AFC announce 2011 participants of ACL, AFC Cup

The Asian Football Confederation today announced the participating teams for the 2011 AFC Champions League and the AFC Cup. The I-League champions Dempo SC will once more get a chance to qualify for the lucrative Champions League and could either face Al Sadd (Qatar), Al Ittihad (Syria), Al Ain (UAE) from the west zone or Sriwijaya (Indonesia) and Muangthong United (Thailand) in the east zone. As there are six teams, one west zone team will be shifted to the east zone playoffs. The four losing sides will play in the AFC Cup.

This years AFC Champions League has 30 teams who received direct entry, while two will make it from the qualifiers. The AFC Cup meanwhile has 28 teams named, while four teams will join the directly named sides as losing four AFC Champions League sides. East Bengal have received a direct entry into the AFC Cup as Federation Cup champions.

For the AFC Cup, four clubs - Arbil of Iraq, Nasaf of Uzbekistan, Persipura Jayapura of Indonesia, and Tampines Rovers of Singapore – have been invited to play in the competition.

The draw for the group stages of both competitions will take place on December 7, 2010, at the PJ Hilton Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.


AFC Champions League 2011 teams

Nagoya Grumpus, 2nd in league, 3rd in league, Winner of knockout competition (all Japan); FC Seoul, Suwon Bluewings, Jeju United, 3rd in league (all South Korea); Shandong Luneng, Tianjin Teda, Shanghai Shensua, Hangzhou Greentown (all China); Foolad Mobarakeh Sepahan, Persepolis Tehran, Zobahan Esfahan, Esteghlal Tehran (all Iran); Al Hilal, Al Ittihad, Al Nassr, Al Shabab (all Saudi Arabia); Al Wahda, Emirates, Al Jazira (all United Arab Emirates); Sydney FC, Melbourne Victory (both Australia); Bunyodkor, Pakhtakor (both Uzbekistan); Arema Indonesia (Indonesia); Al Gharafa, Al Rayyan (both Qatar)


AFC Cup 2011 teams

Al Ahli (Bahrain); Duhok, Al Talaba, Arbil (all Iraq); Al Faisaly, Al Wehdat (both Jordan); Al Qadsia, Kuwait SC, Al Nasr (all Kuwait); Al Ahed, Al Ansar (both Lebanon); Al Suwaiq, Fnjaa or Aloruba (both Oman); Al Jaish, Al Karamah (both Syria); Nasaf Qarshi (Uzbekistan); Al Saqr, Al Tilal (both Yemen); South China, TSW Pegasus (both Hongkong); East Bengal Club (India); Persipura Jayapura (Indonesia); V.B., Victory (both Maldives); Tampines Rovers (Singapore); tbc (Thailand); Hanoi T&T, Song Lam Nghe An (both Vietnam)