Holders Al Ahli to face former winners Al Ain in Asian Champions League group stage

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/al-ahli-sc/0MHmoCY0/"]Al Ahli[/a], now coached by Marino Pusic after Matthias Jaissle ‌left to join [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/newcastle-utd/p6ahwuwJ/"]Newcastle United[/a], will also ‌play Qatari trio [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/al-sadd/AkENgqwB/"]Al-Sadd[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/shamal/veL3xJnl/"]Shamal[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/al-gharafa/SQrTeoKd/"]Al-Gharafa[/a] as well as Emirati sides [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/shabab-al-ahli-dubai/EiQ5g3JL/"]Shabab Al-Ahli[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/al-wasl/OQuUcn3P/"]Al Wasl[/a] plus Uzbekistan's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/neftchi-fargona/hG4id6F4/"]‌Neftchi[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/pakhtakor/nXW1x6nG/"]Pakhtakor[/a].[/p][p]The league phase has ⁠been increased from ‌24 to 32 teams, with the opening round to commence ​on September 14th and finish on February 17th.[/p][p]Japan's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/kashima-antlers/4nNKlKo9/"]Kashima Antlers[/a], the last team ​from East Asia playing in the current edition to have won the title, will face twice ⁠winners [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/jeonbuk/x0hNfcgA/"]Jeonbuk Motors[/a] ​from South Korea as well as Thai sides [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/buriram-united-f-c/r3QHlQs7/"]Buriram United[/a], Port FC and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ratchaburi/ppiiJg9Q/"]Ratchaburi FC[/a].[/p][p]The J-League side will also take on tournament debutants [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/cong-an-ha-noi/tnHa1drt/"]Cong An ‌Ha Noi[/a] from Vietnam, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/daejeon/2NTiQXjI/"]Daejeon Citizen[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/pohang/KIIIipI5/"]Pohang Steelers[/a] from South Korea, and Australian champions [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/newcastle-jets/EaZ5xZo0/"]Newcastle Jets[/a].[/p][embed guid="47cf9b74-1e1a-41e5-b2f3-438aab07b6f4" url="https://x.com/TheAFCCL/status/2089608419254640708" social-type="twitter" /][p]Clubs in the west and east of the continent are divided into separate groups of 16 teams for the league phase, with the top eight finishers on each side advancing to the knockout rounds.[/p][p]Those last 16 matches will also ‌be held on a regional basis, with the ​four victorious teams from the two sides of ‌the confederation advancing to the centralised finals, which will be played for the third year in a row in Saudi Arabia.[/p][p]The finals phase, featuring the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final, will ⁠kick off on ⁠April 23rd and ‌run until May 1st.[/p]