Kuala Lumpur: The largest ever Asian Football Federation (AFC) Champions League and expanded AFC Cup will be played in centralized group stages in the 2021 season. The AFC Champions League will be held in the Western Regions and the East while the AFC Cup is held across the five AFC Zones.
With the continued support of the Football Associations and the participating clubs, the AFC has agreed that the West Division League League games will be scheduled between April 14-30 while the East Division Division League playoffs are scheduled. planned for April 21 – May 7, 2021.
Similarly, the Central AFC Cup Group Stage will begin in the Southern, Central and Eastern Zones on May 14 before the Western Zone begins on May 23, with the ASEAN Zone taking place from June 22-28. Each team at this year’s AFC Cup Group Stage will compete in the form of a one-game round robin.
The 2021 AFC Champions League playoffs in the Round of 16 are scheduled for September 13-15 and the semi-finals on September 27-29. Both rounds will be played as singles matches. The AFC League Semi-Finals will be over two legs on October 19-20 and 26-27.
Meanwhile, the AFC 2021 West Zonal West Cup semi-finals will be held on 13 – 14 September and the second leg will be held two weeks later. The ASEAN Zonal Semi-Finals will be held on August 10 – 11 over one leg.
The Zonal two-legged final includes South, Central and Eastern clubs scheduled for August 11 and 25, with the ASEAN one-legged Zonal final planned for August 25, ahead of the West Final. Two-legged zonal held on October 20 and November 3. .
The two-legged Inter-zone semi-finals are scheduled for September 14-15 and 28-29 with the Inter-Zone Final taking place on 20 October and 3 November.
The AFC Champions League, comprising 40 teams for the first time in history, will reach their grand final with the two-legged Final on 21 and 27 November, with the AFC Cup Final taking place on 26 November.
Dato ‘Windsor John, General Secretary of the AFC, said: “The AFC is very grateful for the support of the AFC Competition Committee, the Football Associations and the clubs involved in bringing this record forward. for the largest and most inclusive AFC Champions League and AFC Cup in history.
“Once again, the AFC will place the safety and welfare of all its stakeholders as the top priority, but we have shown with the successful AFC Champions League in 2020 that the AFC’s unity, loyalty and strong leadership can deliver their club competitions. in the challenging at times. ”
Application invitations and other hosting details will be circulated to Partner Member Associations following the AFC and AFC Champions League 2021 Group Stage draws to be held on January 27, 2021.
View 2021 AFC Cup Group Stage Photo at 2:30 pm (+ 8GMT) here followed by AFC 2021 League Group Stage Picture at 4:30 pm here.
The overall records for the AFC Champions League and AFC Cup 2021 are as follows: