AFC Champions League Elite: Cristiano Ronaldo and Al Nassr in Pot 2, Neymar’s Al Hilal in Pot 1

Scheduled to be played between September 16, 2024, and February 19, 2025, each team will play against eight opponents within its region in four home and four away matches.

From left to right, Al Nassr’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Al Hilal’s Neymar. | Photo Credit: AFP

Asian club football for the 2024-25 season will get underway as the AFC Champions League Elite draw will take place in a ceremony at Kuala Lumpur on Friday, August 16 at 5 pm.

 The ACL Elite league strategy format is going through a change and will come into effect for the first time in an AFC club competition. It will feature two leagues of 12 teams across the West and East regions.

Scheduled to be played between September 16, 2024, and February 19, 2025, each team will play against eight opponents within its region in four home and four away matches.

Reigning champion Al Ain FC of the United Arab Emirates is naturally in Pot 1, which also had Al Hilal of the Saudi Pro League. Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr has been placed in Pot 2.

The line-up – comprising 22 teams that qualified directly and two Preliminary Stage winners – will be placed into two pots within each region, as below:

East

Pot 1: Al Ain FC (UAE), Al Hilal SFC (KSA), Al Sadd SC (QAT), Persepolis FC (IRN), Pakhtakor (UZB), Al Shorta (IRQ)

Pot 2: Al Nassr Club (KSA), Al Rayyan SC (QAT), Esteghlal FC (IRN), Al Wasl FC (UAE), Al Ahli Saudi FC (KSA), Winner of Preliminary Stage - Al Gharafa SC (QAT) or Shabab Al Ahli (UAE)