The AFC Champions League is Asia’s premier club competition, pitting 29 club sides from 15 countries against one another for a US$500,000 winners’ purse - and a place in the FIFA Club World Championship.

Teams qualify for the AFC Champions League as their national league champions or as the winners of a national cup competition (as specified by National Associations where there is more than one cup competition). Teams compete in the AFC Champions League from Australia, China, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Korea Republic, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.