Chinese football clubs has participated in Asian association football competitions (AFC Champions League/Asian Club Championship and the Asian Cup Winners' Cup) and other international competitions (FIFA Club World Cup and A3 Champions Cup) since 1985, when the Asian Club Championship returned to Asia for the first time in 14 years.
Liaoning is the first club who won the Asian champion in 1990, and Guangzhou Evergrande is the most successful club with 2 AFC Champions League titles. Defunct club Dalian Shide also got a runners-up in 1997–98 Asian Club Championship.
Qualification rules
CompetitionWho qualifiesNotesAFC Champions League group stageChinese Super League 1stChinese Super League 2ndChinese FA Cup winnersAFC Champions League play-off roundChinese Super League 3rdIf the Chinese FA Cup winners have already qualified for AFC Champions League by a high Super League finish, then the next highest-finishing Super League club gets this place.
Multiple Asian and worldwide competition winners from China
Team Number of Wins Years Guangzhou Evergrande 2 2013, 2015 Liaoning 1 1990
Full Asian record
AFC Champions League/Asian Club Championship
Chinese teams have won the competition 3 times and reached the final on 2 other occasions.
Year Team Progress Score Opponents Place(s) 1985-86Liaoning 3rd in qualifying tournament N/A Seiko, April 25 1986 3rd in final round N/A Furukawa Electric, Al-Hilal, Al-Talaba 1987 August 1st 4th in group stage N/A Yomiuri FC, Federal Territory, Kazma 1988-89 Guangdong 2rd in semi final league N/A Al-Rasheed, Kazma, Mohun Bagan 1989-90Liaoning Winners 3–2 Nissan Yokohama 2–1 in Yokohama, 1–1 in Shenyang 1989-90 Final 1–2 Esteghlal Dhaka 1991 First round 2–3 April 25 1–0 in Shenyang, 1–3 in Pyongyang 1992-93 Third round 4–4 (a) Yomiuri FC 3–3 in Chengdu, 1–1 in Tokyo 1993-94 Third place match 1–4 Verdy Kawasaki Bangkok 1994-95 3rd in quarter-finals N/A Ilhwa Chunma, Thai Farmers Bank, Verdy Kawasaki 1995Withdrew (Dalian Wanda) 1996-97 Shanghai Shenhua First round 0–1 Cheonan Ilhwa Chunma 0–0 in Seongnam, 0–1 in Shanghai 1997-98Dalian Wanda Final 0–0 (5–6 p) Pohang Steelers Hong Kong 1998-99 Third place match 2–3 Al-Ain Tehran 1999-2000Withdrew (Dalian Wanda) 2000-01 Shandong Luneng 3rd in quarter-finals N/A Júbilo Iwata, Suwon Samsung Bluewings, PSM Makassar 2001-02 Dalian Shide 3rd in quarter-finals N/A Suwon Samsung Bluewings, Anyang LG Cheetahs, Kashima Antlers2002-03 Shanghai Shenhua 3rd in group stage N/A BEC Tero Sasana, Daejeon Citizen, Kashima Antlers Dalian Shide Semi-finals 6–7 Al-Ain 2–4 in Al Ain, 4–3 in Dalian2004 Shanghai Shenhua 3rd in group stage N/A Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, Jubilo Iwata, BEC Tero Dalian Shide Quarter-finals 1–2 Al-Ittihad 1–1 in Dalian, 0–1 in Jeddah2005 Shandong Luneng Quarter-finals 3–8 Al-Ittihad 1–1 in Jinan, 2–7 in Jeddah Shenzhen Jianlibao Semi-finals 0–6 Al-Ain 0–6 in Al Ain, 0–0 in Shenzhen2006 Dalian Shide 2nd in group stage N/A Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, Gamba Osaka, Da Nang Shanghai Shenhua Quarter-finals 3–4 Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 1–0 in Shanghai, 2–4 in Jeonju2007 Shanghai Shenhua 4th in group stageN/A Urawa Red Diamonds, Sydney FC, Persik Kediri Shandong Luneng 2nd in group stage Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma, Adelaide United, Gach Dong Tam Long An2008 Beijing Guoan2nd in group stageN/A Kashima Antlers, Krung Thai Bank, Nam Định Changchun Yatai Adelaide United, Pohang Steelers, Bình Dương2009 