The Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper reported that the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) will allocate six slots to Saudi Arabia and Japan in the AFC Champions League Elite and AFC Champions League 2 tournaments, as part of a policy to distribute slots based on cumulative performance and continental results.
Currently, Saudi Arabia and Japan each have three direct slots in the Elite tournament and one slot in the AFC Champions League 2.
However, the new allocation will see the top three teams in the Saudi Professional League and the Japanese J1 League qualify directly for the Elite tournament, while the fourth and fifth-placed teams will enter the play-offs, and the sixth-placed team will qualify directly for the AFC Champions League 2 group stage.
The new allocation, which will be announced next Friday, will also increase the number of slots for Emirati and South Korean teams to five (three direct slots in the Elite tournament, one play-off slot, and one slot in the AFC Champions League 2).
Qatar and Thailand will each receive four slots, maintaining the previous format. Iran and China will each have two direct slots in the Elite Division and one in the AFC Champions League 2. Australia and Uzbekistan will each have one direct slot in the Elite Division, one in the play-offs, and one in the AFC Champions League 2.
Iraq will have one direct slot in the Elite Division and one in the AFC Champions League 2. Jordan’s champion will participate in the Elite Division play-offs, while the runner-up will enter the AFC Champions League 2 directly from the group stage.
Based on this new distribution and considering the current Roshan League schedule, Al-Nassr, Al-Hilal, and Al-Ahli will participate directly in the Elite Division league stage. Al-Qadisiyah and Al-Taawoun will play in the play-offs, and Al-Ittihad will transfer to the AFC Champions League 2.
It is worth noting that the number of clubs participating in the AFC Champions League Elite Division next season will increase to 32 teams, up from 24 in the first two editions under the new format.
