2016 AFC Champions League#Group stage

The AFC Competitions Committee proposed a revamp of the AFC club competitions on 25 January 2014,{{cite web|url=http://www.the-afc.com/competitions-division/revamp-of-afc-competitions|title=Revamp of AFC competitions|publisher=AFC|date=25 January 2014}} which was ratified by the AFC Executive Committee on 16 April 2014.{{cite web|url=http://www.the-afc.com/executive-committee/exco-approves-expanded-afc-asian-cup-finals|title=ExCo approves expanded AFC Asian Cup finals|publisher=AFC|date=16 April 2014}} The 46 AFC member associations (excluding the associate member Northern Mariana Islands) are ranked based on their national team's and clubs' performance over the last four years in AFC competitions, with the allocation of slots for the 2015 and 2016 editions of the AFC club competitions determined by the 2014 rankings:{{cite web|url=http://www.the-afc.com/uploads/afc/files/rankings/afc_ma_rankings_03_11_2014.pdf|title=AFC MA Ranking as at 3 November 2014|publisher=AFC}}

• The associations are split into West Zone and East Zone, with 23 associations in each zone:
• West Zone consists of the associations from West Asia, Central Asia, South Asia, except India and Maldives
• East Zone consists of the associations from ASEAN and East Asia, plus India and Maldives
• In each zone, there are a total of 12 direct slots in the group stage, with the 4 remaining slots filled through play-offs.
• The top 12 associations in each zone as per the AFC rankings are eligible to enter the AFC Champions League, as long as they fulfill the AFC Champions League criteria.
• The top six associations in each zone get at least one direct slot in the group stage, while the remaining associations get only play-off slots:
• The associations ranked 1st and 2nd each get three direct slots and one play-off slot (in play-off round).
• The associations ranked 3rd and 4th each get two direct slots and two play-off slots (one in play-off round, one in preliminary round 2).
• The associations ranked 5th each get one direct slot and two play-off slots (both in preliminary round 2).
• The associations ranked 6th each get one direct slot and one play-off slot (in preliminary round 2).
• The associations ranked 7th to 12th each get one play-off slot (in preliminary round 1).
• The maximum number of slots for each association is one-third of the total number of clubs in the top division (e.g., Australia can only get a maximum of three total slots as there are only nine Australia-based clubs in the A-League).

The AFC Competitions Committee finalised the slot allocation for the 2015 and 2016 editions of the AFC Champions League based on the criteria, including the AFC rankings and the implementation of club licensing regulations, on 28 November 2014.{{cite web|url=http://www.the-afc.com/standing-committee/afc-competitions-committee-meeting|title=AFC Competitions Committee meeting|publisher=AFC|date=28 November 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://www.the-afc.com/afc-champions-league-2014/afc-champions-league-slots-allocated-for-2015-2016|title=AFC Champions League slots allocated for 2015-2016|publisher=AFC|date=4 December 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://www.the-afc.com/uploads/afc/files/slot_allocation_for_ACL_2015.pdf|title=Slot allocation for ACL 2015 - 2016|publisher=AFC}}

The following table shows the slot allocation for the 2016 AFC Champions League, which are adjusted accordingly since some of the slots are unused.

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;Notes

{{Cnote2 Begin}}

{{Cnote2|A|United Arab Emirates had their fourth team entering the play-off round instead of the preliminary round 2 due to unused slots.}}

{{Cnote2|B|Qatar had their third and fourth teams entering the play-off round instead of the preliminary round 2 due to unused slots.}}

{{Cnote2|C|Iraq were allocated two preliminary round 2 slots, but were not allowed to participate as none of their teams passed the club licensing requirements.}}

{{Cnote2|D|Kuwait were allocated one preliminary round 1 slot, but could not participate due to FIFA's suspension of its football association.}}

{{Cnote2|E|Jordan had their team entering the play-off round instead of the preliminary round 1 due to unused slots.}}

{{Cnote2|F|n=4|Oman, Bahrain, Lebanon and Syria were allocated one preliminary round 1 slot, but were not allowed to participate as none of their teams passed the club licensing requirements.}}

{{Cnote2|G|Indonesia were allocated one preliminary round 2 slot, could not participate in the AFC Champions League due to FIFA's suspension of its football association.}}

{{Cnote2|H|n=2|Myanmar and Malaysia had their team entering the preliminary round 2 instead of the preliminary round 1 due to unused slots.}}

{{Cnote2 End}}

The following 45 teams from 17 associations entered the competition.{{cite web|url=http://www.the-afc.com/afc-champions-league-2015/champions-guangzhou-evergrande-to-learn-acl-2016-opponents|title=Champions Guangzhou Evergrande to learn ACL 2016 opponents|publisher=AFC|date=4 December 2015}}

In the following table, the number of appearances and last appearance count only those since the 2002–03 season (including qualifying rounds), when the competition was rebranded as the AFC Champions League. TH means title holders.

