AFC club competitions ranking explained

The AFC club competitions ranking is a ranking system launched by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in 2014.^{[1] [2]}

Calculation principle

The club competitions ranking (former member association ranking, or MA ranking) is used to rank associations and seed teams in the competitions, allocate the number of entries and entry points to the competitions.^[3] There are, however, many shifts each year with associations not meeting off field requirements.

The ranking until 2021 consisted of the total points of member associations' clubs over the previous four years. Since the 2022 edition, the ranking has used the points over the previous eight years, with earlier editions having a decreasingly smaller contribution through an applied multiplier.

Ranking structure

Club ranking was introduced in 2014 by the AFC.^[1] It was an informative ranking and not used to seed clubs in the club competitions.^[2]

In 2024, the AFC announced changes in the format for ranking the three revamped Club competitions – AFC Champions League Elite, AFC Champions League Two, AFC Challenge League – effective from the 2024–25 season.^[4] The structure has taken into account the results from the past 8 years, with a weighting formula.^[5]

Scoring from 2024–25 onwards

Round	Score
	ACLE	ACL2	ACGL
Participation Points	3	2	1
Participation in Qualifying Round	–	–	0.05
Win in Qualifying Round	0.3	0.2	0.1
Draw in Qualifying Round	0.15	0.1	0.05
Win in Group stage / Knock-out phase	3	2	1
Draw in Group stage / Knock-out phase	1	0.666	0.333
Advance to Knock-out phase	3	2	1
Advance to Quarter-finals	1.5	1	–
Advance to Semi-finals and Final	1.5	1	0.5

2024–25 ranking

To be used for entry requirements into the 2026–27 AFC competitions.

Updated on 3 December 2024^[6]

