Indian Super League clubs will continue to play in the Asian Champions League 2 next season, despite Asian Football Confederation (AFC) announcing increased berths for the Champions League Elite for other countries.
This season’s ISL winner will get a direct group stage spot in ACL 2, while the Super Cup winner, FC Goa, will earn a playoff spot.
In the Elite competition, clubs from Saudi Arabia and Japan are due to see their slots increased to five in the competition’s expanded league phase.
The AFC announced that its Professional Football Committee had adopted changes to the competition that will see the 2026/27 edition of the club championship feature 32 teams, up from 24 at present, when it kicks off in September.
Japan currently has three automatic berths in the league phase while Saudi Arabia has two plus a playoff place.
Organisers have increased Saudi Arabia’s quota of guaranteed berths to three - in line with the Japanese - while granting the two countries an additional two playoff slots.
Japanese and Saudi Arabian clubs have dominated the competition since the adoption of the new format in 2024 with Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli due to meet J-League outfit Machida Zelvia in the latest final on Saturday.
The expansion will see the league phase in both west and east Asia grow from 12 to 16 teams on each side of the confederation with the first eight finishers progressing to the knockout rounds next season.
The United Arab Emirates has also seen its allowance increase to three automatic slots with one playoff place available while Qatar has been granted three confirmed berths.
South Korea has been given one additional playoff spot to its existing three confirmed places while Thailand has seen its quota increase from one to three guaranteed league phase slots.
China retains its two automatic spots but loses a playoff place after all three of its participants failed to advance to the knockout rounds of the current edition.
Australia has had a playoff slot added to its one confirmed place in the league phase while Jordan and Vietnam have both been given playoff places.
The decisions are subject to ratification by the AFC’s executive committee.
Published on Apr 24, 2026