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Asian Champions League 1 and 2 thread

been recent examples already Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors did the double in South Korea in 2025 thus the 4th highest ranked K League team eligible qualified for ACL Two next season which went Gangwon and Johor Darul Tazim in Malaysia also did the double thus the second highest ranked Malaysian Super League team eligible qualifies for ACL Two next season.

There is no precedent anywhere in Asia for the domestic cup runner-up to be awarded a place in continental competition standard practice, should Cup winner win the league, is for that place to revert back to domestic league standings.

Also five clubs that were competing in ACL Elite from the 2025/26 season in the East region did league and cup double in the previous season (Vissel Kobe, Ulsan Hyundai, Shanghai Port, Buriram United, Johor Darul Tazim) hence next team from the domestic league that were eligible qualified.
 
Another question I have is why FA would be championing this to AFC and not wanting an Aleague club to be given the spot? It could just be that they want to add a bit of prestige to "their" cup tournament but it comes across as being dismissive towards the APL.
 
Sarcasm I presume. 😁
Not entirely.... As Brenton posted, its pretty much the norm worldwide that when the Cup winner is awarded with a continental tournament spotr, if they are also the league winners, then the "cup spot" goes to the next highest league position NOT the cup runner up... It seems like FA is trying to throw the NPL a bone, which is great, but just wondering why?
 
Not entirely.... As Brenton posted, its pretty much the norm worldwide that when the Cup winner is awarded with a continental tournament spotr, if they are also the league winners, then the "cup spot" goes to the next highest league position NOT the cup runner up... It seems like FA is trying to throw the NPL a bone, which is great, but just wondering why?
The answer is…………The Australian Championship!
 
The answer is…………The Australian Championship!
Thats ridiculous... No second divison in the world provides the club for continenatal football.

Besides, we couldn't possible compete in yet ANOTHER confederation tournament next year, would mean 100+ matches a season!! We are supposed to be an amateur, EfFNiKz,evil, old soccer club remember?
 
Thats ridiculous... No second divison in the world provides the club for continenatal football.

Besides, we couldn't possible compete in yet ANOTHER confederation tournament next year, would mean 100+ matches a season!! We are supposed to be an amateur, EfFNiKz,evil, old soccer club remember?

I meant that the FA want to raise the profile of the Australian Championship by having Heidelberg compete in Asia. Not everything is about SMHELLAS you know? 😀
 
Another question I have is why FA would be championing this to AFC and not wanting an Aleague club to be given the spot? It could just be that they want to add a bit of prestige to "their" cup tournament but it comes across as being dismissive towards the APL.
I definitely read it as a sign the relationship between the fa and apl is still a bit passive aggressive

Nominating the bergers is like dropping "kind" from "kind regards"
 
I meant that the FA want to raise the profile of the Australian Championship by having Heidelberg compete in Asia. Not everything is about SMHELLAS you know? 😀
Heidelberg is NOT a foundation team for Australian Championship and from the looks of things wont be in any position to finish first to qualify either.... But Im sure you knew that right?.
 
Heidelberg is NOT a foundation team for Australian Championship and from the looks of things wont be in any position to finish first to qualify either.... But Im sure you knew that right?.
As they long as no one else finishes above them (other than the 3 foundation clubs), then they may still qualify. At this stage Oakleigh would be the big danger.

How shit would the Championship be if Oakleigh was in it instead of the Berger's.?!!!
 
As they long as no one else finishes above them (other than the 3 foundation clubs), then they may still qualify. At this stage Oakleigh would be the big danger.

How shit would the Championship be if Oakleigh was in it instead of the Berger's.?!!!
Keep an eye out for Bentleigh, Hume and or Georgies...
 
Thats ridiculous... No second division in the world provides the club for continental football.
This does make me wonder though: how far could a second tier club go in a continental competition? Clubs from big second tiers like the Championship would surely be better than some teams playing European football, even if they still wouldn’t make it out of the league stage in the Champions League.

I guess we could find out if Southampton do the unthinkable and win the FA Cup. Wigan finished bottom of their quite weak group in the Europa League back in 2013–14, having qualified by winning the FA Cup in the season prior despite also being relegated that season.
 
Besides, we couldn't possible compete in yet ANOTHER confederation tournament next year, would mean 100+ matches a season!! We are supposed to be an amateur, EfFNiKz,evil, old soccer club remember?
There's no guarantee that South Melbourne are going to be competing in OFC Pro League again next season though but even still having to balance continental football with league and cup competitions has already exposed our lack of depth in the playing list, which will only be more of a problem in the AFC comps.
 
There's no guarantee that South Melbourne are going to be competing in OFC Pro League again next season though but even still having to balance continental football with league and cup competitions has already exposed our lack of depth in the playing list, which will only be more of a problem in the AFC comps.
As exciting as it would be to see South in Asia, that isn’t the case (yet). Let’s go back to the original situation, which was Bergers somehow being put forward by Football Australia as runner-up to Newcastle in the Australia Cup (who may qualify twice as A League Premiers and Australia Cup winners). Yes, it should be the team that finishes 2nd in the A-League. Good on Football Australia for pushing for Bergers, thereby promoting the Australian Championship (and also the NPL Victoria), even if there is no precedent for it around the world (?).
 
As exciting as it would be to see South in Asia, that isn’t the case (yet). Let’s go back to the original situation, which was Bergers somehow being put forward by Football Australia as runner-up to Newcastle in the Australia Cup (who may qualify twice as A League Premiers and Australia Cup winners). Yes, it should be the team that finishes 2nd in the A-League. Good on Football Australia for pushing for Bergers, thereby promoting the Australian Championship (and also the NPL Victoria), even if there is no precedent for it around the world (?).
I still dont understnad your take on this being a promotion for the Australian Championship... Heidelberg United is NOT an Australia Championship club in 2026 and failed to make the final in last years edition?

Thats like saying you are promoting vegetarianism by only eating rib eye.
 
I think it's just FA being FA, they don't know what to do. Third placed A league team? second placed Cup team? Decisions, decisions. That being said, not many pundits give them much chance of qualifying
 
They were in the 2025 Australian Championship, yes they didn’t win it. But they did finish runner up in the Australian Cup. Having an NPL/Australian Championship team in the ACL2 promotes both the Australian Championship and the NPL. Imagine some kid in Asia thinking who is that team that I’ve never heard of playing against my team. They google and Hey Presto!: They now know about the Australian Championship and NPL. How is that not promotion?
 
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