The 2020 AFC Champions League was the 39th edition of Asia's premier club football tournament organized by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and the 18th under the current AFC Champions League title.
Ulsan Hyundai won their second Champions League title by defeating Persepolis 2–1 in the final. Ulsan automatically qualify for the 2021 AFC Champions League (although they had already qualified through their domestic performance), the first time since 2008 that the AFC Champions League holders were guaranteed automatic qualification in the following year. They also earned the right to play in the 2020 FIFA Club World Cup in Qatar.
The tournament was the last to involve 32 teams during the group stage, which increased to 40 teams in 2021.
The competition was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Asia after group stage matches on 4 March 2020, and restarted on 14 September 2020. All matches after the restart were played in Qatar, with the final played at the Al Janoub Stadium in the city of Al Wakrah.
Al-Hilal of Saudi Arabia were the defending champions, but the club effectively withdrew from the competition when they could not name the required 13 players for their final group stage match, as all but 11 players had tested positive for COVID-19. For the first time, the video assistant referee (VAR) system was in use from the quarter-finals onwards.
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 fulfilled 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 got 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 2020 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, during the period between 2014 and 2017.
Participation for 2020 AFC Champions LeagueParticipatingNot participating
+West Region (4 groups)RankMemberAssociationPointsSlotsGroupstagePlay-off 1 195.9403100 2 484.2693100 3 682.4072200 4 771.8512020 5 943.3051020 61142.1411010 71230.7250010 81529.2910001 91628.9830000101825.6490001111924.7980001122024.3370001TotalParticipating associations: 11124641426
+East Region (4 groups)RankMemberAssociationPointsSlotsGroupstagePlay-off 1 287.4803100 2 386.6713100 3 583.4642200 4 864.7522010 51042.5681020 61329.5661010 71429.3000010 81727.4260010 92121.4050001102317.0840001112416.8710001122514.7530001TotalParticipating associations: 12124641426
Notes
Teams The following 52 teams from 23 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.
+West Region+Group stage direct entrants (Groups A–D)TeamQualifying methodApp Sharjah2018–19 UAE Pro League champions2nd Shabab Al-Ahli2018–19 UAE President's Cup winners2018–19 UAE Pro League runners-up1st Al-Wahda2018–19 UAE Pro League 3rd place11th Al-Nassr2018–19 Saudi Professional League champions5th Al-Taawoun2019 King Cup winners2018–19 Saudi Professional League 3rd place2nd Al-Hilal2018–19 Saudi Professional League runners-up16th Al-Sadd2018–19 Qatar Stars League champions15th Al-Duhail2019 Emir of Qatar Cup winners2018–19 Qatar Stars League runners-up9th Persepolis2018–19 Persian Gulf Pro League champions and 2018–19 Hazfi Cup winners and 2019 Iranian Super Cup winners9th Sepahan2018–19 Persian Gulf Pro League runners-up12th Pakhtakor2019 Uzbekistan Super League champions and 2019 Uzbekistan Cup winners16th Al-Shorta2018–19 Iraqi Premier League champions4th +Qualifying play-off participants: Entering in play-off roundTeamQualifying methodApp Al-Ain2018–19 UAE Pro League 4th place15th Al-Ahli2018–19 Saudi Professional League 4th place12th Al-Sailiya2018–19 Qatar Stars League 3rd place1st Al-Rayyan2018–19 Qatar Stars League 4th place10th +Qualifying play-off participants: Entering in preliminary round 2TeamQualifying methodApp Esteghlal2018–19 Persian Gulf Pro League 3rd place11th Shahr Khodro2018–19 Persian Gulf Pro League 4th place1st Lokomotiv Tashkent2019 Uzbekistan Super League runners-up8th Bunyodkor2019 Uzbekistan Super League 3rd place11th Al-Zawraa2018–19 Iraq FA Cup winners5th Istiklol2019 Tajikistan Higher League champions2nd +Qualifying play-off participants: Entering in preliminary round 1TeamQualifying methodApp Chennai City2018–19 I-League champions1st Al-Faisaly2018–19 Jordanian Pro League champions3rd Al-Kuwait2018–19 Kuwaiti Premier League champions7th Al-Riffa2018–19 Bahraini Premier League champions2nd
+East Region+Group stage direct entrants (Groups E–H)TeamQualifying methodApp Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors2019 K League 1 champions13th Suwon Samsung Bluewings2019 Korean FA Cup winners10th Ulsan Hyundai2019 K League 1 runners-up8th Guangzhou Evergrande2019 Chinese Super League champions9th Shanghai Shenhua2019 Chinese FA Cup winners9th Beijing FC2019 Chinese Super League runners-up9th Yokohama F. Marinos2019 J1 League champions4th Vissel Kobe2019 Emperor's Cup winners1st Perth Glory2018–19 A-League premiers1st Sydney FC2019 A-League Grand Final winners2018–19 A-League regular season runners-up6th Chiangrai United2019 Thai League 1 champions3rd Johor Darul Ta'zim2019 Malaysia Super League champions6th +Qualifying play-off participants: Entering in play-off roundTeamQualifying methodApp FC Seoul2019 K League 1 3rd place8th Shanghai SIPG2019 Chinese Super League 3rd place5th FC Tokyo2019 J1 League runners-up3rd Kashima Antlers2019 J1 League 3rd place10th +Qualifying play-off participants: Entering in preliminary round 2TeamQualifying methodApp Melbourne Victory2018–19 A-League regular season 3rd place8th Port2019 Thai FA Cup winners1st Buriram United2019 Thai League 1 runners-up9th Kedah2019 Malaysia FA Cup winners1st Tai Po2018–19 Hong Kong Premier League champions1st Ho Chi Minh City2019 V.League 1 runners-up2nd +Qualifying play-off participants: Entering in preliminary round 1TeamQualifying methodApp Ceres–Negros2019 Philippines Football League champions3rd Tampines Rovers2019 Singapore Premier League runners-up5th Bali United2019 Liga 1 champions2nd Shan United2019 Myanmar National League champions2nd
Notes
Schedule The schedule of the competition was as follows. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, only some of the group stage matches on matchdays 1–3 in February and March were played as scheduled, and all matches on matchdays 4–6 were postponed until further notice. The round of 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals were also initially moved to 10–12 and 24–26 August, 14–16 and 28–30 September, and 20–21 and 27–28 October.
