The Asian Football Confederation's Competitions Committee announced a package of significant changes to the AFC Champions League for elite clubs, in a move aimed at raising the level of competition and enhancing the marketing value of the continental tournament.

The modifications include increasing the number of participating clubs to 32 teams instead of 24, with an equal distribution between the West and East regions, comprising 16 clubs on each side.

This expansion is expected to provide greater opportunities for Asian clubs to participate, as well as improve the quality of competitions and elevate the level of professionalism in various local leagues.

The new system also includes a different mechanism for qualifying for the round of 16 in the following seasons, where the top six teams qualify directly, while the teams ranked seventh to tenth compete in a knockout playoff.

The clubs in the seventh and eighth positions will have the advantage of hosting the playoff matches, in recognition of their results during the league stage, which underscores the importance of every point in the standings.

As part of organizing the calendar, it has been decided to postpone the implementation of the playoff stage to the 2026-2027 season, with it officially starting in the following seasons to ensure better scheduling.

These amendments are still awaiting final approval from the executive office, amid expectations that they will represent a significant shift enhancing the tournament's status both technically and commercially across the continent.