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;Notes

{{Cnote2 Begin|liststyle=disc}}

{{Cnote2|Note CHN|China (CHN): Jiangsu Suning had its name changed from "Jiangsu Sainty" in December 2015. They are referred to as "Jiangsu FC" by the AFC in its official reports for the 2016 AFC Champions League.}}

{{Cnote2|Note SIN|Singapore (SIN): Since Brunei DPMM, the 2015 S.League champions, is a team managed by the National Football Association of Brunei Darussalam and thus ineligible to represent Singapore in AFC club competitions, their place was taken by Tampines Rovers, the league runners-up.}}

{{Cnote2|Note THA|Thailand (THA): Since Suphanburi, the 2015 Thai Premier League 3rd place, failed to pass the club licensing requirements, their place was taken by Chonburi, the league 4th place.{{cite web|url=http://manager.co.th/Sport/ViewNews.aspx?NewsID=9580000137460|title=ด่วน! "สุพรรณ" แห้ว เอเอฟซีให้สิทธิ์ "ฉลาม" เล่นถ้วยเอเชีย|publisher=MGRSport|date=15 December 2015}}}}

{{Cnote2 End}}

{{Location map+|AFC|width=1000|float=left|caption=Location of teams of the 2016 AFC Champions League.
8px West Zone
8px East Zone
(p) Qualifying play-off participants|places=

{{Location map~|AFC|lat=24.78842|long=46.839159|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Al-Nassr}}
{{nowrap|Al-Hilal}}|mark=Red pog.svg|position=left}}

{{Location map~|AFC|lat=21.55029|long=39.139765|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Al-Ahli}}
{{nowrap|Al-Ittihad (p)}}|mark=Red pog.svg|position=bottom}}

{{Location map~|AFC|lat=32.63333|long=51.65000|label_size=70|label=Sepahan
{{nowrap|Zob Ahan}}|mark=Red pog.svg|position=right}}

{{Location map~|AFC|lat=38.026847|long=46.296279|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Tractor}}|mark=Red pog.svg|position=right}}

{{Location map~|AFC|lat=35.724366|long=51.275597|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Naft Tehran (p)}}|mark=Red pog.svg|position=right}}

{{Location map~|AFC|lat=41.279806|long=69.212537|label_size=70|label=Pakhtakor
Lokomotiv
{{nowrap|Bunyodkor (p)}}|mark=Red pog.svg|position=top}}

{{Location map~|AFC|lat=38.83830|long=65.81388|label_size=70|label=Nasaf|mark=Red pog.svg|position=top}}

{{Location map~|AFC|lat=24.245047|long=55.717067|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Al-Ain}}|mark=Red pog.svg|position=right}}

{{Location map~|AFC|lat=25.279694|long=55.360569|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Al-Nasr}}
{{nowrap|Al-Shabab (p)}}|mark=Red pog.svg|position=top}}

{{Location map~|AFC|lat=24.452756|long=54.392109|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Al-Jazira (p)}}|mark=Red pog.svg|position=bottom}}

{{Location map~|AFC|lat=25.25|long=51.25|label_size=70|label=Qatar|mark=Red pog.svg|position=bottom}}

{{Location map~|AFC|lat=10|long=55|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Teams from Qatar:}}
Lekhwiya
{{nowrap|Al-Sadd (p)}}
{{nowrap|El Jaish (p)}}|mark=TransparentPlaceholder.png|position=bottom}}

{{Location map~|AFC|lat=32.083333|long=36.1|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Al-Wehdat (p)}}|mark=Red pog.svg|position=right}}

{{Location map~|AFC|lat=35.868021|long=127.064406|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Jeonbuk HM}}|mark=Green pog.svg|position=left}}

{{Location map~|AFC|lat=37.568188|long=126.897197|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|FC Seoul}}|mark=Green pog.svg|position=top}}

{{Location map~|AFC|lat=37.286278|long=127.036889|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Suwon SB}}|mark=Green pog.svg|position=left}}

{{Location map~|AFC|lat=35.997695|long=129.38427|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Pohang S (p)}}|mark=Green pog.svg|position=right}}

{{Location map~|AFC|lat=34.440781|long=132.394287|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Sanfrecce H}}|mark=Green pog.svg|position=left}}

{{Location map~|AFC|lat=34.614111|long=135.518568|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|G Osaka}}|mark=Green pog.svg|position=bottom}}

{{Location map~|AFC|lat=35.903142|long=139.717492|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Urawa RD}}|mark=Green pog.svg|position=top}}

{{Location map~|AFC|lat=35.664278|long=139.527139|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|FC Tokyo (p)}}|mark=Green pog.svg|position=bottom}}