Ranking				Member association	Club points								Total	Active teams	2026–27 Competition
2024–25	2023–24	data-sort-type="number"				2016	2017	2018	2019	2021	2022	2023–24			2024–25	ACL Elite	ACL Two	Challenge
1	1	—	W 1		9.500	18.600	10.000	26.350	20.950	19.075	27.100	16.000	101.415	4/4	3+0	1+0	0
2	2	—	E 1		10.500	21.850	13.850	21.800	17.875	20.088	21.350	13.667	93.360	4/4	3+0	1+0	0
3	3	—	E 2		20.750	9.950	18.350	13.600	22.750	15.800	22.350	10.250	86.470	4/4	2+1	1+0	0
4	4	—	W 2		18.000	11.350	8.100	7.633	14.400	8.083	24.000	10.233	68.299	4/4	2+1	1+0	0
5	6	+1	W 3		13.000	16.200	18.850	11.500	14.225	13.250	9.300	9.032	64.665	3/4	2+1	1+0	0
6	5	–1	W 4		22.000	13.400	19.850	15.900	7.300	13.500	8.100	9.128	63.753	4/4	1+1	1+0	0
7	7	—	E 3		14.750	24.567	16.200	17.350	0.800	0.500	11.900	9.400	53.832	4/4	2+1	1+0	0
8	8	—	E 4		1.000	15.050	16.200	5.050	8.500	11.110	8.567	9.067	49.065	4/4	1+1	1+0	0
9	9	—	W 5		9.750	5.050	9.400	9.000	8.960	10.057	11.250	5.833	45.321	2/2	1+0	1+0	0
10	10	—	W 6		9.833	8.933	8.633	8.300	3.250	7.450	6.867	6.500	37.280	2/2	1+0	1+0	0
11	13	+2	W 7		4.167	4.900	7.633	7.967	4.893	6.000	4.967	9.667	34.572	2/2	0	1+1	0
12	11	–1	E 5		14.000	5.900	7.300	2.600	0.000	7.900	10.593	6.000	33.624	2/2	1+0	1+0	0
13	12	–1	E 6		7.167	4.395	3.633	4.450	4.000	9.677	6.000	8.833	33.361	2/2	1+0	1+0	0
14	14	—	E 7		4.000	2.800	3.267	10.752	6.000	5.300	5.267	9.333	33.038	1/1	0	1+1	0
15	18	+3	W 8		7.667	6.250	4.417	3.217	3.677	4.797	2.922	6.500	24.958	1/1	0	1+1	0
16	17	+1	W 9		5.333	3.467	1.633	2.500	5.510	5.215	5.967	5.250	24.900	1/2	0	1+1	0
17	19	+2	W 10		1.000	2.200	1.583	1.433	0.000	6.795	9.677	7.500	24.569	1/1	0	1+1	0
18	15	–3	E 8		5.833	1.750	3.300	3.650	7.333	6.587	4.900	3.000	24.103	2/2	0	1+1	0
19	22	+3	E 9		4.500	5.138	5.617	4.133	0.000	3.253	3.600	6.667	21.239	2/2	0	1+1	0
20	20	—	W 11		2.000	4.483	7.583	5.267	3.125	2.640	3.078	4.200	20.961	2/2	0	0+1	1+0
21	21	—	W 12		6.333	0.833	3.933	6.933	2.670	1.525	5.033	4.500	20.304	0/1	0	0+1	1+0
22	23	+1	W 13		0.000	0.000	0.000	3.433	7.070	4.160	2.500	5.867	19.052	2/2	0	0	1+0
23	16	–7	W 14		0.333	12.900	4.433	3.000	4.970	2.493	2.100	2.138	18.895	1/2	0	0	0+1
24	27	+3	W 15		0.000	1.400	0.150	2.433	0.835	0.565	11.167	4.600	18.378	0/1	0	0	0+1
25	28	+3	E 10		0.000	0.000	4.100	5.045	0.000	3.960	3.333	5.416	16.865	2/2	0	1+1	0
26	25	–1	E 11		4.667	8.120	5.843	4.782	2.600	0.300	0.556	3.667	16.706	2/2	0	0+1	0+1
27	24	–3	W 16		1.000	1.333	1.433	6.933	2.790	3.760	3.833	1.500	16.428	0/1	0	0	0+1
28	26	–2	W 17		5.333	5.933	2.000	3.133	1.785	2.890	1.283	2.500	14.174	0/1	0	0	0+1
29	30	+1	E 12		0.000	1.683	2.250	1.000	0.000	2.070	5.300	4.950	14.062	1/1	0	0+1	0+1
30	33	+3	E 13		0.000	0.000	0.000	0.333	2.000	0.000	4.200	5.500	11.730	1/1	0	0	0+1
31	29	–2	E 14		0.000	3.433	7.433	11.067	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	11.730	—	0	0	0+1
32	32	—	E 15		2.333	1.300	4.062	1.600	0.000	0.000	1.533	5.500	11.187	1/1	0	0	0+1
33	31	–2	W 18		1.333	4.300	4.300	0.000	0.200	2.030	2.100	1.500	9.910	0/1	0	0	0+1
34	35	+1	E 16		0.000	0.000	0.100	0.100	0.000	0.100	4.000	2.200	6.962	0/1	0	0	0+1
35	34	–1	W 19		2.000	0.200	0.150	2.967	0.835	0.610	0.100	2.500	6.198	0/1	0	0	0+1
36	40	+4	W 20		0.000	0.150	0.150	0.100	0.100	0.100	0.100	3.600	4.035	0/1	0	0	0+1
37	36	–1	E 17		0.000	0.000	4.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	1.370	0.000	3.233	—	0	0	0+1
38	37	–1	E 18		1.000	0.150	0.150	0.333	0.000	0.000	0.100	1.650	2.375	0/1	0	0	0+1
39	38	–1	W 21		0.000	0.000	0.000	0.667	0.200	0.100	0.200	0.500	1.300	0/1	0	0	0+1
40	42	+2	W 22		0.000	0.150	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.500	0.560	0/1	0	0	0+1
41	39	–2	W 23		0.000	0.100	0.000	0.350	0.100	0.200	0.000	0.000	0.480	—	0	0	0+1
42	41	–1	E 19		0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.100	0.000	0.090	—	0	0	0+1
43	43	—	W 24		0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	—	0	0	0+1
43	43	—	E 20		0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	—	0	0	0+1
43	43	—	W 24		0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	—	0	0	0+1
43	43	—	E 20		0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	—	0	0	0+1
43	43	—	E 20		0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	—	0	0	0+1

Key

2023–24 ranking

To be used for entry requirements into the 2025–26 AFC competitions.