The AFC announced the calendar of the remaining matches on 9 July 2020, with all matches before the final played at centralised venues, and all knockout ties played as a single match. On 10 September 2020, the AFC announced the new dates for the East Region matches and the final.
Notes: W: West Region E: East Region Italics: new dates after restart
StageRoundDraw dateMatch datesPreliminary stagePreliminary round 1No draw14 January 2020Preliminary round 221 January 2020Play-off stagePlay-off round28 January 2020Group stageMatchday 110 December 201910–12 February 2020, 18–19 November 2020 (E)Matchday 217–19 February 2020, 21–22 November 2020 (E)Matchday 33–4 March 2020 (E), 14–15 September 2020 (W), 24–25 November 2020 (E)Matchday 417–18 September 2020 (W), 27–28 November 2020 (E)Matchday 520–21 September 2020 (W), 30 November – 1 December 2020 (E)Matchday 623–24 September 2020 (W), 3–4 December 2020 (E)Knockout stageRound of 1626–27 September 2020 (W), 6–7 December 2020 (E)Quarter-finals28 September 2020 (W)8 December 2020 (E)30 September 2020 (W), 10 December 2020 (E)Semi-finals3 October 2020 (W), 13 December 2020 (E)Final19 December 2020 at Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah
The original schedule of the competition, as planned before the pandemic, was as follows.
+StageRoundDraw dateFirst legSecond legPreliminary stagePreliminary round 1No draw14 January 2020Preliminary round 221 January 2020Play-off stagePlay-off round28 January 2020Group stageMatchday 110 December 201910–12 February 2020Matchday 217–19 February 2020Matchday 32–4 March 2020Matchday 46–8 April 2020Matchday 520–22 April 2020Matchday 64–6 May 2020Knockout stageRound of 1618–19 May 2020 (W),26–27 May 2019 (E)25–26 May 2020 (W),16–17 June 2020 (E)Quarter-finalsTBD24–26 August 202014–16 September 2020Semi-finals29–30 September 202020–21 October 2020Final22 November 202028 November 2020
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 Yoon Bit-garam Ulsan HyundaiTop scorer Abderrazak Hamdallah Al-NassrFair Play Award Ulsan Hyundai
Note: Abderrazak Hamdallah finished ahead of Júnior Negrão to win the Top Scorer award despite scoring the same number of goals, and also having the same number of assists (first tiebreaker), since he played fewer minutes throughout the competition (second tiebreaker).
All Star Squad Source:
PositionPlayerTeamGoalkeeper Jo Su-huk Ulsan Hyundai Hamed Lak PersepolisDefenders Dave Bulthuis Ulsan Hyundai Saeid Aghaei Persepolis Hossein Kanaanizadegan Persepolis Sultan Al-Ghanam Al-Nassr Anzur Ismailov Pakhtakor TashkentMidfielders Ahmad Nourollahi Persepolis Siamak Nemati Persepolis Bashar Resan Persepolis Renato Augusto Beijing Guoan Yoon Bit-garam Ulsan Hyundai Kim In-sung Ulsan Hyundai Sin Jin-ho Ulsan Hyundai Ko Seung-beom Suwon Samsung Bluewings Hotaru Yamaguchi Vissel KobeForwards Mehdi Abdi Persepolis Omar Al Somah Al-Ahli Douglas Vissel Kobe Gotoku Sakai Vissel Kobe Abderazak Hamdallah Al-Nassr Bjørn Maars Johnsen Ulsan Hyundai Júnior Negrão Ulsan Hyundai
Opta Best XI Source: