The AFC Champions League will undergo significant reform from next season. Instead of one tournament, two will be held - the Elite Champions League and the Champions League 2, writes Sports.tj.
According to the new rules, the final stages of the elite tournament - quarter-finals, semi-finals and finals - will be held centrally in one organizing country. Expert Alisher Nikimbayev spoke about this.
According to him, the AFC invited the football federation to submit an application for holding two centralized tournaments - in 2025 and 2026. Iraq and Saudi Arabia have shown interest. According to the expert, the Saudis are ready to host the tournament for five years in a row.
Please note that countries' quotas for participation in tournaments in the 2025/26 season will be determined based on the results of the current season.
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In the AFC rankings, Turkmenistan currently occupies tenth place in the West zone, which gives the right to field two clubs in the second Champions League - one in the group, one in the playoffs.
The qualification scheme looks like this:
Elite Champions League:
- 24 clubs in group stage
- 20 direct trips
- 4 places from the playoffs (out of 6 participants)
Champions League 2
- 32 clubs in group stage
- 20 direct trips
- 2 teams from the Elite League playoffs
- 10 places from League 2 play-offs (out of 12 participants)
Challenge League
- 20 clubs in group stage
- 6 direct tours
- 2 teams from the League 2 playoffs
- 12 places from the Challenge League playoffs (out of 20 participants)
