The 2015 AFC Champions League was the 34th edition of Asia's premier club football tournament organized by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and the 13th under the current AFC Champions League title.
Guangzhou Evergrande won the tournament after defeating Al-Ahli in the final. Guangzhou also qualified for the 2015 FIFA Club World Cup.
Western Sydney Wanderers were the defending champions, but they were eliminated in the group stage.
Association team allocation The AFC Competitions Committee proposed a revamp of the AFC club competitions on 25 January 2014, which was ratified by the AFC Executive Committee on 16 April 2014. The member associations are ranked based on their national team's and clubs' performance over the last four years in AFC competitions, with the allocation of slots for the 2015 and 2016 editions of the AFC club competitions determined by the 2014 rankings: The top 24 member associations (MAs) as per the AFC rankings are eligible to receive direct slots in the AFC Champions League, as long as they fulfill the AFC Champions League criteria. In both the East and West zones, there are a total of 12 direct slots in the group stage, with the 4 remaining slots filled through play-offs. The top six MAs in both the East and West zones get direct slots in the group stage, while the remaining MAs get play-off slots: The first- and second-ranked MAs each get three direct slots and one play-off slot. The third- and fourth-ranked MAs each get two direct slots and two play-off slots. The fifth-ranked MAs each get one direct slot and two play-off slots. The sixth-ranked MAs each get one direct slot and one play-off slot. The seventh- to twelfth-ranked MAs each get one play-off slot. The maximum number of slots for each MA is one-third of the total number of clubs in the top division (e.g., Australia can only get a maximum of three total slots as there are only nine Australia-based clubs in the A-League).
The AFC Competitions Committee finalised the slot allocation for the 2015 and 2016 editions of the AFC Champions League based on the criteria, including AFC's MA rankings and the implementation of club licensing regulations, on 28 November 2014.
Participation for 2015 AFC Champions LeagueFulfills participation criteriaDoes not fulfill participation criteria
+West ZoneRankMemberAssociationPointsSlotsGroupstagePlay-offZoneAll 1 2 Saudi Arabia88.268310 2 3 Iran80.794310 3 5 Uzbekistan62.272310 4 7 United Arab Emirates57.792220 5 9 Qatar56.103102 610 Iraq47.106000 711 Kuwait45.423001 812 Jordan44.309001 914 Oman30.5860011016 Bahrain25.5470011117 Lebanon25.0430001219 Syria22.883000Total125611
+East ZoneRankMemberAssociationPointsSlotsGroupstagePlay-offZoneAll 1 1 South Korea94.8663100 2 4 Japan77.1073100 3 6 Australia57.9402100 4 8 China57.6602110 513 Thailand33.0491020 615 Vietnam27.7531010 718 Indonesia25.0040010 820 Hong Kong20.0770010 921 Myanmar18.94900011022 Malaysia18.15300011123 India16.75600011224 Singapore16.0970001Total1246414
Notes
Teams The following 49 teams from 21 associations entered the competition.
In the following table, the number of appearances and last appearance count only those since the 2002–03 season (including qualifying rounds), when the competition was rebranded as the AFC Champions League. TH means title holders.
