New Asian Champions League seeks to promote quality over quantity, top boss says
New-look competition kicks off on Monday, with general secretary Windsor John promising a ‘variety of flavours’ for fans to enjoy
The revamped AFC Champions League Elite will play a crucial role in encouraging fresh investment in the continent’s clubs, said the Asian Football Confederation’s top official, as the body aims to revitalise the sport in the region.
The top tier of the reconfigured competition kicks off on Monday with a field reduced to 24 teams from 40, and features the champions of Japan, Saudi Arabia, South Korea and China as well as title holders Al Ain from the United Arab Emirates.
Play starts with a new format, trophy and logo as well as three times more cash available for the new champions, who stand to pocket up to US$12 million after the May 4 final.
“The motivation was to ensure that we have quality matches rather than just quantity,” Windsor John, general secretary of the governing body, said of the reasons behind the overhaul.
“The last competition had 40 teams and a lot of matches. We’ve focused on quality because we wanted Asian investors, foreign investors to invest in Asian clubs. We’re telling them we have the cream playing so come and invest in our competitions, come and invest in our clubs.”
Continental club competitions have been organised by the AFC since 1967, with the Asian Champions League launched in 2002 in an effort to encourage the further development of professional leagues that had started in South Korea, Japan and elsewhere.
