The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Executive Committee unveiled the names of the three new club competitions alongside significant increases in funding for the 76 participating teams, as well as announcing the introduction of the AFC Womens Champions League.
This came during the 2nd AFC Executive Committee meeting, which was held virtually on Monday. The three groundbreaking initiatives, which are aimed at propelling Asian football to new heights and fostering greater growth and inclusivity, will take effect from the 2024 - 2025 season.
The top tier of Asian club football, which will comprise the continents top 24 participating clubs, will be named the AFC Champions League Elite (ACLE), while the 32-team second tier will be known as the AFC Champions League 2 (ACL2) and the final tier, which will see 20 clubs vie for supremacy, is confirmed as the AFC Challenge League (ACGL).
Furthermore, the ACLE champions are set to be awarded a total of $12 million, marking a substantial increase compared to the $4 million that the eventual victors of the prestigious continental club prize will receive in the upcoming 2023/24 season.
The losing finalist, on the other hand, will receive $6 million, which represents a $4 million increase from the forthcoming season in which the runner-up is set to pocket $2 million. Both the ACL2 and ACGL will see boosts across the board in prize fund and benefits.
The AFC Womens Champions League will feature top-notch action with eligible clubs from all AFC MAs receiving an invitation to participate with a financial distribution model, which will be announced in due course, in place. The AFC has successfully organized two pilot AFC Womens Club Championships in 2021 and 2022 with the third edition scheduled to take place later in 2023.
The latest enhancements represent a series of significant investments directed towards the growth of the AFC's flagship club competitions in recent years.
The AFC Champions League saw its prize for the winners more than double from $1.5 million in 2015 to $4 million in 2018. Similarly, the AFC Cup winners' purse has risen almost fivefold from $350,000 in 2015 to $1.5 million in 2018. In 2019, the AFC also doubled the travel contributions for both competitions across all stages.
Source: Qatar News Agency