{{Location map~|AFC|lat=-37.825278|long=144.983889|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Melbourne V}}|mark=Green pog.svg|position=left}}

{{Location map~|AFC|lat=-33.889167|long=151.225278|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Sydney FC}}|mark=Green pog.svg|position=left}}

{{Location map~|AFC|lat=-34.9075|long=138.568889|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Adelaide U (p)}}|mark=Green pog.svg|position=top}}

{{Location map~|AFC|lat=23.140439|long=113.319297|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Guangzhou E}}|mark=Green pog.svg|position=top}}

{{Location map~|AFC|lat=32.0103|long=118.7198|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Jiangsu S}}|mark=Green pog.svg|position=left}}

{{Location map~|AFC|lat=31.2387|long=121.4892|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Shanghai SIPG (p)}}|mark=Green pog.svg|position=right}}

{{Location map~|AFC|lat=36.656163|long=117.110224|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Shandong LT (p)}}|mark=Green pog.svg|position=left}}

{{Location map~|AFC|lat=14.994167|long=103.102222|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Buriram U}}|mark=Green pog.svg|position=right}}

{{location map~|AFC|lat=13.917989|long=100.547411|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Muangthong U (p)}}|mark=Green pog.svg|position=left}}

{{location map~|AFC|lat=13.364444|long=100.976389|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Chonburi (p)}}|mark=Green pog.svg|position=right}}

{{location map~|AFC|lat=10.966667|long=106.65|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|B Bình Dương}}|mark=Green pog.svg|position=right}}

{{location map~|AFC|lat=21.033333|long=105.85|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Hà Nội T&T (p)}}|mark=Green pog.svg|position=bottom}}

{{location map~|AFC|lat=22.27350|long=114.18815|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Kitchee (p)}}|mark=Green pog.svg|position=bottom}}

{{location map~|AFC|lat=16.85|long=96.183333|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Yangon U (p)}}|mark=Green pog.svg|position=bottom}}

{{Location map~|AFC|lat=1.765589|long=103.639526|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Johor DT (p)}}|mark=Green pog.svg|position=top}}

{{Location map~|AFC|lat=22.56972|long=88.36972|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Mohun Bagan (p)}}|mark=Green pog.svg|position=left}}

{{Location map~|AFC|lat=1.309845|long=103.763015|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|Tampines R (p)}}|mark=Green pog.svg|position=right}}

}}

{{clear}}

The schedule of the competition is as follows (all draws are held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia).{{cite web|url=http://www.the-afc.com/uploads/afc/files/afc_competitions_calendar_2016.pdf|publisher=AFC|title=AFC Calendar of Competitions 2016|format=PDF}}

{{main|2016 AFC Champions League qualifying play-off}}

{{#lst:2016 AFC Champions League qualifying play-off|Format}}

{{#lst:2016 AFC Champions League qualifying play-off|Bracket}}

{{#lst:2016 AFC Champions League qualifying play-off|Preliminary round 1}}

{{#lst:2016 AFC Champions League qualifying play-off|Preliminary round 2}}

{{#lst:2016 AFC Champions League qualifying play-off|Play-off round}}

{{main|2016 AFC Champions League group stage}}

{{:2016 AFC Champions League group stage|transcludesection= Draw}}

{{:2016 AFC Champions League group stage|transcludesection= Format}}

{{:2016 AFC Champions League group stage|transcludesection= Group A|only_pld_pts=no_hide_class_rules}}

{{:2016 AFC Champions League group stage|transcludesection= Group B|only_pld_pts=no_hide_class_rules}}

{{:2016 AFC Champions League group stage|transcludesection= Group C|only_pld_pts=no_hide_class_rules}}

{{:2016 AFC Champions League group stage|transcludesection= Group D|only_pld_pts=no_hide_class_rules}}

{{:2016 AFC Champions League group stage|transcludesection= Group E|only_pld_pts=no_hide_class_rules}}

{{:2016 AFC Champions League group stage|transcludesection= Group F|only_pld_pts=no_hide_class_rules}}

{{:2016 AFC Champions League group stage|transcludesection= Group G|only_pld_pts=no_hide_class_rules}}

{{:2016 AFC Champions League group stage|transcludesection= Group H|only_pld_pts=no_hide_class_rules}}

