This week the all-new, two-tiered AFC Asian Champions League format begins, and there’s one Isuzu UTE A-League club in both the ACL Elite and ACL Two chasing both continental glory and the eye-watering prize money on offer.
Central Coast Mariners are reigning Isuzu UTE A-League Premiers and as such, have claimed the competition’s one place in the ACL Elite. Sydney FC, meanwhile, booked their spot in AFC Champions League Two (ACL Two) by winning the 2024 Australia Cup title.
With both competitions beginning on Tuesday, September 17, aleagues.com.au provides everything you need to know ahead of kick-off, including Sydney and Central Coast’s confirmed squads, the changes to competition format, the prize money on offer, fixture details and how you can watch all the action.
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What’s new this season?
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has overhauled the structure of its two premier continental club competitions in 2024-25.
Up until last season, the AFC’s two competitions were the Asian Champions League, and AFC Cup. The AFC Cup has since been abolished in favour of a two-tiered Champions League format.
The ACL Elite
The ACL Elite is the top division, featuring 24 clubs from around the confederation and split into two 12-team “leagues” – West and East – and the 12 teams in each league play against eight opponents from their league (four home and four away).
The Mariners have been drawn in the East league against Kevin Muscat’s Shanghai Port, reigning J1 League champions Vissel Kobe, last season’s Champions League finalists Yokohama F.Marinos led by A-Leagues great John Hutchinson, Malaysian side Johor Darul Ta’zim, current Thai champions Buriram United, Shandong Taishan FC, Shanghai Shenhua of China and Japanese giants Kawasaki Frontale.
Central Coast Mariners – ACL Elite group stage fixtures
- Shandong Taishan v Central Coast Mariners – Tuesday, September 17 2024 – Jinan Olympic Sports Center, Jinan (6pm local)
- Central Coast Mariners v Buriram United – Tuesday, October 1 2024 – Industree Group Stadium, Gosford (6pm local)
- Shanghai Port v Central Coast Mariners – Tuesday, October 22 2024 – Pudong Football Stadium, Shanghai (6pm local)
- Central Coast Mariners v Shanghai Shenhua – Tuesday, November 5 2024 – Industree Group Stadium, Gosford (7pm local)
- Vissel Kobe v Central Coast Mariners – Tuesday, November 26 2024 – Kobe City Misaki Park Stadium, Kobe (7pm local)
- Central Coast Mariners v Yokohama F.Marinos – Tuesday, December 3 2024, Industree Group Stadium, Gosford (7pm local)
- Central Coast Mariners v Johor Darul Ta’zim – Tuesday, February 11 2025, Industree Group Stadium, Gosford (7pm local)
- Kawasaki Frontale v Central Coast Mariners – Tuesday, February 18, 2025, Kawasaki Todoraki Stadium, Kawasaki (7pm local)
The top eight teams from each 12-team league will advance to the Round of 16. In this phase, each remaining club will face another club from their region – East or West – in a two-legged, home-and-away tie to decide which eight clubs progress to a centralised “Finals” campaign.
With eight teams remaining, the ACL Elite concludes with a Finals campaign which will run from April 25 to May 4 in a centralised location; for the first two seasons of the ACL Elite, Saudi Arabia has been confirmed as the Finals host.
The Quarter-Finals, Semi-Finals and Final will all feature cross-regional pairings and will consist entirely of single-legged ties.
For qualifying for the tournament alone, the Mariners are set to earn a guaranteed minimum of USD $800,000 (approximately AUD $1.2 million).
The further the Mariners progress in the tournament, the grander the financial rewards become. Should the Gosford side manage to win the ACL Elite, their prize money would exceed USD $12m – approximately AUD $18m.
The breakdown of the ACL Elite Champion’s prize money is:
- Qualification for the tournament: USD $800,000
- Qualification for Round of 16: USD $200,000
- Qualification for Quarter-Finals: USD $400,000
- Qualification for Semi-Finals: USD $600,000
- Champion: USD $10 million
The ACL Two
The ACL Two has replaced the AFC Cup as the second tier of men’s continental club football in Asia, and Sydney FC are Australia’s sole representative in the all-new league.
