Southeast Asia’s flagbearers Buriram United and Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) will once again look to make their mark on the continental stage after learning their league phase opponents for the 2025/26 AFC Champions League Elite on August 15.
Thai champions Buriram, quarterfinalists in last season’s edition, will face a formidable slate of fixtures. They are set to welcome Chinese heavyweights Shanghai Shenhua and Shanghai Port, South Korea’s Gangwon FC, and regional rivals JDT to the Chang Arena. Their away assignments include trips to Ulsan HD (South Korea), Melbourne City (Australia), FC Seoul (South Korea), and Chengdu Rongcheng (China).
For JDT—Malaysia’s dominant force in recent years—the challenge is just as daunting. They will host Shanghai Port and Shanghai Shenhua, alongside Japan’s Machida Zelvia and Vissel Kobe at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium. Away from home, the Southern Tigers must navigate trips to Buriram, Japan’s Sanfrecce Hiroshima, as well as Chengdu and Melbourne.
Both teams have retained much of the core squads that carried them deep into the tournament last year, while bolstering their rosters with reinforcements in hopes of going one step further this season.
This year’s ACLE will feature three debutants—Gangwon, Machida, and Chengdu—all of whom secured qualification after standout domestic campaigns in 2024. Gangwon’s achievement is particularly remarkable, coming just months after surviving a relegation play-off, while Machida earned their spot by finishing third in their very first top-flight season.
In the West Region, defending champions Al-Ahli Saudi face a tricky league phase, with matches against UAE duo Shabab Al-Ahli Dubai and Sharjah, Nasaf Qarshi of Uzbekistan, and Al-Gharafa of Qatar at home. Their away schedule includes visits to Qatari powerhouses Al-Sadd and Al-Duhail, Iraq’s Al-Shorta, and another UAE side, Al-Wahda. The clash with Al-Sadd will also serve as an emotional reunion with former star striker Roberto Firmino, who departed Al-Ahli following their title-winning campaign.