Updated on 26 May 2024^[7]

Ranking				Member association	Club points								Total	2025–26 competition
2023–24	2022	data-sort-type="number"				2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2021	2022		2023–24	ACL Elite	ACL Two	Challenge
1	1	—	W 1		15.250	9.500	18.600	10.000	26.350	20.950	19.075	27.100	103.148	3+0	1+0	0
2	2	—	E 1		15.250	10.500	21.850	13.850	21.800	17.875	20.088	21.350	96.999	3+0	1+0	0
3	3	—	E 2		16.750	20.750	9.950	18.350	13.600	22.750	15.800	22.350	93.600	2+1	1+0	0
4	6	+2	W 2		25.000	18.000	11.350	8.100	7.633	14.400	8.083	24.000	73.373	2+1	1+0	0
5	4	–1	W 3		19.000	22.000	13.400	19.850	15.900	7.300	13.500	8.100	70.330	2+1	1+0	0
6	5	–1	W 4		11.250	13.000	16.200	18.850	11.500	14.225	13.250	9.300	68.640	1+1	1+0	0
7	7	—	E 3		15.750	14.750	24.567	16.200	17.350	0.800	0.500	11.900	57.764	2+1	1+0	0
8	8	—	E 4		10.000	1.000	15.050	16.200	5.050	8.500	11.110	8.567	49.546	1+1	1+0	0
9	9	—	W 5		4.750	9.750	5.050	9.400	9.000	8.960	10.057	11.250	47.259	1+0	1+0	0
10	10	—	W 6		3.167	9.833	8.933	8.633	8.300	3.250	7.450	6.867	36.512	1+0	1+0	0
11	11	—	E 5		7.500	14.000	5.900	7.300	2.600	0.000	7.900	10.593	35.094	1+0	1+0	0
12	13	+1	E 6		9.500	7.167	4.395	3.633	4.450	4.000	9.677	6.000	31.118	1+0	1+0	0
13	12	–1	W 7		4.667	4.167	4.900	7.633	7.967	4.893	6.000	4.967	29.955	0	1+1	0
14	14	—	E 7		4.000	4.000	2.800	3.267	10.752	6.000	5.300	5.267	28.524	0	1+1	0
15	15	—	E 8		8.167	5.833	1.750	3.300	3.650	7.333	6.587	4.900	26.888	0	1+1	0
16	16	—	W 8		9.000	0.333	12.900	4.433	3.000	4.970	2.493	2.100	22.363	0	1+1	0
17	18	+1	W 9		2.167	5.333	3.467	1.633	2.500	5.510	5.215	5.967	22.315	0	1+1	0
18	17	–1	W 10		3.333	7.667	6.250	4.417	3.217	3.677	4.797	2.922	22.275	0	1+1	0
19	28	+9	W 11		2.333	1.000	2.200	1.583	1.433	0.000	6.795	9.677	19.935	0	0+1	1+0
20	20	—	W 12		2.000	2.000	4.483	7.583	5.267	3.125	2.640	3.078	19.832	0	0+1	1+0
21	22	+1	W 13		0.667	6.333	0.833	3.933	6.933	2.670	1.525	5.033	18.904	0	0	1+0
22	24	+2	E 9		0.500	4.500	5.138	5.617	4.133	0.000	3.253	3.600	17.310	0	1+1	0
23	19	–4	W 14		9.500	0.000	0.000	0.000	3.433	7.070	4.160	2.500	17.153	0	0	0+1
24	27	+3	W 15		0.000	1.000	1.333	1.433	6.933	2.790	3.760	3.833	16.228	0	0	0+1
25	21	–4	E 10		1.667	4.667	8.120	5.843	4.782	2.600	0.300	0.556	16.186	0	1+1	0
26	23	–3	W 16		6.833	5.333	5.933	2.000	3.133	1.785	2.890	1.283	15.855	0	0	0+1
27	33	+6	W 17		0.000	0.000	1.400	0.150	2.433	0.835	0.565	11.167	14.837	0	0	0+1
28	26	–2	E 11		5.667	0.000	0.000	4.100	5.045	0.000	3.960	3.333	14.589	0	0+1	0+1
29	25	–4	E 12		0.000	0.000	3.433	7.433	11.067	0.000	0.000	0.000	13.923	0	0+1	0+1
30	32	+2	E 13		0.000	0.000	1.683	2.250	1.000	0.000	2.070	5.300	10.055	0	0	0+1
31	29	–2	W 18		2.000	1.333	4.300	4.300	0.000	0.200	2.030	2.100	9.950	0	0	0+1
32	30	–2	E 14		2.667	2.333	1.300	4.062	1.600	0.000	0.000	1.533	7.474	0	0	0+1
33	35	+2	E 15		0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.333	2.000	0.000	4.200	6.033	0	0	0+1
34	31	–3	W 19		2.000	2.000	0.200	0.150	2.967	0.835	0.610	0.100	4.984	0	0	0+1
35	40	+5	E 16		0.000	0.000	0.000	0.100	0.100	0.000	0.100	4.000	4.220	0	0	0+1
36	34	–2	E 17		0.000	0.000	0.000	4.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	1.100	3.500	0	0	0+1
37	36	–1	E 18		1.000	1.000	0.150	0.150	0.333	0.000	0.000	0.100	1.198	0	0	0+1
38	37	–1	W 20		0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.667	0.200	0.100	0.200	0.917	0	0	0+1
39	38	–1	W 21		0.000	0.000	0.100	0.000	0.350	0.100	0.200	0.000	0.555	0	0	0+1
40	39	–1	W 22		0.000	0.000	0.150	0.150	0.100	0.100	0.100	0.100	0.505	0	0	0+1
41	42	+1	E 19		0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.100	0.100	0	0	0+1
42	41	–1	W 23		0.000	0.000	0.150	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.075	0	0	0+1
43	42	–1	E 20		0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0	0	0+1
43	42	–1	E 20		0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0	0	0+1
43	42	–1	W 24		0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0	0	0+1
43	42	–1	E 20		0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0	0	0+1
43	42	–1	W 24		0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0	0	0+1

