The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has announced that the 2025-26 AFC Champions League Finals will be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, for the second year running.
The competition format changed last year, with the quarter-finals now being played as single-leg matches at neutral venues, culminating in the final.
Previously, the final was a single match between teams from the East and West, but now the two regions are paired starting from the quarter-finals in a seeded draw.
According to the AFC statement, King Abdullah Sports City Stadium (The Jewel) and Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium will once again host the AFC Champions League Finals.
One quarter-final and one semi-final match will be played at each stadium, while the final will be held at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, with the winner receiving $12 million.
The statement indicated that following the conclusion of the league stage, the Round of 16 matches will be played on a home-and-away basis, with the West Zone matches taking place on March 2nd and 3rd, and the East Zone matches on March 9th and 10th. A draw will then be held on March 25th to determine the path of the eight qualified clubs towards the title in the 2026 AFC Champions League Finals.
It is worth noting that Al-Ahli Saudi are the current holders of the AFC Champions League title in its new format, having defeated Kawasaki Frontale 2-0 in the final.
