2026/27 ACL Elite

[Brenton1986]

Match dates,
preliminary round: Tuesday August 11th
Group stage Matchday 1 (West region): Monday September 14th & Tuesday September 15th
Group stage Matchday 1 (East region): Tuesday September 15th & Wednesday September 16th
Group stage Matchday 2 (West region): Monday October 12th & Tuesday October 13th
Group stage Matchday 2 (East region): Tuesday October 13th & Wednesday October 14th
Group stage Matchday 3 (West region): Monday October 26th & Tuesday October 27th
Group stage Matchday 3 (East region): Tuesday October 27th & Wednesday October 28th
Group stage Matchday 4 (West region): Monday November 2nd & Tuesday November 3rd
Group stage Matchday 4 (East region): Tuesday November 3rd & Wednesday November 4th
Group stage Matchday 5 (West region): Monday November 23rd & Tuesday November 24th
Group stage Matchday 5 (East region): Tuesday November 24th & Wednesday November 25th
Group stage Matchday 6 (East region): Tuesday December 1st & Wednesday December 2nd
Group stage Matchday 6 (West region): Monday December 7th & Tuesday December 8th
Group stage Matchday 7 (West region): Monday February 8th & Tuesday February 9th
Group stage Matchday 7 (East region): Tuesday February 9th & Wednesday February 10th
Group stage Matchday 8 (West region): Monday February 15th & Tuesday February 16th
Group stage Matchday 8 (East region): Tuesday February 16th & Wednesday February 17th
Round of 16 first leg (West region): Monday March 1st & Tuesday March 2nd
Round of 16 first leg (East region): Tuesday March 9th & Wednesday March 10th
Round of 16 second leg (West region): Monday March 15th & Tuesday March 16th
Round of 16 second leg (East region): Tuesday March 16th & Wednesday March 17th
Quarter Finals: Friday April 23rd, Saturday April 24th, Sunday April 25th*
Semi Finals: Tuesday April 27th & Wednesday April 28th*
Final: Saturday May 1st*

*quarter finals, semi finals, final to be held in Jeddah.

 

[Brenton1986]

Draw dates,
League stage: Tuesday August 18th
Quarter Finals, Semi Finals, Final: TBA

 

[Brenton1986]

ACL Elite playoff round line up (West region),
Al Ittihad Jeddah – Saudi Arabia
Al Jazira Abu Dhabi – United Arab Emirates
FC Pakhtakor Tashkent – Uzbekistan
Al Hussein Irbid – Jordan

ACL Elite playoff round line up (East region),
Gamba Osaka – Japan
Gangwon – South Korea
Adelaide United – Australia
Cong An Hanoi – Vietnam

winning teams qualify to ACL Elite league phase.
losing teams transfer to ACL Two group stage.

 

[Brenton1986]

ACL Elite league phase line up (West region),
Al Nasr Riyadh – Saudi Arabia
Al Hilal Riyadh – Saudi Arabia
Al Ahli Jeddah – Saudi Arabia
Al Qadsiah – Saudi Arabia
Al Ain – United Arab Emirates
Shabab Al Ahli Dubai – United Arab Emirates
Al Wasl Dubai – United Arab Emirates
Al Sadd – Qatar
Al Gharafa – Qatar
Al Shamal – Qatar
Esteghlal Tehran – Iran
Tractor Sazi – Iran
FC Neftchi Fergana – Uzbekistan
Al Quwa Al Jawiya – Iraq
Al Jazira Abu Dhabi – United Arab Emirates or Al Ittihad Jeddah – Saudi Arabia
FC Pakhtakor Tashkent – Uzbekistan or Al Hussein Irbid – Jordan

ACL Elite league phase line up (East region),
Kashima Antlers – Japan
Vissel Kobe – Japan
Kashiwa Reysol – Japan
Kyoto Sanga – Japan
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors – South Korea
Daejeon Hana Citizen – South Korea
Pohang Steelers – South Korea
Buriram United – Thailand
Port FC – Thailand
Ratchaburi – Thailand
Shanghai Port – China
Beijing Guoan – China
Newcastle Jets – Australia
Johor Darul Tazim – Malaysia
Gangwon – South Korea or Gamba Osaka – Japan
Adelaide United – Australia or Cong An Hanoi – Vietnam

 

[Brenton1986]

ACL Elite playoff round fixtures – Tuesday August 11th,

West region:
Al Jazira Abu Dhabi – United Arab Emirates v Al Ittihad Jeddah – Saudi Arabia at Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium
FC Pakhtakor Tashkent – Uzbekistan v Al Hussein Irbid – Jordan at Pakhtakor Central Stadium

East region:
Gangwon – South Korea v Gamba Osaka – Japan at Gangneung Stadium
Adelaide United – Australia v Cong An Hanoi – Vietnam at Hindmarsh Stadium

 

[Brenton1986]

ACL Elite league phase pots (West region),

Pot 1:
Al Ahli Jeddah – Saudi Arabia
Al Ain – United Arab Emirates
Al Sadd – Qatar
Esteghlal Tehran – Iran

Pot 2:
FC Neftchi Fergana – Uzbekistan
Al Quwa Al Jawiya – Iraq
Al Nasr Riyadh – Saudi Arabia
Shabab Al Ahli Dubai – United Arab Emirates

Pot 3:
Al Gharafa – Qatar
Tractor Sazi – Iran
Al Hilal Riyadh – Saudi Arabia
Al Wasl Dubai – United Arab Emirates

Pot 4:
Al Shamal – Qatar
Al Qadsiah – Saudi Arabia
Al Jazira Abu Dhabi – United Arab Emirates/Al Ittihad Jeddah – Saudi Arabia
FC Pakhtakor Tashkent – Uzbekistan/Al-Hussein Irbid – Jordan

ACL Elite league phase pots (East region),

Pot 1:
Kashima Antlers – Japan
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors – South Korea
Buriram United – Thailand
Shanghai Port – China

Pot 2:
Newcastle Jets – Australia
Johor Darul Tazim – Malaysia
Vissel Kobe – Japan
Daejeon Hana Citizen – South Korea

Pot 3:
Port – Thailand
Beijing Guoan – China
Kashiwa Reysol – Japan
Pohang Steelers – South Korea

Pot 4:
Ratchaburi – Thailand
Kyoto Sanga – Japan
Gangwon – South Korea/Gamba Osaka – Japan
Adelaide United – Australia/Cong An Hanoi – Vietnam

NOTE: Each team will play 1 home match and 1 away match against each pot, so in total it will be 8 matches.

A team cannot play against teams from the same country