Five Saudi Clubs Start AFC Champions League Elite

Five Saudi clubs have begun their 2026–2027 AFC Champions League Elite campaign, with the league stage kicking off on 14 September 2026. Al-Ahli, Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr, Al-Ittihad, and Al-Qadsiah are all in the running as continental football's top club competition gets underway.

The tournament has expanded this season from 24 to 32 clubs, split evenly with 16 teams in each region. The league stage runs through February 2027, and the top eight clubs from each region will qualify for the Round of 16, scheduled for 1–17 March 2027.

Saudi Arabia carries a central role in the competition's climax. The quarter-finals, semi-finals, and final are all set to be held in the Kingdom from 23 April to 1 May 2027. Saudi Arabia is also scheduled to host the final stages across three consecutive seasons: 2026–2027, 2027–2028, and 2028–2029.

For football fans across Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and beyond, the season promises a busy stretch of top-tier continental matches on home soil. Having five clubs in the field means multiple opportunities to follow Saudi teams throughout the campaign, while the decision to stage the concluding rounds inside the Kingdom brings elite Asian club football directly to local supporters.

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