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
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) |
| 2026 | HILAL (Sau) | Machida Zelvia (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
The final has been held over two legs apart from in the following years when it was staged at a single venue:
Bangkok, Tha - 1967, 1969, 1971, 1994 & 1995
Tehran, Irn - 1970, 1999 & 2002
Jeddah, Sau - 1986, 2025 & 2026
Riyadh, Sau - 1987, 1996 & 2000
Dhaka, Bng - 1991
Soha, Qat - 1992
Bahrain, Bhr - 1993
Kuala Lumpur, Mys - 1997
Hong Kong, Hkg - 1998
Suwon, Kor - 2001
Tokyo, Jpn - 2009 & 2010
Jeonju, Kor - 2011
Ulsan, Kor - 2012
Al Wakrah, Qat - 2022
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