AFC Champions League Two
Previously known as the AFC Cup™, Asia’s second-tier men’s competition was revamped to its current name from the 2024/25 season and is taking place for the 22nd occasion.
The upcoming edition features a Group Stage cast of 32 clubs that comprises five former champions as well as 11 newcomers to the competition: Adelaide United FC, Al Jazira Club, Al Wahda FC, FC Machida Zelvia, FC Seoul, Gangwon FC, Melbourne Victory FC, Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng FC, Shanghai Shenhua FC, Golgohar Sirjan SC and Kuching City FC – with the latter two making their Continental debuts.
The top two finishers from each of the eight groups—split evenly across West and East and contested in a home-and-away round-robin format that concludes on December 9—will advance to the Round of 16, to be played between February 9 and 18, 2027. The Quarter-finals and Semi-finals are set for March 2-18 and April 6-14 respectively, with the Final scheduled for May 15.
West
September 15
Group B
The fourth club from the Islamic Republic of Iran to make an appearance, Golgohar Sirjan SC make their competition bow in Tajikistan at 6.45pm at the Hisor Central Stadium in Hisor, which serves as a neutral venue. The opposition is Al Jazira Club of the United Arab Emirates, whose last AFC competition outing came in the 2022 AFC Champions League™ and are here after elimination from the AFC Champions League Elite™ Preliminary Stage.
Established in 2023, Turkmenistan’s FC Arkadag have won all 99 league and cup matches en route to claiming three consecutive domestic doubles. Crowned AFC Challenge League™ winners on their maiden foray into Continental action in 2024/25, they will aim to surpass their Round of 16 finish from last season as they begin with a 6.45pm tie at the Arkadag Stadium in Arkadag against Al Muharraq SC. With triumphs from 2008 and 2021, the Bahraini side earned a berth for the ninth time by clinching a record 36th league title in 2025/26.
September 16
Group A
Four-time league champions Al Wahda FC of the United Arab Emirates play host to an 8pm fixture at the Al Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi against Kuwait SC, whose 13th appearance here was earned by emerging victorious in the AFC Challenge League™ last season. They are the competition’s joint-record three-time winners (2009, 2012, 2013) and underlined their domestic dominance in 2025/26 with a fifth consecutive league success and 21st overall – both records.
After making their Asian bow in the inaugural season, Bahrain’s Al Khaldiya SC appear for a third edition running and the six-year-old club has a 7pm home clash against PFC Nasaf at Riffa’s Bahrain National Stadium. Winners in 2011, the Uzbek visitors are participating for a fifth occasion.
Group C
The Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Muscat will stage an 8pm tie between home side Al Nahda Club and Saudi Arabia’s Al Taawoun FC, who are involved for a fifth and second time respectively. Semi-finalists in 2008, the Omani hosts got here after lifting their second domestic cup trophy in 2025/26; meanwhile, the away side will aim to surpass their run to the last-four in 2024/25.
Returning for the first time since their 2010 debut, Qatar’s Al Rayyan SC welcome two-time winners Al Faisaly (2005, 2006) to the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan at 9.15pm. The most successful club in Jordan with 35 league titles, the visitors are making their 11th appearance.
Group D
Dropping down from the AFC Champions League Elite™ preliminaries for a third straight involvement and fourth overall, Jordan’s Al Hussein enter on a high following a 2025/26 campaign where a third league title was secured alongside a first-ever domestic cup success. Their opponents at 7pm at the Amman International Stadium in Amman are India’s East Bengal FC, who ended a 22-year league title drought with a fourth triumph in 2025/26 to confirm a ninth appearance and first since 2015.
Chalking up a third appearance and first since 2015, Iraq’s Al Shorta—league runners-up in 2025/26—entertain Oman’s Al Seeb Club at 9.15pm at the Al Zawraa Stadium in Baghdad. The visitors, who won a third straight league crown and fifth overall in 2025/26, are participating for the first time since emerging as champions on their debut in 2022.
East
September 16
Group E
Six-time Korea Republic league champions FC Seoul commence their campaign at 7pm by hosting Indonesia’s Persib Bandung at the Seoul World Cup Stadium in Seoul after the visitors successfully navigated the Preliminary Stage, which they had reached by recording a third straight league triumph and fifth overall in 2025/26.
Runners-up in the 2025/26 Vietnamese league, The Cong – Viettel FC ignite their second appearance at Hanoi’s Hang Day Stadium with a 7.15pm battle against Australia’s Melbourne Victory FC, who placed fourth in their 2025/26 league.
September 17
Group F
Off the back of consecutive domestic doubles, 2024/25 finalists Lion City Sailors FC move into their third straight showing with an opener at 6pm at the Jalan Besar Stadium. The Singaporean hosts will face Thailand’s BG Pathum United, who made their debut last season.
Defeat in the AFC Champions League Elite™ preliminary round consigned Adelaide United FC to this stage and the 2025/26 Australian league runners-up will play host at 7.30pm at the Hindmarsh Stadium in Adelaide to Tai Po FC of Hong Kong, China. Winners of a second domestic cup in 2025/26 to go along with second place in the league, the visitors will be making their fourth appearance.
Group G
A fairytale run to the Final on their Continental debut last season in the AFC Champions League Elite™ catapulted FC Machida Zelvia into prominence and the Japanese club, who secured a first-ever domestic cup in 2025, will aim to make a similar impact in this competition. The Machida Stadium in Machida will provide the backdrop for their 7pm match against Cambodia’s Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng FC—the runners-up of the past two AFC Challenge League™ editions—who swooped to a domestic double in 2025/26 with their fifth league title and sixth cup success.
Second place in the league sealed Shanghai Shenhua FC’s place in this edition and the China PR club’s journey begins at the Shanghai Stadium in Shanghai at 8.15pm against Tampines Rovers FC. The Singaporean side, who are registering a record 15th appearance and have reached the last eight on five occasions, also finished as league runners-up in 2025/26.
Group H
League winners for a record seventh time in 2025/26, Kitchee SC of Hong Kong, China embark on an eighth participation and first since 2019 at 8.15pm at the Mong Kok Stadium. Korea Republic’s Gangwon FC will serve as their opponents, having been narrowly defeated in the AFC Champions League Elite™ Preliminary Stage.
Marking a third appearance, 2025/26 Cambodian league runners-up Phnom Penh Crown FC will be visited at the Morodok Techo National Stadium in Phnom Penh by Malaysia’s Kuching City FC for a 7.15pm game. Promoted to the top flight in 2023, the away side achieved their best-ever league finish of second in 2025/26 and will relish becoming the 13th Malaysian participant in tournament history.
The full match schedule of the AFC Champions League Two 2026/27™ can be found here, All timings indicated are in respective local times.
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