AFC Champions League Two facts for kids
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| Organising body | AFC |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2004 (rebranded in 2024) |
| Region | Asia |
| Number of teams | 32 (group stage) |
| Qualifier for | AFC Champions League Elite |
| Related competitions | AFC Champions League Elite (1st tier) AFC Challenge League (3rd tier) |
| Current champions |  Central Coast Mariners (1st title) |
| Most successful club(s) |  Al-Kuwait Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya(3 titles each) |
The AFC Champions League Two (also known as the ACL Two) is a big annual continental football competition for clubs in Asia. It's organized by the AFC. This tournament is the second-highest level of club football in Asia. It sits below the AFC Champions League Elite and above the AFC Challenge League.
This competition started in 2004 as the AFC Cup. It was mainly for clubs from countries that didn't get direct spots in the top-tier AFC Champions League. In 2024, the AFC changed the name to AFC Champions League Two. All the past records and stats from the AFC Cup are now part of this new competition.
Football clubs get to play in this tournament based on how well they do in their country's leagues and cup competitions. Teams from the top 12 nations in both East and West Asia can join. The best club from nations ranked 1-6 that didn't make it to the AFC Champions League Elite gets a spot. Nations ranked 7-12 send their top club(s) directly to the AFC Champions League Two.
The current champions are Central Coast Mariners. They won the 2024 final against Al-Ahed. Al-Kuwait and Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya are the most successful clubs, each winning three titles. Clubs from Kuwait have won the most titles as a country, with four wins in total. fa: لیگ قهرمانان آسیا ۲
Contents
History of the Tournament
| Season | Winners |
|---|---|
| AFC Cup | |
| 2004 |  Al-Jaish |
| 2005 |  Al-Faisaly |
| 2006 | Al-Faisaly |
| 2007 | Shabab Al-Ordon |
| 2008 |  Al-Muharraq |
| 2009 | Kuwait SC |
| 2010 | Al-Ittihad |
| 2011 |  Nasaf |
| 2012 | Kuwait SC |
| 2013 | Kuwait SC |
| 2014 | Al-Qadsia |
| 2015 |  Johor Darul Ta'zim |
| 2016 | Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya |
| 2017 | Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya |
| 2018 | Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya |
| 2019 |  Al Ahed |
| 2021 | Al-Muharraq |
| 2022 |  Al-Seeb |
| 2023–24 | Central Coast Mariners |
| AFC Champions League Two | |
| 2024–25 | |
The AFC Cup started in 2004. It was a second-tier competition linked to the AFC Champions League. In the first year, 18 teams from 14 developing countries competed. The winners and three runners-up went into a knockout stage. Al-Jaish from Syria won the first AFC Cup. They beat another Syrian team, Al-Wahda, on away goals.
In 2005, 18 teams from nine nations played. Al-Faisaly from Jordan won the final. Jordanian teams then won the next two AFC Cup seasons.
In 2008, Al-Muharraq from Bahrain won. This was the last final played over two legs. After that, all finals were single matches.
On December 23, 2022, the AFC announced big changes to its club competitions. A new second-tier tournament, the AFC Champions League Two, was created for the 2024–25 season. A new third-tier competition, the AFC Challenge League, was also launched.
On May 24, 2024, the AFC confirmed that all past records and statistics from the AFC Cup would be carried over to the new AFC Champions League Two. This means the history of the AFC Cup lives on in the new tournament.
How the Tournament Works
The tournament has seen some changes over the years. For example, in the 2017 AFC Cup, a total of 36 teams played in the group stage. These teams came from different regions: 12 from West Asia, 12 from ASEAN (Southeast Asia), and 4 each from East Asia, Central Asia, and South Asia. The final match is always played as a single game.
Prize Money
Winning in the AFC Champions League Two comes with prize money! Here's what teams could win in the 2023–24 AFC Cup:
| Phase | Purse (USD) | Travel subsidy (per match) |
|---|---|---|
| Preliminary stage | N/A | $40,000 |
| Play-offs | N/A | $40,000 |
| Group stage | N/A | $40,000 |
| Knockout stage | Zonal champions: $100,000 | $40,000 |
| Final | Champions: $1.5 million Runners-up: $750,000 |
$40,000 |
Sponsors of the Tournament
Many big international companies help sponsor this football tournament. Unlike some national leagues that have one main sponsor, the AFC Champions League Two has several important partners.
Some of the main sponsors have included:
- Allianz
- beIN Sports
- China Resources Beverage
- Emirates
- Kärcher
- Nike, Inc.
- Nikon
- QNB Group
- Toyota
- Tsingtao Brewery
- Seiko
Results and Statistics
Final Matches
List of AFC Cup and AFC Champions League Two finals
Club Performance
Nation Performance
| Nation | Titles | Runners-up | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kuwait |
4 | 3 | 7 |
| Iraq |
3 | 2 | 5 |
| Jordan |
3 | 1 | 4 |
| Syria |
2 | 2 | 4 |
| Bahrain |
2 | 1 | 3 |
| Lebanon |
1 | 3 | 4 |
| Uzbekistan |
1 | 1 | 2 |
| Malaysia |
1 | 1 | 2 |
| Oman |
1 | 0 | 1 |
| Australia |
1 | 0 | 1 |
 Tajikistan |
0 | 2 | 2 |
 India |
0 | 1 | 1 |
 Turkmenistan |
0 | 1 | 1 |
 North Korea |
0 | 1 | 1 |
Top Scorers Each Year
Most Valuable Player Award
Winning Coaches
All-Time Top Goalscorers
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See Also
In Spanish: Copa AFC para niños
- List of association football competitions
- Bangladeshi clubs in the AFC Cup
- Indian clubs in the AFC Cup
- Indonesian clubs in the AFC Cup
- Syrian clubs in the AFC Cup
- Thai clubs in the AFC Cup
- Hong Kong clubs in the AFC Cup
- Vietnamese clubs in the AFC Cup
