The 2019 AFC Champions League was the 38th edition of Asia's premier club football tournament, organized by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and the 17th under the current AFC Champions League title.
Al-Hilal defeated Urawa Red Diamonds 3–0 on aggregate in the final to earn a record-tying third Champions League title. As winners, they qualified for the 2019 FIFA Club World Cup in Qatar.
Kashima Antlers were the defending champions, but they were eliminated by Guangzhou Evergrande in the quarter-finals on away goals.
Association team allocation The 46 AFC member associations (excluding the associate member Northern Mariana Islands) were 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 2019 and 2020 editions of the AFC club competitions determined by the 2017 AFC rankings (Entry Manual Article 2.3): The associations were split into two regions: West Region consisted of the associations from the West Asian Football Federation (WAFF), the Central Asian Football Association (CAFA), and the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF). East Region consisted of the associations from the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) and the East Asian Football Federation (EAFF). In each region, there were four groups in the group stage, including a total of 12 direct slots, with the 4 remaining slots filled through play-offs. The top 12 associations in each region as per the AFC rankings were eligible to enter the AFC Champions League, as long as they fulfill the AFC Champions League criteria. The top six associations in each region got at least one direct slot in the group stage, while the remaining associations get only play-off slots (as well as AFC Cup group stage slots): The associations ranked 1st and 2nd each got three direct slots and one play-off slot. The associations ranked 3rd and 4th each got two direct slots and two play-off slots. The associations ranked 5th each got one direct slot and two play-off slots. The associations ranked 6th each got one direct slot and one play-off slot. The associations ranked 7th to 12th each got one play-off slot. The maximum number of slots for each association was one-third of the total number of eligible teams in the top division. If any association gave up its direct slots, they were redistributed to the highest eligible association, with each association limited to a maximum of three direct slots. If any association gave up its play-off slots, they were annulled and not redistributed to any other association.
Association ranking For the 2019 AFC Champions League, the associations were allocated slots according to their association ranking which was published on 15 December 2017, which took into account their performance in the AFC Champions League and the AFC Cup, as well as their national team's FIFA World Rankings, between 2014 and 2017.
Participation for 2019 AFC Champions LeagueParticipatingNot participating
+West RegionRankMemberAssociationPointsSlotsGroupstagePlay-off 1 195.9403100 2 484.2693100 3 682.4072200 4 771.8512020 5 943.3051020 61142.1411010 71230.7250010 81529.2910010 91628.9830000101825.6490001111924.7980001122024.3370000Total124721325
+East RegionRankMemberAssociationPointsSlotsGroupstagePlay-off 1 287.4803100 2 386.6713100 3 583.4642200 4 864.7522010 51042.5681020 61329.5661010 71429.3000010 81727.4260010 92121.4050001102317.0840001112416.8710001122514.7530001Total124641426
Notes
Teams The following 51 teams from 22 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 Region+Group stage direct entrants (Groups A–D)TeamQualifying methodApp Al-Ain2017–18 UAE Pro-League champions and 2017–18 UAE President's Cup winners14th Al-Wahda2017–18 UAE Pro-League runners-up10th Al-Wasl2017–18 UAE Pro-League 3rd place3rd Al-Hilal2017–18 Saudi Professional League champions15th Al-Ittihad2018 King Cup winners11th Al-Ahli2017–18 Saudi Professional League runners-up11th Al-Duhail2017–18 Qatar Stars League champions and 2018 Emir of Qatar Cup winners8th Al-Sadd2017–18 Qatar Stars League runners-up14th Persepolis2017–18 Persian Gulf Pro League champions and 2018 Iranian Super Cup winners 8th Esteghlal2017–18 Hazfi Cup winners2017–18 Persian Gulf Pro League 3rd place10th Lokomotiv Tashkent2018 Uzbekistan Super League champions7th Al-Zawraa2017–18 Iraqi Premier League champions4th +Qualifying play-off participants: Entering in play-off roundTeamQualifying methodApp Al-Nasr2017–18 UAE Pro-League 4th place4th Al-Nassr2017–18 Saudi Professional League 3rd place4th Al-Rayyan2017–18 Qatar Stars League 3rd place9th Al-Gharafa2017–18 Qatar Stars League 4th place10th +Qualifying play-off participants: Entering in preliminary round 2TeamQualifying methodApp Zob Ahan2017–18 Persian Gulf Pro League runners-up8th Saipa2017–18 Persian Gulf Pro League 4th place2nd AGMK2018 Uzbekistan Cup winners1st Pakhtakor2018 Uzbekistan Super League runners-up15th Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya2017–18 Iraqi Premier League runners-up4th Istiklol2018 Tajik League champions1st Minerva Punjab2017–18 I-League champions1st +Qualifying play-off participants: Entering in preliminary round 1TeamQualifying methodApp Al-Wehdat2017–18 Jordanian Pro League champions5th Al-Kuwait2017–18 Kuwaiti Premier League champions6th
+East Region+Group stage direct entrants (Groups E–H)TeamQualifying methodApp Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors2018 K League 1 champions12th Daegu FC2018 Korean FA Cup winners1st Gyeongnam FC2018 K League 1 runners-up1st Shanghai SIPG2018 Chinese Super League champions4th Beijing FC2018 Chinese FA Cup winners8th Guangzhou Evergrande2018 Chinese Super League runners-up8th Kawasaki Frontale2018 J1 League champions7th Urawa Red Diamonds2018 Emperor's Cup winners7th Sydney FC2017–18 A-League premiers5th Melbourne Victory2018 A-League Grand Final winners7th Buriram United2018 Thai League 1 champions8th Johor Darul Ta'zim2018 Malaysia Super League champions5th +Qualifying play-off participants: Entering in play-off roundTeamQualifying methodApp Ulsan Hyundai2018 K League 1 3rd place7th Shandong Luneng2018 Chinese Super League 3rd place9th Sanfrecce Hiroshima2018 J1 League runners-up5th Kashima AntlersTH2018 J1 League 3rd place9th +Qualifying play-off participants: Entering in preliminary round 2TeamQualifying methodApp Newcastle Jets2017–18 A-League regular season runners-up2nd Chiangrai United2018 Thai FA Cup winners2nd Bangkok United2018 Thai League 1 runners-up 3rd Perak2018 Malaysia Super League runners-up1st Kitchee2017–18 Hong Kong Premier League champions5th Hanoi2018 V.League 1 champions5th +Qualifying play-off participants: Entering in preliminary round 1TeamQualifying methodApp Ceres–Negros2018 Philippines Football League champions2nd Home United2018 Singapore Premier League runners-up2nd Persija Jakarta2018 Liga 1 champions1st Yangon United2018 Myanmar National League champions2nd
Notes
Schedule The schedule of the competition is as follows.
