The AFC Champions League Elite (abbreviated as the ACL Elite) is an annual continental club competition organized by the Asian Football Confederation, and contested by Asia's top-division football clubs. It is the most prestigious club competition in Asian football, played by the national league champions (and, for some nations, one or more runners-up) of their national associations.
Introduced in 1967 as the Asian Champion Club Tournament, the competition rebranded as AFC Champions League in 2002 following the merger of the Asian Club Championship, the Asian Cup Winners' Cup and the Asian Super Cup. It was rebranded again in 2024 to its current name.
A total of 24 clubs compete in the league stage of the competition, divided into East and West regions (12 teams each). The winner of the AFC Champions League Elite qualifies for the FIFA Intercontinental Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup, and also for the next edition of the AFC Champions League Elite league stage if they have not already qualified through their domestic performance.
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