2022 ranking

Ranking currently being used for entry requirements into the current 2024–25 AFC competitions.^[8]

Ranking				Member association	Club points								Total	2024–25 competition
2022	2021	data-sort-type="number"				2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2021		2022	ACL Elite	ACL Two	Challenge
1	1	—	W 1		19.250	15.250	9.500	18.600	10.000	26.350	20.950	19.075	93.795	3+0	1+0	0
2	3	+1	E 1		13.500	15.250	10.500	21.850	13.850	21.800	17.875	20.088	91.821	3+0	1+0	0
3	2	–1	E 2		17.500	16.750	20.750	9.950	18.350	13.600	22.750	15.800	88.295	2+1	1+0	0
4	5	+1	W 2		8.750	19.000	22.000	13.400	19.850	15.900	7.300	13.500	75.950	2+1	1+0	0
5	4	–1	W 3		9.500	11.250	13.000	16.200	18.850	11.500	14.225	13.250	72.018	2+1	1+0	0
6	8	+2	W 4		18.333	25.000	18.000	11.350	8.100	7.633	14.400	8.083	64.129	1+1	1+0	0
7	7	—	E 3		9.250	15.750	14.750	24.567	16.200	17.350	0.800	0.500	57.630	2+1	1+0	0
8	9	+1	E 4		6.000	10.000	1.000	15.050	16.200	5.050	8.500	11.110	49.470	1+1	1+0	0
9	6	–3	W 5		11.000	4.750	9.750	5.050	9.400	9.000	8.960	10.057	45.006	1+0	1+0	0
10	13	+3	W 6		7.667	3.167	9.833	8.933	8.633	8.300	3.250	7.450	36.901	1+0	1+0	0
11	23	+12	E 5		17.333	7.500	14.000	5.900	7.300	2.600	0.000	7.900	33.830	1+0	1+0	0
12	10	–2	W 7		3.833	4.667	4.167	4.900	7.633	7.967	4.893	6.000	30.161	0	1+1	0
13	20	+7	E 6		1.833	9.500	7.167	4.395	3.633	4.450	4.000	9.677	29.951	1+0	1+0	0
14	14	—	E 7		8.667	4.000	4.000	2.800	3.267	10.752	6.000	5.300	29.469	0	1+1	0
15	11	–4	E 8		6.000	8.167	5.833	1.750	3.300	3.650	7.333	6.587	27.450	0	1+1	0
16	12	–4	W 8		0.000	9.000	0.333	12.900	4.433	3.000	4.970	2.493	23.976	0	1+1	0
17	17	—	W 9		3.167	3.333	7.667	6.250	4.417	3.217	3.677	4.797	23.639	0	1+1	0
18	25	+7	W 10		5.833	2.167	5.333	3.467	1.633	2.500	5.510	5.215	20.681	0	1+1	0
19	22	+3	W 11		10.000	9.500	0.000	0.000	0.000	3.433	7.070	4.160	20.069	0	0+1	1+0
20	16	–4	W 12		0.000	2.000	2.000	4.483	7.583	5.267	3.125	2.640	19.464	0	0+1	1+0
21	19	–2	E 9		0.000	1.667	4.667	8.120	5.843	4.782	2.600	0.300	18.428	0	1+1	0
22	18	–4	W 13		5.333	0.667	6.333	0.833	3.933	6.933	2.670	1.525	17.761	0	0	1+0
23	27	+4	W 14		0.833	6.833	5.333	5.933	2.000	3.133	1.785	2.890	17.612	0	0	0+1
24	24	—	E 10		2.667	0.500	4.500	5.138	5.617	4.133	0.000	3.253	16.824	0	1+1	0
25	15	–10	E 11		0.000	0.000	0.000	3.433	7.433	11.067	0.000	0.000	16.117	0	0+1	0+1
26	26	—	E 12		6.500	5.667	0.000	0.000	4.100	5.045	0.000	3.960	15.083	0	0+1	0+1
27	21	–6	W 15		0.000	0.000	1.000	1.333	1.433	6.933	2.790	3.760	14.120	0	0	0+1
28	34	+6	W 16		2.167	2.333	1.000	2.200	1.583	1.433	0.000	6.795	12.453	0	0	0+1
29	29	—	W 17		0.667	2.000	1.333	4.300	4.300	0.000	0.200	2.030	9.467	0	0	0+1
30	28	–2	E 13		3.833	2.667	2.333	1.300	4.062	1.600	0.000	0.000	8.287	0	0	0+1
31	31	—	W 18		0.000	2.000	2.000	0.200	0.150	2.967	0.835	0.610	5.760	0	0	0+1
32	33	+1	E 14		0.000	0.000	0.000	1.683	2.250	1.000	0.000	2.070	5.455	0	0	0+1
33	32	–1	W 19		0.333	0.000	0.000	1.400	0.150	2.433	0.835	0.565	4.308	0	0	0+1
34	30	–4	E 15		0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	4.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	2.800	0	0	0+1
35	35	+4	E 16		0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.333	2.000	0.000	2.066	0	0	0+1
36	37	+1	E 17		0.000	1.000	1.000	0.150	0.150	0.333	0.000	0.000	1.361	0	0	0+1
37	36	–1	W 20		0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.667	0.200	0.100	0.814	0	0	0+1
38	38	—	W 21		0.000	0.000	0.000	0.100	0.000	0.350	0.100	0.200	0.630	0	0	0+1
39	39	—	W 22		0.000	0.000	0.000	0.150	0.150	0.100	0.100	0.100	0.465	0	0	0+1
40	40	—	E 18		0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.100	0.100	0.000	0.100	0.250	0	0	0+1
41	41	—	W 23		0.000	0.000	0.000	0.150	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.090	0	0	0+1
42	41	–1	E 19		0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0	0	0+1
42	41	–1	E 19		0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0	0	0+1
42	41	–1	E 19		0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0	0	0+1
42	41	–1	W 24		0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0	0	0+1
42	41	–1	E 19		0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0	0	0+1
42	41	–1	W 24		0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0	0	0+1

