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#ACLTwo 2026/27 - Facts & Figures

#ACLTwo 2026/27 - Facts & Figures

Kuala Lumpur: The race for the AFC champions League Two 2026/27™ title kicks off with the Preliminary Stage this week.
The action promises to be intense as the hopefuls look to replace Japan's Gamba Osaka as the next champions. The-AFC.com takes a look at some interesting facts and figures ahead of the tournament kicking off.
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Preliminary Stage
Three tickets to the Group Stage are up for grabs - two in the West region and one in the East.

Qualified teams
A total of 25 sides - 12 from the West region and 13 from the East - have earned direct entry to the Group Stage. Besides the three winners from the Preliminary Stage, the four losing clubs from the AFC Champions League Elite 2026/27™ Preliminary Stage will also qualify for the Group Stage.

Gathering of former winners
Kuwait SC lead the cast of several former champions bidding for the title, with Al Muharraq SC of Bahrain, Oman's Al Seeb Club, PFC Nasaf of Uzbekistan having also lifted the trophy when the competition was known as the AFC Cup.
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Kuwait lead
Clubs from Kuwait have lifted the trophy four times, the most by any nation. Iraq and Jordanian teams have emerged champions three times each with Bahrain and Syria sides having tasted glory twice each. 

New frontier for Svay Rieng
Having twice finished AFC Challenge League™ runners-up, Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng FC are making the step up to the AFC Champions League Two and the Cambodian titleholders will be relishing the opportunity of gauging themselves against teams of a higher quality. 
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Familiar foes
Indonesia's Persib Bandung and Manila Digger FC of the Philippines will meet in the Preliminary Stage for the second consecutive season, with the former having won last year's face-off between the two ASEAN sides. 

Key dates
The Group Stage Draw will be held Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on August 18, 2026, with the action kicking off on September 15. The Final is scheduled to be played on May 15, 2027. 

#ACLElite lure
The winners will earn a ticket to the AFC Champions League Elite 2027/28™ Preliminary Stage. 

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