Football - AFC Asian Champions League
The premier tournament in Asian club football began as the Asian Champion Club Tournament, but only lasted five years before slipping into a 14-season lull due to apathy and escalating political problems between Israel and the Arab nations.
The event was revived as the Asian Club Championship in 1985/86, but was still only competed for by clubs from the elite nations of the vast continent. The adoption of a Champions League format adapted from Europe, and a merger with the Cup Winners' Cup, in 2002 has led to a more wide-ranging entry and a true championship for Asian clubs.
The final has been held over two legs apart from in the following years when it was staged at a single venue:
1967, 1969, 1971, 1994 & 1995 - Bangkok, Tha: 1970, 1999 & 2002 - Tehran, Irn; 1986 - Jeddah, Sau; 1987, 1996 & 2000 - Riyadh, Sau; 1991 - Dhaka, Bgd; 1992 - Doha. Qat; 1993 - Bahrain, Bhr; 1997 - Kuala Lumpur, Mys; 1998 - Hong Kong, Hkg; 2001 - Suwon, Kor; 2009 & 2010 - Tokyo, Jap; 2011 - Jeonju, Kor; 2012 - Ulsan, Kor; 2020 - Al Wakrah, Qat
The event was revived as the Asian Club Championship in 1985/86, but was still only competed for by clubs from the elite nations of the vast continent. The adoption of a Champions League format adapted from Europe, and a merger with the Cup Winners' Cup, in 2002 has led to a more wide-ranging entry and a true championship for Asian clubs.
The final has been held over two legs apart from in the following years when it was staged at a single venue:
1967, 1969, 1971, 1994 & 1995 - Bangkok, Tha: 1970, 1999 & 2002 - Tehran, Irn; 1986 - Jeddah, Sau; 1987, 1996 & 2000 - Riyadh, Sau; 1991 - Dhaka, Bgd; 1992 - Doha. Qat; 1993 - Bahrain, Bhr; 1997 - Kuala Lumpur, Mys; 1998 - Hong Kong, Hkg; 2001 - Suwon, Kor; 2009 & 2010 - Tokyo, Jap; 2011 - Jeonju, Kor; 2012 - Ulsan, Kor; 2020 - Al Wakrah, Qat
| YEAR | WINNERS | RUNNERS-UP |
| 1967 | HAP TEL AVIV (Isr) | Selangor (Mys) |
| 1968 | - | - |
| 1969 | MAC TEL AVIV (Isr) | Yangzee (Kor) |
| 1970 | ESTEGHLAL (Irn) | Hapoel Tel Aviv (Isr) |
| 1971 | MAC TEL AVIV (Isr) | Shorta (Irq) |
| Not held (1972-85) | - | |
| 1986 | DAEWOO R (Kor)* | Ahli (Sau) |
| 1987 | FURUKAWA E (Jpn)* | Hilal (Sau) |
| 1988 | YOMIURI (Jap)* | Hilal (Sau) |
| 1989 | SADD (Qat) | Rasheed (Irq) |
| 1990 | LIAONING (Chn) | Nissan (Jap)* |
| 1991 | ESTEGHLAL (Irn) | Liaoning (Chn) |
| 1992 | HILAL (Sau) | Esteghlal (Irn) |
| 1993 | PAS TEHRAN (Irn) | Shabab (Sau) |
| 1994 | FARMERS (Tha) | Oman (Omn) |
| 1995 | FARMERS (Tha) | Arabi (Qat) |
| 1996 | ILHWA CHUN (Kor) | Nasr (Sau) |
| 1997 | POHANG ST (Kor) | Ilhwa Chunma (Kor) |
| 1998 | POHANG ST (Kor) | Dalian Wanda (Chn) |
| 1999 | JUBILO IWATA (Jpn) | Esteghlal (Irn) |
| 2000 | HILAL (Sau) | Jubilo Iwata (Jpn) |
| 2001 | SUWON B'GS (Kor) | Jubilo Iwata (Jpn) |
| 2002 | SUWON B'GS (Kor) | Anyang Cheetahs (Kor)* |
| 2003 | AIN (UAE) | Terro Sasana (Tha) |
| 2004 | ITTIHAD (Sau) | Ilhwa Chunma (Kor) |
| 2005 | ITTIHAD (Sau) | Ain (UAE) |
| 2006 | JEONBUK (Kor) | Karamah (Syr) |
| 2007 | URAWA D (Jpn) | Sepahan (Irn) |
| 2008 | G OSAKA (Jap) | Adelaide United (Aus) |
| 2009 | POHANG ST (Kor) | Ittihad (Sau) |
| 2010 | ILHWA CHUN (Kor) | Zob Ahan (Irn) |
| 2011 | SADD (Qtr) | Jeonbuk (Kor) |
| 2012 | ULSAN H (Kor) | Ahli (Sau) |
| 2013 | GUANGZHOU (Chn) | FC Seoul (Kor) |
| 2014 | W SYDNEY (Aus) | Hilal (Sau) |
| 2015 | GUANGZHOU (Chn) | Ahli (UAE) |
| 2016 | JEONBUK (Kor) | Ain (UAE) |
| 2017 | URAWA (Jpn) | Hilal (Sau) |
| 2018 | KASHIMA (Jap) | Persepolis (Irn) |
| 2019 | HILAL (Sau) | Urawa Red Diamonds (Jpn) |
| 2020 | ULSAN (Kor) | Persepolis (Irn) |
| 2021 | HILAL (Sau) | Pohang Steelers (Kor) |
| 2023 | URAWA (Jpn) | Hilal (Sau) |
| 2024 | AIN (UAE) | Yokohama (Jpn) |
* Daewoo Royals now known as Busan l'Park. Furukawa Electric now JEF United. Yomiuri now Tokyo Verdy. Nissan now Yokohama Marinos. Anyang Cheetahs now FC Seoul
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