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

 

[Brenton1986]

simultaneous kickoff for ACL Elite final matchday in league phase both West region and East region as per announcement in their media release.

Japan to host AFC U23 Asian Cup 2028™

Japan secured the hosting rights following a competitive bidding process for the competition, which will serve as Asia’s qualifiers for the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympics.

www.the-afc.com

 

[Hillbilly55]

haha just realized that the preliminary round is Census Night here, so the crowd coming to watch the Adelaide game - We will be watching them !!!!!