions League Elite draw?

It is likely that the draws for the various rounds of the AFC Champions League Elite will be broadcast via the beIN Sports network, specifically the open news channel.

Event and broadcast channels: 2026-2027 AFC Champions League Elite draw — beIN Sports, TOD TV.

What is the system of the 2026-2027 AFC Champions League Elite draw?

Similar to the previous two editions, 24 teams participate in the AFC Champions League Elite, instead of 32 in the old system.

The group stage draw is conducted by computer, determining all match fixtures (each team plays 8 matches), while the quarter-final draw is determined by ranking clubs according to classification and region, to ensure matches between East and West clubs.

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Follow Kooora on Google. What is the participation system in the 2026-2027 AFC Champions League Elite?

The tournament starts with a qualifying play-off for two teams to advance to the league stage, which is held with the participation of 24 teams, divided into two groups of 12 each in the East and 12 in the West.

After the draw and division of teams into 4 tiers, each team in the league stage plays 8 matches (4 home and 4 away).

Then the top 8 teams from each group (East and West) qualify for the round of 16, which is played on a home-and-away basis, followed by the quarter-finals.

Starting from the quarter-finals, the matches will be held in a centralized tournament format in a single country.

Tournament: 2026-2027 AFC Champions League Elite, Number of teams: 24, Date of league stage draw: August 14, 2026, Start of league stage: September 14-15, 2026.

What are the qualified teams for the 2026-2027 AFC Champions League Elite?

Below, we review the list of clubs qualified for the 2026-2027 AFC Champions League Elite...

West Region

Country and qualified teams: Saudi Arabia — Al-Ahli, Al-Nassr, Al-Hilal, Al-Qadsiah; UAE — Shabab Al-Ahli Dubai, Al-Ain, Al-Wasl; Qatar — Al-Sadd, Al-Gharafa, Al-Shamal; Iran — Esteghlal Tehran, Tractor; Uzbekistan — Nasaf Qarshi; Iraq — Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya; Play-off: Saudi Arabia — Al-Ittihad; UAE — Al-Jazira; Iran — Pakhtakor; Jordan — Al-Hussein Irbid.

East Region

Country and qualified teams: Japan — Kashima Antlers, Vissel Kobe, Kashiwa Reysol, Kyoto Sanga; South Korea — Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, Daejeon Hana Citizens, Pohang Steelers; China — Shanghai Port, Beijing Guoan; Thailand — Buriram United, Port FC; Australia — Newcastle United Jets; Malaysia — Johor Darul Ta'zim; Play-off: Japan — Gamba Osaka; South Korea — Gangwon; Australia — Adelaide United; Vietnam — Cong An Hanoi.

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