The ACL Two features a 32-team group stage – and unlike the ACL Elite, it’s a traditional round-robin, not a league format, that will decide which teams progress to the Round of 16.
Sydney have been drawn in Group E, and will face Japan’s Sanfrecce Hiroshima – home to former Melbourne City star Tolgay Arslan – current Filipino champions Kaya FC-Iloilo and Hong Kong FA Cup winners Eastern.
And it’s against Eastern that Sydney’s ACL Two campaign begins on Thursday, September 19.
Sydney FC – ACL Two group stage fixtures
- Sydney FC v Eastern FC – Thursday, September 19 – Netstrata Jubilee Stadium, Sydney (7pm local)
- Kaya FC Iloilo v Sydney FC – Thursday, October 3 2024 – Venue & kick-off time TBC
- Sanfrecce Hiroshima v Sydney FC – Thursday, October 24 2024 – Hiroshima Soccer Stadium, Hiroshima (7pm local)
- Sydney FC v Sanfrecce Hiroshima – Thursday, November 7 2024 – Netstrata Jubilee Stadium, Sydney (7pm local)
- Eastern FC v Sydney FC – Thursday, November 28 2024 – Mong Kok Stadium, Hong Kong (9pm local)
- Sydney FC v Kaya FC Iloilo – Thursday, December 5 2024 – Netstrata Jubilee Stadium, Sydney (7pm local)
The Round of 16 will feature two-legged ties and the pairings will be determined via a knockout draw; all eight group winners will face off against one of the eight runners-up in the Round of 16.
Unlike the ACL Elite, the ACL Two will continue with home-and-away knockout ties for the Quarter-Finals and Semi-Finals before a single-leg Final, set to take place on May 17. The winner of the ACL Two will earn an indirect slot in the ACL Elite for 2025-26.
For reaching the group stage alone, Sydney have earned USD $300,000 – roughly AUD $450,000.
If Ufuk Talay’s side goes all the way and wins the final, as champions they would receive at least USD $3.28m – approximately AUD $4.92m.
The squads
Sydney FC head coach Ufuk Talay has named a star-studded squad for his side’s ACL Two campaign, including marquee recruit Douglas Costa and former Celtic striker Patryk Klimala.
Fellow new signings Anas Ouahim and Leo Sena join Klimala and Costa in a 33-player squad that also features six Sky Blues academy prospects.
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After the confirmation of Sydney’s ACL Two squad, Costa expressed his excitement at the prospect of making his debut for the club as early as next Thursday in the Sky Blues’ competition opener.
“It’s a game I’m really looking forward to and excited to finally make my Sky Blues debut,” he said.
“I’ve heard so much about the passionate fans in Australia and I’m looking forward to walking out at Jubilee Stadium in front of a great many supporters.
“It’s a very important game for us in a big competition as we want to succeed in Asia and prove we are one of the best teams.
“But my teammates and I would also love to put on a great show of football for everyone who turns out.”
Sydney FC ACL Two Squad
Central Coast Mariners meantime will be led into the 2024-25 ACL Elite campaign by new signing and Socceroo Trent Sainsbury, who has been confirmed as the club’s new captain.
Sainsbury is joined by fellow off-season signings Alfie McCalmont, Lucas Mauragis and Vitor Feijao in the Mariners’ ACL Elite squad which features treble-winning stars Mikael Doka, Ryan Edmondson, Brian Kaltak, Storm Roux, Harrison Steel, Alou Kuol and Miguel Di Pizio.
New Mariners captain Sainsbury, who is back in Gosford for his second season at the club, says the experience of winning the AFC Cup last season holds Central Coast in good stead to perform well in the AFC Elite.
“I think the last time I was at the Mariners, we had the Champions League, we won our first game away (in) the Champions League for the Mariners,” he said.
“The boys are excited… obviously after last year’s amazing performance winning the trophy in the AFC Cup. So I think they’re going to have that experience under their belt.
“We’re going to be up against better and stronger opposition now but I think Australians love their back against the wall and they want the the tough competition to prove themselves.”
Central Coast Mariners ACL Elite squad
How to watch?
Every game of the 2024-25 AFC Champions League Elite season will be broadcast LIVE on Paramount+
The AFC Champions League Two campaign will be available live and free on 10 Play.