Beijing Guoan 4th in group stageN/A Nagoya Grampus, Newcastle Jets, Ulsan Hyundai Shandong Luneng3rd in group stage Gamba Osaka, FC Seoul, Sriwijaya Shanghai Shenhua Kashima Antlers, Suwon Samsung Bluewings, Singapore Armed Forces Tianjin Teda Pohang Steelers, Kawasaki Frontale, Central Coast Mariners2010 Henan Jianye4th in group stageN/A Suwon Samsung Bluewings, Gamba Osaka, Singapore Armed Forces Shandong Luneng Adelaide United, Pohang Steelers, Sanfrecce Hiroshima Changchun Yatai 3rd in group stage Kashima Antlers, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, Persipura Jayapura Beijing Guoan Round of 16 0–2 Suwon Samsung Bluewings Suwon2011 Shanghai Shenhua4th in group stageN/A Suwon Samsung Bluewings, Kashima Antlers, Sydney FC Hangzhou Greentown FC Seoul, Nagoya Grampus, Al-Ain Shandong Luneng 3rd in group stage Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, Cerezo Osaka, Arema Tianjin Teda Round of 16 0–3 Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors Jeonju2012 Liaoning Whowin Play-off roundWithdrew Shanghai Shenhua4th in group stageN/A Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma, Nagoya Grampus, Central Coast Mariners Beijing Guoan Ulsan Hyundai, FC Tokyo, Brisbane Roar Guangzhou Evergrande Quarter-finals 4–5 Al-Ittihad 2–4 in Jeddah, 2–1 in Guangzhou2013 Jiangsu Sainty3rd in group stageN/A FC Seoul, Buriram United, Vegalta Sendai Guizhou Renhe Kashiwa Reysol, Central Coast Mariners, Suwon Samsung Bluewings Beijing Guoan Round of 16 1–3 FC Seoul 0–0 in Beijing, 1–3 in Seoul Guangzhou Evergrande Winners 3–3 (a) FC Seoul 2–2 in Seoul, 1–1 in Guangzhou2014 Guizhou Renhe4th in group stageN/A Western Sydney Wanderers, Kawasaki Frontale, Ulsan Hyundai Shandong Luneng Pohang Steelers, Cerezo Osaka, Buriram United Beijing Guoan 3rd in group stage FC Seoul, Sanfrecce Hiroshima, Central Coast Mariners Guangzhou Evergrande Quarter-finals 2–2 (a) Western Sydney Wanderers 0–1 in Sydney, 2–1 in Guangzhou2015 Guangzhou R&F 4th in group stageN/A Gamba Osaka, Seongnam FC, Buriram United Shandong Luneng 3rd in group stage Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, Becamex Bình Dương, Kashiwa Reysol Beijing Guoan Round of 16 1–2 Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 1–1 in Jeonju, 0–1 in Beijing Guangzhou Evergrande Winners 1–0 Al-Ahli 0–0 in Dubai, 1–0 in Guangzhou2016 Guangzhou Evergrande3rd in group stageN/A Sydney FC, Urawa Red Diamonds, Pohang Steelers Jiangsu Suning Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, Becamex Binh Duong, FC Tokyo Shanghai SIPGQuarter-finals 0–5 Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 0–0 in Shanghai, 0–5 in Jeonju Shandong Luneng 2–4 FC Seoul 1–3 in Seoul, 1–1 in Jinan2017 Shanghai Shenhua Play-off round 0–2 Brisbane Roar Shanghai Jiangsu Suning Round of 16 3–5 Shanghai SIPG 1–2 in Shanghai, 2–3 in Nanjing Guangzhou Evergrande Quarter-finals 5–5 (4–5 p) Shanghai SIPG 0–4 in Shanghai, 5–1 in Guangzhou Shanghai SIPG Semi-finals 1–2 Urawa Red Diamonds 1–1 in Shanghai, 0–1 in Saitama2018 Shanghai Shenhua 4th in group stage N/A Sydney FC, Kashima Antlers, Suwon Samsung Bluewings Guangzhou EvergrandeRound of 16 2–2 (a) Tianjin Quanjian 0–0 in Tianjin, 2–2 in Guangzhou Shanghai SIPG 3–4 Kashima Antlers 1–3 in Kashima, 2–1 in Shanghai Tianjin Quanjian Quarter-finals 0–5 Kashima Antlers 0–2 in Kashima, 0–3 in Macau2019 Beijing FC 3rd in group stage N/A Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, Urawa Red Diamonds, Buriram United Shandong Luneng Round of 16 4–4 (5–6 p) Guangzhou Evergrande 1–2 in Guangzhou, 3–2 in Jinan Shanghai SIPG Quarter-finals 3–3 (a) Urawa Red Diamonds 2–2 in Shanghai, 1–1 in Saitama Guangzhou Evergrande Semi-finals 0–3 Urawa Red Diamonds 0–2 in Saitama, 0–1 in Guangzhou2020 Guangzhou Evergrande Shanghai Shenhua Beijing FC Shanghai SIPG
Asian Cup Winners' Cup
The Asian Cup Winners' Cup was an association football competition run by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). The competition was started in 1991 as a tournament for all the domestic cup winners from countries affiliated to the AFC. The winners of the Cup Winners Cup used to contest the Asian Super Cup against the winners of the Asian Champions' Cup. The most successful clubs in the competition are Al Hilal from Saudi Arabia and Nissan FC from Japan. In 2002, it merged with the Asian Clubs Championship to form the AFC Champions League.
Chinese team Dalian Shide reached the final in the season of 2000-01.
Year Team Progress Score Opponents Place(s) 1990-91 Dalian Second roundWithdrew 1991-92None entered 1992-93 1993-94 Dalian First round 1–2 South China 0–2 in Hong Kong, 1–0 in Shanghai 1994-95None entered 1995 1996-97 1997-98Beijing Guoan Third place match 4–1 Köpetdag Aşgabat Riyadh 1998-99 Second round 0–4 Chunnam Dragons 0–2 in Beijing, 0–2 in Gwangyang 1999-2000 Shanghai Shenhua Second round 0–2 Shimizu S-Pulse 0–0 in Shanghai, 0–2 in Shizuoka 2000-01 Dalian Shide Final 2–4 Al-Shabab Jeddah 2001-02 Chongqing Lifan Third place match 0–0 (6–7 p) Al-Sadd Doha
A3 Champions Cup
A3 Champions Cup (also known as East Asian Champions Cup) was an annual football (soccer) tournament jointly organized by the China PR, Japan and Korea Republic football Association. It began in 2003, involving the league champions of China, Japan and South Korea. The host nation also invited an additional team, making this a four team tournament.
Chinese team Shanghai Shenhua won the competition in 2007.
Year Team Progress Opponents Place(s) 2003 Dalian Shide Runners-up Kashima Antlers, Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma, Júbilo Iwata Tokyo2004 Inter Shanghai 4th place Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma, Yokohama F. MarinosShanghai Shanghai Shenhua 3rd place 2005 Shenzhen Jianlibao 4th place Suwon Samsung Bluewings, Pohang Steelers, Yokohama F. Marinos Jeju 2006 Dalian Shide 4th place Ulsan Hyundai, Gamba Osaka, JEF United Chiba Tokyo2007 Shandong Luneng Runners-up Urawa Red Diamonds, Seongnam Ilhwa ChunmaJinan Shanghai Shenhua Winners
Full international record
FIFA Club World Cup
Chinese team Guangzhou Evergrande has won 2 AFC Champions League titles in 2013 and 2015, which made them qualifying to the FIFA Club World Cup as the representative of Asian clubs. In the 2013 FIFA Club World Cup, they entered in the quarterfinals, beating the African champions Al Ahly 2–0. In the semi-finals, they were defeated by the European champions Bayern Munich 3–0. In the third place match, the club lost against South American champions Atlético Mineiro 3–2 and finished in fourth place. In the 2015 FIFA Club World Cup, Guangzhou won 2–1 against Club América in the quarterfinals before losing 3–0 against Barcelona in the semi-finals. At the end, Guangzhou lost the third place match 2–1 against Hiroshima Sanfrecce, ending up in the same position as in the 2013 edition.
Year Team Progress Score Opponents Place(s) 2013Guangzhou EvergrandeThird place match 2–3 Atlético Mineiro Marrakesh 2015 1–2 Sanfrecce Hiroshima Yokohama
References