Favorable Paths for JDT and Kuching City as ASEAN Rivals Face J.League Gauntlet
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - The official draw ceremonies for the 2026/27 AFC Champions League Elite (ACL Elite) and AFC Champions League Two (ACL Two) concluded today at AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, setting up a high-stakes continental campaign across East Asia. Malaysian representatives Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) and Kuching City FC handed fans a giant boost after securing highly favorable path allocations to target the knockout rounds. Conversely, regional rivals Buriram United (Thailand), Port FC (Thailand), and Công An Hà Nội FC (Vietnam) face monumental tasks after drawing top-tier Japanese powerhouses.
AFC Champions League Elite (East Region League Stage) is the current competition format. Under the expanded 32-team League Stage format, each club plays 8 fixtures (4 home, 4 away) against 8 different regional opponents to determine who claims the top 8 knockout spots. Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) is performing exceptionally well in the east. Harimau Selatan dodged consecutive fixtures against top-seeded J.League and K League champions. JDT will host key manageable home ties at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium while avoiding the most intimidating away trips, opening up a clear, strategic path toward securing a top-8 finish in the 12-team East Region league table.
Meanwhile, ASEAN rivals like Buriram United, Port FC, and Công An Hà Nội FC locked in the Japanese gauntlet. Thailand's champions were assigned one of the most brutal League Stage slates in the tournament. Buriram United will have to collide with a gauntlet of Japanese heavyweights, including Vissel Kobe, Kashima Antlers, Kashiwa Reysol, Kyoto Saga, and Gamba Osaka, leaving little margin for error in their quest for the Round of 16.
For AFC Champions League Two (East Region Group Stage) is the 32-team ACL. Two competition segments teams into four-team groups, with the top two teams in each group advancing directly to the Round of 16. Kuching City FC is like a dream debut path. Making their historical continental debut, the Cats were sorted into a highly manageable group. Kuching City FC managed to draw with Gangwon Korean clubs from Pot 1, pairing instead with opponents where their tactical discipline and home-court advantage at the Sarawak State Stadium can comfortably yield points.
Following the completion of the official draws at Grand Hyatt in Kuala Lumpur, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has finalized the Matchday 1 kickoff dates for Malaysia's continental representatives in the 2026/27 season. Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) will initiate their premier League Stage campaign in the AFC Champions League Elite on Monday, September 14, 2026, playing four home matches at Sultan Ibrahim Stadium and four away matches across the East Region. Meanwhile, Kuching City FC will make their historic Asian debut in the AFC Champions League Two group stage on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, competing in a four-team home-and-away round-robin format aiming for a top-two finish to advance to the Round of 16.