StageRoundDraw dateFirst legSecond legPreliminary stagePreliminary round 1No draw5 February 2019Preliminary round 212 February 2019Play-off stagePlay-off round19 February 2019Group stageMatchday 122 November 20184–6 March 2019Matchday 211–13 March 2019Matchday 38–10 April 2019Matchday 422–24 April 2019Matchday 56–8 May 2019Matchday 620–22 May 2019Knockout stageRound of 1618–19 June 2019 (E), 5–6 August 2019 (W)25–26 June 2019 (E), 12–13 August 2019 (W)Quarter-finals2 July 201926–28 August 201916–18 September 2019Semi-finals1–2 October 201922–23 October 2019Final9 November 201924 November 2019
Qualifying play-offs
Preliminary round 1
Preliminary round 2
Play-off round
Group stage
Tiebreakers
Group A
Group B
Group C
Group D
Group E
Group F
Group G
Group H
Knockout stage
Bracket
Round of 16
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
Final
Awards Main awards AwardPlayerTeamMost Valuable Player Bafétimbi Gomis Al-HilalTop Goalscorer Bafétimbi Gomis Al-HilalFair Play Award— Urawa Red DiamondsBest Goal Shojae Khalilzadeh Persepolis
All-Star Squad Source: PositionPlayerTeamGoalkeeper Shusaku Nishikawa Urawa Red Diamonds Abdullah Al-Mayouf Al-HilalDefenders Takahiro Sekine Urawa Red Diamonds Tomoaki Makino Urawa Red Diamonds Mohammed Al-Breik Al-Hilal Park Ji-soo Guangzhou Evergrande Daisuke Suzuki Urawa Red DiamondsMidfielders Akram Afif Al-Sadd Léo Silva Kashima Antlers Talisca Guangzhou Evergrande Oscar Shanghai SIPG Nam Tae-hee Al-Duhail Salman Al-Faraj Al-Hilal Sebastian Giovinco Al-Hilal Gabi Al-Sadd Paulinho Guangzhou EvergrandeForwards Romarinho Al-Ittihad Shinzo Koroki Urawa Red Diamonds Hulk Shanghai SIPG André Carrillo Al-Hilal Giuliano de Paula Al-Nassr Bafétimbi Gomis Al-Hilal Salem Al-Dawsari Al-Hilal
Opta Best XI Source: PositionPlayerTeamGoalkeeper Shusaku Nishikawa Urawa Red DiamondsDefenders Yasser Al-Shahrani Al-Hilal Park Ji-soo Guangzhou Evergrande Ali Al-Bulaihi Al-Hilal Daiki Hashioka Urawa Red DiamondsMidfielders Oscar Shanghai SIPG Giuliano Al-Nassr Leonardo Al-WahdaForwards Shinzo Koroki Urawa Red Diamonds Bafétimbi Gomis Al-Hilal Omar Al Somah Al-Ahli
Fans' Best XI Source: PositionPlayerTeamGoalkeeper Abdullah Al-Mayouf Al-HilalDefenders Yasser Al-Shahrani Al-Hilal Tarek Salman Al-Sadd Ali Al-Bulaihi Al-Hilal Mohammed Barqesh Al-WahdaMidfielders Salem Al-Dawsari Al-Hilal Giuliano Al-Nassr Leonardo Al-WahdaForwards Sebastian Giovinco Al-Hilal Bafétimbi Gomis Al-Hilal Omar Al Somah Al-Ahli
Top scorers
RankPlayerTeamTotal1 Bafétimbi Gomis Al-Hilal 11 23 21 1112 Leonardo Al-Wahda 2141 1 93 Shinzo Koroki Urawa Red Diamonds 111 211 1 84 Omar Al Somah Al-Ahli2 2111 75 Alaa Abbas Al-Zawraa 2 1126 Giuliano Al-Nassr 11 1 21 Hulk Shanghai SIPG1 2 12 Graziano Pellè Shandong Luneng2211 9 Temurkhuja Abdukholiqov Lokomotiv Tashkent1 1125 Akram Afif Al-Sadd 1 111 1 Romarinho Al-Ittihad 111 2 Talisca Guangzhou Evergrande112 1
Player of the week awards MatchdayToyota Player of the WeekPlayerTeamRef.Group stageMatchday 1 Cesinha Daegu FCMatchday 2 Alaa Abbas Al-ZawraaMatchday 3 Talisca Guangzhou EvergrandeMatchday 4 Leonardo Al-WahdaMatchday 5 Hulk Shanghai SIPGMatchday 6 Yasuto Wakizaka Kawasaki FrontaleKnockout stageRound of 16 1st leg – East Kenyu Sugimoto Urawa Red DiamondsRound of 16 2nd leg – East Shoma Doi Kashima AntlersRound of 16 1st leg – West Bafétimbi Gomis Al-HilalRound of 16 2nd leg – West Romarinho Al-IttihadQuarter-finals 1st leg Giuliano Al-NassrQuarter-finals 2nd leg Salem Al-Dawsari Al-HilalSemi-finals 1st leg Bafétimbi Gomis Al-HilalSemi-finals 2nd leg Shusaku Nishikawa Urawa Red DiamondsFinal 1st leg Mohammed Al-Breik Al-HilalFinal 2nd leg Salem Al-Dawsari Al-Hilal
See also 2019 AFC Cup 2019 AFC Women's Club Championship
References
External links , the-AFC.com AFC Champions League 2019, stats.the-AFC.com