The first edition of the AFC Champions League Elite is set to ignite the Asian football landscape with a star-studded lineup, spearheaded by the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, and Riyad Mahrez, all leading the charge for their respective Saudi Arabian clubs. Al-Nassr, Al-Hilal, and Al-Ahli are among the favorites to claim the coveted trophy in May, solidifying the Saudi Pro League’s (SPL) ambitions of becoming a global football powerhouse.
The SPL has made a significant splash in the global football market, spending over $1 billion in the summer transfer windows of 2023 and 2024 to lure top-tier players from Europe’s elite leagues. Ruben Neves, a recent arrival at Al-Hilal from Wolverhampton Wanderers, embodies the ambition of the SPL. “If you compare my data from English football to Saudi football, I run even more, but with the difference that I run in 40 degrees (Celsius, 104 Fahrenheit),” Neves said after Portugal’s Nations League win over Scotland. “I am in good shape physically. Both Cristiano and I proved today that Saudi football has quality.”
Al-Hilal, the most successful club in Asia with four continental titles, begins its campaign against Al-Rayyan of Qatar. Ronaldo, a five-time UEFA Champions League winner, is yet to secure a major trophy with Al-Nassr and faces a challenging opening match against Iraq’s Al-Shorta. Mahrez and Al-Ahli will host Persepolis of Iran in Jeddah.
Adding to the potential dominance of the Saudi giants, the tournament will shift its focus to Saudi Arabia from the quarterfinal stage onward. However, the Elite version is not just about shifting geography. It signifies a revamped format, replacing the traditional AFC Champions League and introducing a more competitive and lucrative structure. The number of participating teams has been reduced from 40 to 24, with two groups of 12 (east and west) playing eight matches each. The top eight teams from each zone advance to the knockout rounds.
While China, South Korea, and Japan have secured the maximum allocation of three teams in the east zone, Australia’s presence is limited to the Central Coast Mariners. The Mariners, despite facing stiff competition, are determined to make their mark. “We know if we perform and we carry out our game plan and play our way, we know we can compete,” said Central Coast head coach Mark Jackson. “We’ve shown that. Whether we can compete consistently on that front, again with the size of squads these teams have, how they can travel because I’m sure these teams travel in a different way to how we travel.”
The AFC Champions League Elite’s allure extends beyond the stellar names; it also boasts a significant increase in prize money, with the winner receiving $10 million, a substantial jump from last season’s $4 million. The stage is set for an exhilarating battle for supremacy, with Saudi Arabian clubs, fueled by star power and financial muscle, aiming to rewrite the Asian football landscape.
