The 2024–25 AFC Champions League Elite (ACL Elite) was the 43rd edition of Asia's premier club football tournament, organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and the first since it was rebranded as the AFC Champions League Elite. The revamped format, along with the rebranding, saw 24 teams playing eight games against different opponents in the brand new league phase.
The finals was played in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia from 25 April to 3 May 2025. The tournament winner, Al-Ahli, qualified for the 2025 FIFA Intercontinental Cup and the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup. Additionally, they entered the league stage of the 2025–26 AFC Champions League Elite, as they had not qualified through domestic performance.
Al-Ain were the defending champions, but were eliminated in the league stage.
Infobox
Dates
Qualifying:6–13 August 2024Competition proper:16 September 2024 – 3 May 2025
Teams
Competition proper: 24 (from 12 associations)
Champions
Al-Ahli (1st title)
Runners-up
Kawasaki Frontale
Matches played
111
Goals scored
334 (3.01 per match)
Attendance
1,677,544 (15,113 per match)
Top scorer(s)
Salem Al-Dawsari(10 goals)
Best player
Roberto Firmino
Best goalkeeper
Édouard Mendy
Tables
· Association team allocation
Multi-metric bars
World heat map
Ranked list
Participation for 2024–25 AFC Champions League Elite
Participating
Not participating
West Region (12 teams)
Multi-metric bars
World heat map
Leaguestage
Leaguestage
Rank
Leaguestage
Rank
Play-off
Region
Region
Rank
Region
Rank
AFC
1
1
Rank
1
Rank
1
Memberassociation
Saudi Arabia
Points
93.795
Slots
3
Slots
0
2
2
Rank
2
Rank
4
Memberassociation
Qatar
Points
75.950
Slots
2
Slots
1
3
3
Rank
3
Rank
5
Memberassociation
Iran
Points
72.018
Slots
2
Slots
1
4
4
Rank
4
Rank
6
Memberassociation
United Arab Emirates
Points
64.129
Slots
1 (+1 ACL)
Slots
1
5
5
Rank
5
Rank
9
Memberassociation
Uzbekistan
Points
45.006
Slots
1
Slots
0
6
6
Rank
6
Rank
10
Memberassociation
Iraq
Points
36.901
Slots
1
Slots
0
Total
Total
Rank
Total
Rank
Participating associations: 6
Memberassociation
11
Points
3
14
14
Rank
14
Ranked list
Rank
Memberassociation
Points
Slots
Leaguestage
Play-off
Region
AFC
1
1
Saudi Arabia
93.795
3
0
2
4
Qatar
75.950
2
1
3
5
Iran
72.018
2
1
4
6
United Arab Emirates
64.129
1 (+1 ACL)
1
5
9
Uzbekistan
45.006
1
0
6
10
Iraq
36.901
1
0
Total
Participating associations: 6
11
3
14
East Region (12 teams)
Multi-metric bars
World heat map
Leaguestage
Leaguestage
Rank
Leaguestage
Rank
Play-off
Region
Region
Rank
Region
Rank
AFC
1
1
Rank
1
Rank
2
Memberassociation
Japan
Points
91.821
Slots
3
Slots
0
2
2
Rank
2
Rank
3
Memberassociation
South Korea
Points
88.925
Slots
3
Slots
0
3
3
Rank
3
Rank
7
Memberassociation
China
Points
57.630
Slots
2
Slots
1
4
4
Rank
4
Rank
8
Memberassociation
Thailand
Points
49.470
Slots
1
Slots
1
5
5
Rank
5
Rank
11
Memberassociation
Australia
Points
33.380
Slots
1
Slots
0
6
6
Rank
6
Rank
13
Memberassociation
Malaysia
Points
29.951
Slots
1
Slots
0
Total
Total
Rank
Total
Rank
Participating associations: 6
Memberassociation
11
Points
2
13
13
Rank
13
Ranked list
Rank
Memberassociation
Points
Slots
Leaguestage
Play-off
Region
AFC
1
2
Japan
91.821
3
0
2
3
South Korea
88.925
3
0
3
7
China
57.630
2
1
4
8
Thailand
49.470
1
1
5
11
Australia
33.380
1
0
6
13
Malaysia
29.951
1
0
Total
Participating associations: 6
11
2
13
· Teams
Multi-metric bars
World heat map
League stage
League stage
Entry round
League stage
West Region
Team
West Region
Qualifying method
West Region
mw- App. (last)
East Region
Team
East Region