See also

• UEFA coefficient, a similar system used by UEFA
• CAF 5-year ranking, a similar system used by the Confederation of African Football
• CONMEBOL ranking of the Copa Libertadores, a similar system used by CONMEBOL

External links

• Ranking at the-afc.com
• Rankings at FootyRankings

Notes and References

1. Web site: Al Hilal lead the way as AFC announces Club Ranking system. www.the-afc.com. en-GB. 2017-12-08. 2017-12-08. https://web.archive.org/web/20171208231526/http://www.the-afc.com/competitions/afc-champions-league/latest/news/al-hilal-lead-the-way-as-afc-announces-club-ranking-system-22414. live.
2. Web site: AFC Competitions Committee recommends new AFC Cup format. 23 November 2018. 23 November 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181123112004/http://www.the-afc.com/news/afcsection/afc-competitions-committee-recommends-new-afc-cup-format-33989. live.
3. Web site: Entry Manual: AFC Club Competitions 2017–2020. Asian Football Confederation. https://web.archive.org/web/20171206135816/http://res.cloudinary.com/deltatreafcprod/image/upload/gvwuaoq7r4jwg7bobcdp.pdf. 6 December 2017. dead.
4. Web site: AFC Competitions Committee recommends strategic reforms to elevate Asian club football. www.the-afc.com. en. 23 December 2022. 6 January 2023. 24 December 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221224020236/https://www.the-afc.com/en/more/afc_competitions/news/afc_competitions_committee_recommends_strategic_reforms_to_elevate_asian_club_football.html. live.
5. Web site: AFC Club Competitions Ranking 2022. www.the-afc.com. en. 15 May 2023. 15 May 2023. 7 January 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220107182849/https://www.the-afc.com/en/more/afc_ranking.html/. live.
6. Web site: AFC Club Competitions Ranking 2025. FootyRankings. 4 June 2024. 3 December 2024.
7. Web site: AFC Club Competitions Ranking 2024. FootyRankings. 26 May 2024. 26 May 2024.
8. Web site: AFC Club Competitions Ranking 2022. FootyRankings. 24 October 2024. 24 October 2024.