AFC expands continental club slots for UAE teams

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has announced an increase in club slots for both the West and East regions across all its continental championships for the new 2026-2027 season on Friday, set to kick off next September.

The UAE’s allocation has risen to five slots, with three direct spots in the AFC Champions League Elite, one slot in the qualifying playoffs, and one direct spot in the AFC Champions League 2.

Similarly, the share for Saudi Arabian and Japanese clubs has increased to six slots each. Saudi clubs secured three direct spots in the AFC Champions League Elite, two in the qualifying playoffs, and one direct spot in the AFC Champions League 2.

Meanwhile, Qatar's allocation reached three direct spots in the Elite League and one direct spot in the AFC Champions League 2.

The AFC Professional Football Committee confirmed that these changes are part of a major expansion, with the flagship competition moving to a 32-team format next season, up from the current 24.

This expansion will increase the number of teams in the league stage for both West and East Asia from 12 to 16 teams per region. Under this new structure, the top eight teams from each region will advance to the knockout stages.