When it comes to big club football competitions, the AFC Champions League is certainly the biggest one in the Asian continent. First held in 1967, the tournament has grown immensely since then. Initially, the competition was known as the Asian Champion Club Tournament. After several changes over the years, it was renamed the Asian Club Championship in 1985. However, the big change came in 2002, when the competition was renamed AFC Champions League. Since then, nothing much has changed, and now the top clubs from Asia participate in the competition.
When the tournament began, only six teams participated, but gradually, the number of teams increased, and now around 32 teams compete. But are you aware of how many clubs have won this prestigious tournament? Take a look at the winners of this competition.
AFC Champions League winners list
| Year | Winners | Runners-up |
| 1967 | Hapoel Tel Aviv (Israel) | Selangor (Malaysia) |
| 1969 | Maccabi Tel Aviv (Israel) | Yangzee FC (South Korea) |
| 1970 | Taj Tehran (Iran) | Hapoel Tel Aviv (Israel) |
| 1971 | Maccabi Tel Aviv (Israel) | Aliyat Al-Shorta (Iraq) |
| 1985–86 | Daewoo Royals (South Korea) | Al-Ahli (Saudi Arabia) |
| 1986 | Furukawa Electric (Japan) | Al-Hilal (Saudi Arabia) |
| 1987 | Yomiuri FC (Japan) | Al-Hilal (Saudi Arabia) |
| 1988–89 | Al-Sadd (Qatar) | Al-Rasheed (Iraq) |
| 1989–90 | Liaoning (China) | Nissan Yokohama FC (Japan) |
| 1990–91 | Esteghlal (Iran) | Liaoning (China) |
| 1991 | Al-Hilal (Saudi Arabia) | Esteghlal (Iran) |
| 1992–93 | PAS Tehran (Iran) | Al-Shabab (Saudi Arabia) |
| 1993–94 | Thai Farmers Bank (Thailand) | Oman Club (Oman) |
| 1994–95 | Thai Farmers Bank (Thailand) | Al-Arabi (Qatar) |
| 1995 | Ilhwa Chunma (South Korea) | Al-Nassr (Saudi Arabia) |
| 1996–97 | Pohang Steelers (South Korea) | Cheonan Ilhwa Chunma (South Korea) |
| 1997–98 | Pohang Steelers (South Korea) | Dalian Wanda (China) |
| 1998–99 | Jubilo Iwata (Japan) | Esteghlal (Iran) |
| 1999–2000 | Al-Hilal (Saudi Arabia) | Jubilo Iwata (Japan) |
| 2000–01 | Suwon Samsung Bluewings (South Korea) | Jubilo Iwata (Japan) |
| 2001–02 | Suwon Samsung Bluewings (South Korea) | Anyang LG Cheetahs (South Korea) |
| 2002–03 | Al-Ain (UAE) | BEC Tero Sasana (Thailand) |
| 2004 | Al-Ittihad (Saudi Arabia) | Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma (South Korea) |
| 2005 | Al-Ittihad (Saudi Arabia) | Al-Ain (UAE) |
| 2006 | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (South Korea) | Al-Karamah (Syria) |
| 2007 | Urawa Red Diamonds (Japan) | Sepahan (Iran) |
| 2008 | Gamba Osaka (Japan) | Adelaide United (Australia) |
| 2009 | Pohang Steelers (South Korea) | Al-Ittihad (Saudi Arabia) |
| 2010 | Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma (South Korea) | Zob Ahan (Iran) |
| 2011 | Al-Sadd (Qatar) | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (South Korea) |
| 2012 | Ulsan Hyundai (South Korea) | Al-Ahli (Saudi Arabia) |
| 2013 | Guangzhou Evergrande (China) | FC Seoul (South Korea) |
| 2014 | Western Sydney Wanderers (Australia) | Al-Hilal (Saudi Arabia) |
| 2015 | Guangzhou Evergrande (China) | Al-Ahli (Saudi Arabia) |
| 2016 | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (South Korea) | Al-Ain (UAE) |
| 2017 | Urawa Red Diamonds (Japan) | Al-Hilal (Saudi Arabia) |
| 2018 | Kashima Antlers (Japan) | Persepolis (Iran) |
| 2019 | Al-Hilal (Saudi Arabia) | Urawa Red Diamonds (Japan) |
| 2020 | Ulsan Hyundai (South Korea) | Persepolis (Iran) |
| 2021 | Al-Hilal (Saudi Arabia) | Pohang Steelers (South Korea) |
| 2022 | Urawa Red Diamonds (Japan) | Al-Hilal (Saudi Arabia) |
How many clubs from India participated in the AFC Champions League?
Speaking about India, India was initially set to enter the competition in its inaugural year but withdrew. Then, in 1969, Mysore State became the first Indian side to represent the country. Since the tournament was renamed the AFC Champions League in 2002, no Indian team managed to qualify for the main draw of the competition until 2021, when the AFC granted a direct group-stage entry to the Indian Super League sides that won the ISL League Winners’ Shield. The first team to qualify was FC Goa in 2021, followed by Mumbai City FC in 2022. Now, East Bengal is also playing in the league.
Most successful AFC Champions League team
It is Saudi Pro League team Al-Hilal that holds the record for the most wins in the competition’s history, with four titles.
