Football - AFC Asian Champions League

The premier tournament in Asian club football began as the Asian Champion Club Tournament, but only lasted five years before slipping into a 14-season lull due to apathy and escalating political problems between Israel and the Arab nations.
The event was revived as the Asian Club Championship in 1985/86, but was still only competed for by clubs from the elite nations of the vast continent. The adoption of a Champions League format adapted from Europe, and a merger with the Cup Winners' Cup, in 2002 has led to a more wide-ranging entry and a true championship for Asian clubs. In 2024-25 it was rebranded as the AFC Champions League Elite.
The final has been held over two legs apart from in the following years when it was staged at a single venue: 
1967, 1969, 1971, 1994 & 1995 - Bangkok, Tha: 1970, 1999 & 2002 - Tehran, Irn; 1986 - Jeddah, Sau; 1987, 1996 & 2000 - Riyadh, Sau; 1991 - Dhaka, Bgd; 1992 - Doha. Qat; 1993 - Bahrain, Bhr; 1997 - Kuala Lumpur, Mys; 1998 - Hong Kong, Hkg; 2001 - Suwon, Kor; 2009 & 2010 - Tokyo, Jap; 2011 - Jeonju, Kor; 2012 - Ulsan, Kor; 2020 - Al Wakrah, Qat; 2025 - Jeddah, Sau

YEAR
WINNERS
RUNNERS-UP
1967
HAP TEL AVIV (Isr)
Selangor (Mys)
1968
-
-
1969
MAC TEL AVIV (Isr)
Yangzee (Kor)
1970
ESTEGHLAL (Irn)
Hapoel Tel Aviv (Isr)
1971
MAC TEL AVIV (Isr)
Shorta (Irq)
 
Not held (1972-85)
-
1986
DAEWOO R (Kor)*
Ahli (Sau)
1987
FURUKAWA E (Jpn)*
Hilal (Sau)
1988
YOMIURI (Jap)*
Hilal (Sau)
1989
SADD (Qat)
Rasheed (Irq)
1990
LIAONING (Chn)
Nissan (Jap)*
1991
ESTEGHLAL (Irn)
Liaoning (Chn)
1992
HILAL (Sau)
Esteghlal (Irn)
1993
PAS TEHRAN (Irn)
Shabab (Sau)
1994
FARMERS (Tha)
Oman (Omn)
1995
FARMERS (Tha)
Arabi (Qat)
1996
ILHWA CHUN (Kor)
Nasr (Sau)
1997
POHANG ST (Kor)
Ilhwa Chunma (Kor)
1998
POHANG ST (Kor)
Dalian Wanda (Chn)
1999
JUBILO IWATA (Jpn)
Esteghlal (Irn)
2000
HILAL (Sau)
Jubilo Iwata (Jpn)
2001
SUWON B'GS (Kor)
Jubilo Iwata (Jpn)
2002
SUWON B'GS (Kor)
Anyang Cheetahs (Kor)*
2003
AIN (UAE)
Terro Sasana (Tha)
2004
ITTIHAD (Sau)
Ilhwa Chunma (Kor)
2005
ITTIHAD (Sau)
Ain (UAE)
2006
JEONBUK (Kor)
Karamah (Syr)
2007
URAWA D (Jpn)
Sepahan (Irn)
2008
G OSAKA (Jap)
Adelaide United (Aus)
2009
POHANG ST (Kor)
 Ittihad (Sau)
2010
ILHWA CHUN (Kor)
 Zob Ahan (Irn)
2011 SADD (Qtr)
 Jeonbuk (Kor)
2012 ULSAN H (Kor) Ahli (Sau)
2013 GUANGZHOU (Chn) FC Seoul (Kor)
2014 W SYDNEY (Aus) Hilal (Sau)
2015 GUANGZHOU (Chn) Ahli (UAE)
2016 JEONBUK (Kor) Ain (UAE)
2017 URAWA (Jpn) Hilal (Sau)
2018 KASHIMA (Jap) Persepolis (Irn)
2019 HILAL (Sau) Urawa Red Diamonds (Jpn)
2020 ULSAN (Kor) Persepolis (Irn)
2021 HILAL (Sau) Pohang Steelers (Kor)
2023 URAWA (Jpn) Hilal (Sau)
2024 AIN (UAE) Yokohama (Jpn)
2025 HILAL (Sau) Kawasaki Frontale (Jpn)

* Daewoo Royals now known as Busan l'Park. Furukawa Electric now JEF United. Yomiuri now Tokyo Verdy. Nissan now Yokohama Marinos. Anyang Cheetahs now FC Seoul

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