Qualifying method
East Region
App. (last)
Al-Ain
Al-Ain
Entry round
Al-Ain
West Region
2023–24 AFC Champions League title holder
West Region
18th (2023–24)
West Region
Vissel Kobe
East Region
2023 J1 League champions
East Region
3rd (2022)
Al-Hilal
Al-Hilal
Entry round
Al-Hilal
West Region
2023–24 Saudi Pro League champions2023–24 King's Cup winners
West Region
20th (2023–24)
West Region
Kawasaki Frontale
East Region
2023 Emperor's Cup winners
East Region
11th (2023–24)
Al-Nassr
Al-Nassr
Entry round
Al-Nassr
West Region
2023–24 Saudi Pro League runners-up
West Region
8th (2023–24)
West Region
Yokohama F. Marinos
East Region
2023 J1 League runners-up
East Region
7th (2023–24)
Al-Ahli
Al-Ahli
Entry round
Al-Ahli
West Region
2023–24 Saudi Pro League third place
West Region
14th (2021)
West Region
Ulsan HD
East Region
2023 K League 1 champions
East Region
12th (2023–24)
Al-Sadd
Al-Sadd
Entry round
Al-Sadd
West Region
2023–24 Qatar Stars League champions2024 Emir of Qatar Cup winners
West Region
19th (2023–24)
West Region
Pohang Steelers
East Region
2023 Korean FA Cup winners
East Region
10th (2023–24)
Al-Rayyan
Al-Rayyan
Entry round
Al-Rayyan
West Region
2023–24 Qatar Stars League runners-up
West Region
13th (2022)
West Region
Gwangju FC
East Region
2023 K League 1 third place
East Region
1st
Persepolis
Persepolis
Entry round
Persepolis
West Region
2023–24 Persian Gulf Pro League champions
West Region
12th (2023–24)
West Region
Shanghai Port
East Region
2023 Chinese Super League champions
East Region
8th (2023–24)
Esteghlal
Esteghlal
Entry round
Esteghlal
West Region
2023–24 Persian Gulf Pro League runners-up
West Region
12th (2021)
West Region
Shanghai Shenhua
East Region
2023 Chinese FA Cup winners
East Region
10th (2020)
Al-Wasl
Al-Wasl
Entry round
Al-Wasl
West Region
2023–24 UAE Pro League champions 2023–24 UAE President's Cup winners
West Region
4th (2019)
West Region
Buriram United
East Region
2023–24 Thai League 1 champions
East Region
12th (2023–24)
Pakhtakor
Pakhtakor
Entry round
Pakhtakor
West Region
2023 Uzbekistan Super League champions
West Region
20th (2023–24)
West Region
Central Coast Mariners
East Region
2023–24 A-League Men regular season premiers2023–24 AFC Cup winners
East Region
6th (2015)
Al-Shorta
Al-Shorta
Entry round
Al-Shorta
West Region
2023–24 Iraq Stars League champions
West Region
6th (2021)
West Region
Johor Darul Ta'zim
East Region
2023 Malaysia Super League champions
East Region
10th (2023–24)
Play-off round
Play-off round
Entry round
Play-off round
West Region
Al-Gharafa
West Region
2023–24 Qatar Stars League third place
West Region
13th (2022)
East Region
Shandong Taishan
East Region
2023 Chinese Super League runners-up
East Region
12th (2023–24)
Preliminary round
Preliminary round
Entry round
Preliminary round
West Region
Sepahan
West Region
2023–24 Hazfi Cup winners
West Region
15th (2023–24)
Shabab Al-Ahli
Shabab Al-Ahli
Entry round
Shabab Al-Ahli
West Region
2023–24 UAE Pro League runners-up
West Region
12th (2023–24)
Ranked list
Entry round
West Region
East Region
League stage
Team
Qualifying method
mw- App. (last)
Team
Qualifying method
App. (last)
Al-Ain
2023–24 AFC Champions League title holder
18th (2023–24)
Vissel Kobe
2023 J1 League champions
3rd (2022)
Al-Hilal
2023–24 Saudi Pro League champions2023–24 King's Cup winners
20th (2023–24)
Kawasaki Frontale
2023 Emperor's Cup winners
11th (2023–24)
Al-Nassr
2023–24 Saudi Pro League runners-up
8th (2023–24)
Yokohama F. Marinos
2023 J1 League runners-up
7th (2023–24)
Al-Ahli
2023–24 Saudi Pro League third place
14th (2021)
Ulsan HD
2023 K League 1 champions