{{Main|2016 AFC Champions League knockout stage}}

{{#lst:2016 AFC Champions League knockout stage|Format}}

{{#lst:2016 AFC Champions League knockout stage|Bracket}}

{{#lst:2016 AFC Champions League knockout stage|Round of 16}}

{{#lst:2016 AFC Champions League knockout stage|Quarter-finals}}

;Notes

{{Cnote2 Begin}}

{{Cnote2|I|value=9|The El Jaish v Al-Nasr first leg, originally won 3–0 by Al-Nasr, was forfeited and awarded 3–0 to El Jaish by the AFC Disciplinary Committee on 12 September 2016, as Al-Nasr fielded the player Wanderley who was found to be registered using a fake Indonesian passport.{{cite web|url=http://www.the-afc.com/afc-champions-league-2016/el-jaish-qat-vs-nasr-uae-match-forfeited |title=El Jaish (QAT) vs Nasr (UAE) match forfeited |publisher=AFC |date=12 September 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160913154532/http://the-afc.com/afc-champions-league-2016/el-jaish-qat-vs-nasr-uae-match-forfeited |archive-date=13 September 2016 }}}}

{{Cnote2 End}}

{{#lst:2016 AFC Champions League knockout stage|Semi-finals}}

{{main|2016 AFC Champions League Final}}

{{#lst:2016 AFC Champions League knockout stage|Final}}

Source:{{cite web |url=https://www.the-afc.com/afc/documents/PDFFiles/tsg-report-afc-champions-league-2016---part-3-35249 |title=TSG Report: AFC Champions League 2016 - Part 3 |publisher=AFC |access-date=4 May 2020}}

Source:{{cite news |url=https://www.the-afc.com/en/club/afc_champions_league/news/the_best_acl2016_xi_announced.html |title=The Best ACL2016 XI announced! |publisher=Asian Football Confederation |date=2020-05-31 |access-date=2022-05-10}}

{{small|Note: Goals scored in the qualifying play-off are not counted when determining top scorer (see regulations, Article 77.4).}}

{{small|Source: the-AFC.com}}{{cite web|url=http://www.the-afc.com/afcasfeeds?&view=ajax&show=mod_topScorer&stageid=391&disp=all|title=Top Goal Scorers (by Stage) – 2016 AFC Champions League Group Stage|publisher=AFC|work=the-afc.com}}{{cite web|url=http://www.the-afc.com/afcasfeeds?&view=ajax&show=mod_topScorer&stageid=401&disp=all|title=Top Goal Scorers (by Stage) – 2016 AFC Champions League Round of 16|publisher=AFC|work=the-afc.com}}{{cite web|url=http://www.the-afc.com/afcasfeeds?&view=ajax&show=mod_topScorer&stageid=412&disp=all|title=Top Goal Scorers (by Stage) – 2016 AFC Champions League Knockout Stage|publisher=AFC|work=the-afc.com}}

{{further|2016 AFC Champions League group stage#Schedule}}

On 25 January 2016, the AFC announced changes to the group stage schedule due to Saudi Arabia's refusal to play in Iran.{{cite web|url=http://www.the-afc.com/standing-committee/decisions-following-afc-competitions-committee-meeting|title=Decisions following AFC Competitions Committee meeting|publisher=AFC|date=25 January 2016}} After the changes, all matches between teams from Iran and Saudi Arabia (including possible play-off winners) were rescheduled to be played on matchdays 5 and 6 (19–20 April and 3–4 May). The venues of these matches would be decided after an evaluation deadline of 15 March 2016. As there had not been a return to normal relations between the two countries by then with Saudi Arabia refusing to lift their travel restrictions to Iran, the AFC accepted the Saudi Arabian Football Federation's proposal of playing all matches between teams from Iran and Saudi Arabia in neutral venues.{{cite web|url=http://www.the-afc.com/media-releases/saudi-arabia-and-iran-clubs-to-play-at-neutral-venues-in-champions-league|title=Saudi Arabia and Iran clubs to play at neutral venues in Champions League|publisher=AFC|date=16 March 2016}} The Saudi Arabian Football Federation supports its clubs who refuse to travel to Iran.{{cite news|url=http://gulfnews.com/sport/football/more-football/afc-champions-league-football-matches-delayed-over-saudi-iran-tension-1.1659994|title=AFC Champions League football matches delayed over Saudi-Iran tension|newspaper=Gulf News|date=25 January 2016|access-date=3 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181010160539/https://gulfnews.com/sport/football/more-football/afc-champions-league-football-matches-delayed-over-saudi-iran-tension-1.1659994|archive-date=10 October 2018|url-status=dead}} The Iranian Football Federation has stated that it could withdraw from the AFC Champions League due to the venue changes.{{cite web|url=http://www.persianfootball.com/news/2016/02/02/iranian-clubs-could-withdraw-from-afc-champions-league-due-to-venue-changes/|title=Iranian clubs could withdraw from AFC Champions League due to venue changes|publisher=Persian Football|first=Mir Farhad|last=Ali Khan|date=2 February 2016}}

• 2016 AFC Cup
• 2016 FIFA Club World Cup

{{Reflist|30em}}

• [http://www.the-afc.com/competition/afc-champions-league AFC Champions League], the-AFC.com

{{AFC Champions League seasons}}

{{2016 in Asian football (AFC)}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Afc Champions League 2016}}

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