The Asian Champions League faces criticism for its exclusive format favoring Saudi Arabian teams, potentially undermining competitive balance and continental engagement. With a significant portion of Asian nations excluded, concerns rise about the tournament’s long-term viability and fairness.
The Asian Champions League, much like its European counterpart, is undergoing significant changes, mirroring Uefa's calendar shift to an autumn start and adopting a similar, albeit unwieldy, group stage format. However, beneath the surface similarities lie stark differences, particularly in inclusivity and competitive balance.
While Uefa's Champions League boasts representation from the vast majority of its member associations, the AFC Champions League Elite presents a more exclusive picture. Only a fraction of Asian nations – 11 out of 47, plus Australia – find themselves in the top-tier competition, leaving the lion's share relegated to lower-tier tournaments or completely absent. This disparity raises concerns about the long-term health and engagement of football across the continent.
The recent rebrand, adding 'Elite' to the tournament's name, underscores this exclusivity. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar in the west, along with Japan, South Korea, and China in the east, command the majority of spots, further consolidating power within a select group of nations. This concentration of resources and talent threatens to stifle the growth of football in emerging Asian countries.
Critics argue that the current format, while aiming to elevate standards and commercial performance, risks alienating a significant portion of the confederation. Shutting out a substantial number of countries, especially in a region where fan loyalty and media interest are often tied to national identity, could prove to be a shortsighted strategy.
Asia's historical advantage over Europe was its relative unpredictability, with a greater diversity of winners over the past two decades. However, the current trend towards Saudi Arabian dominance threatens to erode this competitive edge. Last season's semi-finals, dominated by Saudi Pro League teams, serve as a cautionary tale of what could become the norm.
The decision to host all knockout games from the quarter-finals onwards in Saudi Arabia further exacerbates the imbalance, providing a significant advantage to SPL teams while potentially discouraging participation from clubs in other nations. The prospect of facing a gauntlet of world-class players in front of partisan crowds raises questions about the fairness and long-term viability of the competition.
While the AFC hopes that Saudi dominance will spur other nations to invest in their football infrastructure, there are concerns that this strategy may backfire, especially given the substantial financial resources already concentrated in Riyadh and Jeddah.
The task of dethroning the Saudi giants falls to teams like Al-Hilal, now coached by Simone Inzaghi, fresh off a Uefa Champions League final appearance with Inter. With the addition of Darwin Núñez from Liverpool, Al-Hilal aims to go one better and claim continental glory. Meanwhile, defending champions Al-Ahli, bolstered by stars like Ivan Toney and Riyad Mahrez, seek to become the first team since 2005 to successfully defend the title. Al-Ittihad, with European champions Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kanté in their ranks, also looms as a formidable contender.
As the Asian Champions League Elite kicks off, the question remains whether any team from the other 11 participating countries can break through the Saudi stronghold. For fans in the 35 nations excluded from the competition, the dream of seeing their teams compete on the continental stage remains out of reach, for now. The new format, for all its ambition, risks sacrificing inclusivity for the pursuit of elite status.