12th (2023–24)
Al-Sadd
2023–24 Qatar Stars League champions2024 Emir of Qatar Cup winners
19th (2023–24)
Pohang Steelers
2023 Korean FA Cup winners
10th (2023–24)
Al-Rayyan
2023–24 Qatar Stars League runners-up
13th (2022)
Gwangju FC
2023 K League 1 third place
1st
Persepolis
2023–24 Persian Gulf Pro League champions
12th (2023–24)
Shanghai Port
2023 Chinese Super League champions
8th (2023–24)
Esteghlal
2023–24 Persian Gulf Pro League runners-up
12th (2021)
Shanghai Shenhua
2023 Chinese FA Cup winners
10th (2020)
Al-Wasl
2023–24 UAE Pro League champions 2023–24 UAE President's Cup winners
4th (2019)
Buriram United
2023–24 Thai League 1 champions
12th (2023–24)
Pakhtakor
2023 Uzbekistan Super League champions
20th (2023–24)
Central Coast Mariners
2023–24 A-League Men regular season premiers2023–24 AFC Cup winners
6th (2015)
Al-Shorta
2023–24 Iraq Stars League champions
6th (2021)
Johor Darul Ta'zim
2023 Malaysia Super League champions
10th (2023–24)
Play-off round
Al-Gharafa
2023–24 Qatar Stars League third place
13th (2022)
Shandong Taishan
2023 Chinese Super League runners-up
12th (2023–24)
Bangkok United
2023–24 Thai FA Cup winners
5th (2023–24)
Preliminary round
Sepahan
2023–24 Hazfi Cup winners
15th (2023–24)
Shabab Al-Ahli
2023–24 UAE Pro League runners-up
12th (2023–24)
· Schedule
Multi-metric bars
World heat map
Preliminary stage
Preliminary stage
Stage
Preliminary stage
Round
Preliminary round 1
Draw date
No draw
West region
6 August 2024
Preliminary round 2
Preliminary round 2
Stage
Preliminary round 2
Round
13 August 2024
League stage
League stage
Stage
League stage
Round
Matchday 1
Draw date
16 August 2024
West region
16–17 September 2024
East region
17–18 September 2024
Matchday 2
Matchday 2
Stage
Matchday 2
Round
30 September–1 October 2024
Draw date
1–2 October 2024
Matchday 3
Matchday 3
Stage
Matchday 3
Round
21–22 October 2024
Draw date
22–23 October 2024
Matchday 4
Matchday 4
Stage
Matchday 4
Round
4–5 November 2024
Draw date
5–6 November 2024
Matchday 5
Matchday 5
Stage
Matchday 5
Round
25–26 November 2024
Draw date
26–27 November 2024
Matchday 6
Matchday 6
Stage
Matchday 6
Round
2–3 December 2024
Draw date
3–4 December 2024
Matchday 7
Matchday 7
Stage
Matchday 7
Round
3–4 February 2025
Draw date
11–12 February 2025
Matchday 8
Matchday 8
Stage
Matchday 8
Round
17–18 February 2025
Draw date
18–19 February 2025
Round of 16
Round of 16
Stage
Round of 16
Round
No draw
Draw date
3–4 and 10–11 March 2025
West region
4–5 and 11–12 March 2025
Finals
Finals
Stage
Finals
Round
Quarter-finals
Draw date
17 March 2025
West region
25–27 April 2025
Semi-finals
Semi-finals
Stage
Semi-finals
Round
29–30 April 2025
Final
Final
Stage
Final
Round
3 May 2025 at King Abdullah Sports City, Jeddah
Ranked list
Stage
Round
Draw date
West region
East region
Preliminary stage
Preliminary round 1
No draw
6 August 2024
Preliminary round 2
13 August 2024
League stage
Matchday 1
16 August 2024
16–17 September 2024
17–18 September 2024
Matchday 2
30 September–1 October 2024
1–2 October 2024
Matchday 3
21–22 October 2024
22–23 October 2024
Matchday 4
4–5 November 2024
5–6 November 2024
Matchday 5
25–26 November 2024
26–27 November 2024
Matchday 6
2–3 December 2024
3–4 December 2024
Matchday 7
3–4 February 2025
11–12 February 2025
Matchday 8
17–18 February 2025
18–19 February 2025
Round of 16
No draw
3–4 and 10–11 March 2025
4–5 and 11–12 March 2025
Finals
Quarter-finals
17 March 2025
25–27 April 2025
Semi-finals
29–30 April 2025
Final
3 May 2025 at King Abdullah Sports City, Jeddah
West Region· Qualifying play-offs › Preliminary round