English Premier League
AFC Champions League Elite 2026-27: West region table, fixtures and broadcast details
The 2026-27 AFC Champions League Elite begins on 14 September, with 16 clubs competing in the West region and the league phase extended to provide more matches and opportunities for teams across Asia.
Al Ahli, who have won the past two editions, will attempt to complete a hat-trick of titles for West Asian clubs. They face competition from Saudi Arabian sides Al Hilal, Al Ittihad, Al Nassr and Al Qadsiah, as well as Al Sadd, Al Shamal, Shabab Al Ahli, Al Ain and other leading clubs.
The league phase runs until 15 February 2027. The last-16 ties will be played in March, with the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final scheduled for late April and 1 May respectively.
West region table
| Position | Club | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals for | Goals against | Goal difference | Points |
|||:|:|:|:|:|:|:|:|
| 1 | Al Ahli | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | Al Ain | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | Al Gharafa | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Al Hilal | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | Al Ittihad | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | Al Nassr | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | Al Qadsiah | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | Al Quwa Al Jawiya | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | Al Sadd | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | Al Shamal | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | Al Wasl | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | Esteghlal | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | Pakhtakor | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | Neftchi | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | Shabab Al Ahli | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | Tractor | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
League-phase fixtures
All times are listed in Saudi Arabia time, followed by United Arab Emirates time.
Monday, 14 September 2026
– Neftchi v Al Quwa Al Jawiya, 16:45 / 17:45, Bunyodkor Stadium
– Al Shamal v Al Ittihad, 19:00 / 20:00, Al Bayt Stadium
– Shabab Al Ahli v Tractor, 19:00 / 20:00, Rashid Stadium
– Al Qadsiah v Al Wasl, 21:15 / 22:15, Prince Mohammed bin Fahd Stadium
– Esteghlal v Al Sadd, 21:15 / 22:15, Basra International Stadium
– Al Ahli v Pakhtakor, 21:15 / 22:15, Alinma Stadium
Tuesday, 15 September 2026
– Al Ain v Al Nassr, 19:00 / 20:00, Hazza bin Zayed Stadium
– Al Hilal v Al Gharafa, 21:15 / 22:15, Kingdom Arena
Monday, 12 October 2026
– Pakhtakor v Al Qadsiah, 16:45 / 17:45, Pakhtakor Stadium
– Al Wasl v Al Ahli, 19:00 / 20:00, Zabeel Stadium
– Tractor v Al Shamal, 19:00 / 20:00, Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex
– Al Gharafa v Esteghlal, 21:15 / 22:15, Thani bin Jassim Stadium
– Al Nassr v Neftchi, 21:15 / 22:15, Al-Awwal Park
– Al Quwa Al Jawiya v Al Ain, 21:15 / 22:15, Basra International Stadium
Tuesday, 13 October 2026
– Al Sadd v Al Hilal, 19:00 / 20:00, Jassim bin Hamad Stadium
– Al Ittihad v Shabab Al Ahli, 21:15 / 22:15, Alinma Stadium
Monday, 26 October 2026
– Neftchi v Al Ittihad, 17:45 / 18:45, Esteghlal Stadium
– Al Ain v Tractor, 20:00 / 21:00, Hazza bin Zayed Stadium
– Al Ahli v Al Gharafa, 20:00 / 21:00, Alinma Stadium
– Al Qadsiah v Al Sadd, 22:15 / 23:15, Prince Mohammed bin Fahd Stadium
– Al Nassr v Al Wasl, 22:15 / 23:15, Al-Awwal Park
– Al Quwa Al Jawiya v Pakhtakor, 22:15 / 23:15, Basra International Stadium
Tuesday, 27 October 2026
– Shabab Al Ahli v Esteghlal, 20:00 / 21:00, Rashid Stadium
– Al Shamal v Al Hilal, 22:15 / 23:15, Al Bayt Stadium
Monday, 2 November 2026
– Pakhtakor v Al Nassr, 17:45 / 18:45, Pakhtakor Stadium
– Al Sadd v Al Ahli, 20:00 / 21:00, Jassim bin Hamad Stadium
– Al Wasl v Al Quwa Al Jawiya, 20:00 / 21:00, Zabeel Stadium
– Tractor v Neftchi, 20:00 / 21:00, Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex
– Al Gharafa v Al Qadsiah, 22:15 / 23:15, Thani bin Jassim Stadium
– Al Ittihad v Al Ain, 22:15 / 23:15, Alinma Stadium
Tuesday, 3 November 2026
– Esteghlal v Al Shamal, 20:00 / 21:00, Basra International Stadium
– Al Hilal v Shabab Al Ahli, 22:15 / 23:15, Kingdom Arena
Monday, 23 November 2026
– Neftchi v Al Hilal, 17:45 / 18:45, Esteghlal Stadium
– Al Shamal v Al Ahli, 20:00 / 21:00, Al Bayt Stadium
– Tractor v Al Wasl, 20:00 / 21:00, Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex
– Al Ain v Esteghlal, 20:00 / 21:00, Hazza bin Zayed Stadium
– Al Quwa Al Jawiya v Al Gharafa, 22:15 / 23:15, Basra International Stadium
– Al Ittihad v Pakhtakor, 22:15 / 23:15, Alinma Stadium
Tuesday, 24 November 2026
– Shabab Al Ahli v Al Qadsiah, 20:00 / 21:00, Rashid Stadium
– Al Nassr v Al Sadd, 22:15 / 23:15, Al-Awwal Park
Monday, 7 December 2026
– Pakhtakor v Tractor, 17:45 / 18:45, Pakhtakor Stadium
– Al Qadsiah v Al Shamal, 20:00 / 21:00, Prince Mohammed bin Fahd Stadium
– Al Wasl v Al Ittihad, 20:00 / 21:00, Zabeel Stadium
– Al Sadd v Al Quwa Al Jawiya, 22:15 / 23:15, Jassim bin Hamad Stadium
– Al Hilal v Al Ain, 22:15 / 23:15, Kingdom Arena
– Esteghlal v Neftchi, 22:15 / 23:15, Basra International Stadium
Tuesday, 8 December 2026
– Al Gharafa v Al Nassr, 20:00 / 21:00, Thani bin Jassim Stadium
– Al Ahli v Shabab Al Ahli, 22:15 / 23:15, Alinma Stadium
Monday, 8 February 2027
– Pakhtakor v Esteghlal, 17:45 / 18:45, Pakhtakor Stadium
– Al Ain v Al Qadsiah, 20:00 / 21:00, Hazza bin Zayed Stadium
– Tractor v Al Sadd, 20:00 / 21:00, Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex
– Al Ittihad v Al Gharafa, 22:15 / 23:15, Alinma Stadium
– Al Nassr v Al Shamal, 22:15 / 23:15, Al-Awwal Park
– Al Quwa Al Jawiya v Shabab Al Ahli, 22:15 / 23:15, Basra International Stadium
Tuesday, 9 February 2027
– Neftchi v Al Ahli, 17:45 / 18:45, Esteghlal Stadium
– Al Wasl v Al Hilal, 20:00 / 21:00, Zabeel Stadium
Monday, 15 February 2027
– Al Qadsiah v Neftchi, 22:15 / 23:15, Prince Mohammed bin Fahd Stadium
– Al Shamal v Al Quwa Al Jawiya, 22:15 / 23:15, Al Bayt Stadium
– Al Hilal v Pakhtakor, 22:15 / 23:15, Kingdom Arena
– Al Gharafa v Tractor, 22:15 / 23:15, Thani bin Jassim Stadium
– Shabab Al Ahli v Al Nassr, 22:15 / 23:15, Rashid Stadium
– Esteghlal v Al Wasl, 22:15 / 23:15, Basra International Stadium
– Al Sadd v Al Ittihad, 22:15 / 23:15, Jassim bin Hamad Stadium
– Al Ahli v Al Ain, 22:15 / 23:15, Alinma Stadium
Competition format and broadcasting
The Asian Football Confederation announced a major restructuring of its club competitions in December 2022. The leading continental competition was reduced from 40 teams to 24 in the league phase, split equally between the West and East regions, with 12 clubs in each.
Under that format, every team played eight matches against eight different opponents from its own region, with four games at home and four away. The top eight teams in each region advanced to the knockout stage. The last 16 was played over two legs, while the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final were single matches held at a neutral venue in one host country.
The AFC confirmed the system in August 2023, beginning in 2024-25, when the competition was officially renamed the AFC Champions League Elite. Historical records and statistics from the AFC Champions League remain part of the official AFC Champions League Elite record.
For 2026-27, the league phase has been expanded to 32 clubs, with 16 teams in each region. The change is intended to increase the number of matches, strengthen competition and give more clubs access to Asia’s leading club tournament.
More than one billion viewers across different continents are expected to follow the competition. In the Middle East, beIN SPORTS holds the exclusive rights and has allocated beIN SPORTS HD 1 and beIN SPORTS HD 2 for live coverage. Al Kass channels also broadcast the AFC Champions League Elite, specifically Al Kass 5 and Al Kass 6, while online viewers can use the TOD TV application.