+West ZoneTeamQualifying methodAppLast AppGroup stage direct entrants (Groups A–D) Al-Nassr2013–14 Saudi Professional League champions2nd2011 Al-Shabab2014 King Cup of Champions winners9th2014 Al-Hilal2013–14 Saudi Professional League runners-up11th2014 Foolad2013–14 Iran Pro League champions3rd2014 Tractor2013–14 Hazfi Cup winners3rd2014 Pirozi2013–14 Iran Pro League runners-up5th2012 Pakhtakor2014 Uzbek League champions12th20132014 Uzbekistan Cup winners2014 Uzbek League runners-up3rd2014 Nasaf Qarshi2014 Uzbek League 3rd place3rd2014 Al-Ahli2013–14 Arabian Gulf League champions6th2014 Al-Ain2013–14 UAE President's Cup winners10th2014 Lekhwiya2013–14 Qatar Stars League champions4th2014Qualifying play-off participantsEntering in play-off round Al-Ahli2013–14 Saudi Professional League 3rd place7th2013 Naft Tehran2013–14 Iran Pro League 3rd place1stnone Bunyodkor2014 Uzbek League 4th place8th2014 Al-Wahda2013–14 Arabian Gulf League runners-up7th2011 Al-Jazira2013–14 Arabian Gulf League 3rd place7th2014Entering in preliminary round 2 Al-Sadd2014 Emir of Qatar Cup winners10th2014 El Jaish2013–14 Qatar Stars League runners-up3rd2014 Al-Qadsia2013–14 Kuwaiti Premier League champions5th2014 Al-Wehdat2013–14 Jordan League champions2nd2002–03 Al-Nahda2013–14 Oman Professional League champions1stnone Riffa2013–14 Bahrain First Division League champions3rd2004
+East ZoneTeamQualifying methodAppLast AppGroup stage direct entrants (Groups E–H) Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors2014 K League Classic champions9th2014 Seongnam FC2014 Korean FA Cup winners6th2012 Suwon Samsung Bluewings2014 K League Classic runners-up6th2013 Gamba Osaka2014 J.League Division 1 champions and 2014 Emperor's Cup winners7th2012 Urawa Red Diamonds2014 J.League Division 1 runners-up4th2013 Kashima Antlers2014 J.League Division 1 3rd place6th2011 Brisbane Roar2013–14 A-League and 2014 A-League Grand Final winners3rd2013 Western Sydney WanderersTH2013–14 A-League regular season runners-up2nd2014 Guangzhou Evergrande2014 Chinese Super League champions4th20142014 Chinese FA Cup winners7th2014 Buriram United2014 Thai Premier League champions5th2014 Becamex Bình Dương2014 V.League 1 champions2nd2008Qualifying play-off participantsEntering in play-off round FC Seoul2014 K League Classic 3rd place5th2014 Kashiwa Reysol2014 J.League Division 1 4th place3rd2013 Central Coast Mariners2013–14 A-League regular season 3rd place5th2014 Beijing Guoan2014 Chinese Super League runners-up7th2014Entering in preliminary round 2 Guangzhou R&F2014 Chinese Super League 3rd place1stnone Bangkok Glass2014 Thai FA Cup winners1stnone Chonburi2014 Thai Premier League runners-up4th2014 Hà Nội T&T2014 V.League 1 runners-up2nd2014 Persib Bandung2014 Indonesia Super League champions1stnone Kitchee2013–14 Hong Kong First Division League champions1stnoneEntering in preliminary round 1 Yadanarbon2014 Myanmar National League champions1stnone Johor Darul Ta'zim2014 Malaysia Super League champions1stnone Bengaluru FC2013–14 I-League champions1stnone Warriors2014 S.League champions3rd2010
Notes
Schedule The schedule of the competition was as follows (all draws were held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia).
StageRoundDraw dateFirst legSecond legPreliminary stagePreliminary round 1No draw4 February 2015Preliminary round 210 February 2015Play-off stagePlay-off round17 February 2015Group stageMatchday 111 December 201424–25 February 2015Matchday 23–4 March 2015Matchday 317–18 March 2015Matchday 47–8 April 2015Matchday 521–22 April 2015Matchday 65–6 May 2015Knockout stageRound of 1619–20 May 201526–27 May 2015Quarter-finals18 June 201525–26 August 201515–16 September 2015Semi-finals29–30 September 201520–21 October 2015Final7 November 201521 November 2015
Qualifying play-off
The bracket for the qualifying play-off, which consisted of three rounds (preliminary round 1, preliminary round 2, and play-off round), was determined by the AFC based on the association ranking of each team. Each tie was played as a single match, with the team from the higher-ranked association hosting the match. Extra time and penalty shoot-out were used to decide the winner if necessary. The winners of each tie in the play-off round advanced to the group stage to join the 24 automatic qualifiers. All losers in each round which were from associations with only play-off slots entered the 2015 AFC Cup group stage.
Preliminary round 1
Preliminary round 2
Play-off round
Group stage
The draw for the group stage was held on 11 December 2014. The 32 teams were drawn into eight groups of four. Teams from the same association could not be drawn into the same group. Each group was played on a home-and-away round-robin basis. The winners and runners-up of each group advanced to the round of 16.
Tiebreakers The teams are ranked according to points (3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss). If tied on points, tiebreakers are applied in the following order: Greater number of points obtained in the group matches between the teams concerned; Goal difference resulting from the group matches between the teams concerned; Greater number of goals scored in the group matches between the teams concerned; Greater number of away goals scored in the group matches between the teams concerned; If, after applying criteria 1 to 4, teams still have an equal ranking, criteria 1 to 4 are reapplied exclusively to the matches between the teams in question to determine their final rankings. If this procedure does not lead to a decision, criteria 6 to 10 apply; Goal difference in all the group matches; Greater number of goals scored in all the group matches; Penalty shoot-out if only two teams are involved and they are both on the field of play; Fewer score calculated according to the number of yellow and red cards received in the group matches (1 point for a single yellow card, 3 points for a red card as a consequence of two yellow cards, 3 points for a direct red card, 4 points for a yellow card followed by a direct red card); Team who belongs to the member association with the higher AFC ranking.
Group A
Group B
Group C
Group D
Group E
Group F
Group G
Group H
Knockout stage
In the knockout stage, the 16 teams played a single-elimination tournament, with the teams split between the two zones until the final. Each tie was played on a home-and-away two-legged basis. The away goals rule, extra time (away goals do not apply in extra time) and penalty shoot-out were used to decide the winner if necessary.
Bracket
Round of 16 In the round of 16, the winners of one group played the runners-up of another group in the same zone, with the group winners hosting the second leg.
Quarter-finals The draw for the quarter-finals was held on 18 June 2015. Teams from different zones could not be drawn into the same tie, and there was no seeding or country protection, so teams from the same association could be drawn into the same tie.
Semi-finals In the semi-finals, the matchups were determined by the quarter-final draw.
Final
In the final, the finalist from the West Zone hosted the first leg, while the finalist from the East Zone hosted the second leg (no draw was held to determine the order of legs, as it was reversed from the previous season's final).
Awards AwardPlayerTeamMost Valuable Player Ricardo Goulart Guangzhou EvergrandeTop Goalscorer Ricardo Goulart Guangzhou EvergrandeFair Play Award— Guangzhou Evergrande
Dream team The AFC selected the following 11 players as 2015 AFC Champions League dream team. PlayerTeam Masaaki Higashiguchi Gamba Osaka Zhang Linpeng Guangzhou Evergrande Kwon Kyung-won Al-Ahli Kim Young-gwon Guangzhou Evergrande Yasser Al-Shahrani Al-Hilal Huang Bowen Guangzhou Evergrande Zheng Zhi Guangzhou Evergrande Majed Hassan Al-Ahli Ahmed Khalil Al-Ahli Elkeson Guangzhou Evergrande Ricardo Goulart Guangzhou Evergrande
Top scorers RankPlayerTeamTotal1 Ricardo Goulart Guangzhou Evergrande132 2 82 Yang Xu Shandong Luneng Taishan21 12 6 Ahmed Khalil Al-Ahli1 2 2 1 64 Youssef Msakni Lekhwiya 11111 5 Omar Al Soma Al-Ahli 1 2 2 5 Asamoah Gyan Al-Ain 1 11 2 57 Patric Gamba Osaka 2 1 1 4 Takashi Usami Gamba Osaka 112 4 Masato Kudo Kashiwa Reysol 2 1 1 4 Lee Dong-gook Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 2 2 4 Carlos Eduardo Al-Hilal 21 1 4 Diogo Buriram United 13 4 Lima Al-Ahli 1111 4 Everton Ribeiro Al-Ahli 111 1 4
See also 2015 AFC Cup 2015 FIFA Club World Cup
References
External links AFC Champions League, the-AFC.com