With the 2023-24 AFC Champions League all set to begin very soon, check out the prize money breakdown, past winners list, and more below
This year’s competition will be the last tournament which follows the current format, with future tournaments set to follow a three-tiered competition structure.
AFC Champions League 2023-24 winner prize money and past winners full list
Comparison to AFC Champions League:
Each win in Grouping/KO stage: $50K
Each draw in Grouping/KO stage: $10KParticipation Fee:
R16: $100K
QF: $150K
SF: $250KPrize Money:
Champion: $4M
Runner-Up: $2M$ = USD#ACL23 https://t.co/gpNP5gXTA0
— Juan Bapakaw (@juanbudiman) September 15, 2023
❗The GOAT has ARRIVED at Tehran, Iran for his AFC Champions League debut. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/YZ0xfNiBaD
— TCR. (@TeamCRonaldo) September 18, 2023
The new ACL structure will be just like UEFA’s and it will decrease the number of clubs in the top level of the competition.
2023/24 AFC Champions League prize money breakdown
Aside from winning the title and prize money, teams will also receive significant amount of money for progressing each round. This year’s competition will have the same prize money payouts as the last two years. Given below is the prize money breakdown of the upcoming tournament:
| Result | Prize money (USD) |
| Group stage win | $50,000 |
| Group stage draw | $10,000 |
| Round of 16 | $100,000 |
| Quarterfinals | $150,000 |
| Semifinals | $250,000 |
| Runners-up | $2,000,000 |
| Champions | $4,000,000 |
2023/24 AFC Champions League format
Earlier this year, the Asian confederation announced that next year’s competition will bring back the AFC Champions League Elite format. It will serve as the continent’s top club competition featuring fewer clubs (24 participants) with a 200 percent increase in prize money. Meanwhile, it will have two lower level competitions – the AFC Champions League 2 and the AFC Challenge League. Both competitions correspond to UEFA’s Europa League and Europa Conference League.
AFC Champions League full list of past winners
Al-Hilal hold the record for the most wins in the competition’s history, having won it four times. Behind them are South Korean club Pohang Steelers, who have won three times. Meanwhile, South Korea remains the most successful country, with their clubs winning the ACL title 12 times.
| Year | Winners | Country |
| 1967 | Hapoel Tel Aviv | Israel |
| 1969 | Maccabi Tel Aviv | Israel |
| 1970 | Taj Tehran | Iran |
| 1971 | Maccabi Tel Aviv | Israel |
| 1985–86 | Daewoo Royals | South Korea |
| 1986 | Furukawa Electric | Japan |
| 1987 | Yomiuri FC | Japan |
| 1988–89 | Al-Sadd | Qatar |
| 1989–90 | Liaoning | China |
| 1990–91 | Esteghlal | Iran |
| 1991 | Al-Hilal | Saudi Arabia |
| 1992–93 | PAS Tehran | Iran |
| 1993–94 | Thai Farmers Bank | Thailand |
| 1994–95 | Thai Farmers Bank | Thailand |
| 1995 | Ilhwa Chunma | South Korea |
| 1996–97 | Pohang Steelers | South Korea |
| 1997–98 | Pohang Steelers | South Korea |
| 1998–99 | Jubilo Iwata | Japan |
| 1999–2000 | Al-Hilal | Saudi Arabia |
| 2000–01 | Suwon Samsung Bluewings | South Korea |
| 2001–02 | Suwon Samsung Bluewings | South Korea |
| 2002–03 | Al-Ain | UAE |
| 2004 | Al-Ittihad | Saudi Arabia |
| 2005 | Al-Ittihad | Saudi Arabia |
| 2006 | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors | South Korea |
| 2007 | Urawa Red Diamonds | Japan |
| 2008 | Gamba Osaka | Japan |
| 2009 | Pohang Steelers | South Korea |
| 2010 | Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma | South Korea |
| 2011 | Al-Sadd | Qatar |
| 2012 | Ulsan Hyundai | South Korea |
| 2013 | Guangzhou Evergrande | China |
| 2014 | Western Sydney Wanderer | Australia |
| 2015 | Guangzhou Evergrande | China |
| 2016 | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors | South Korea |
| 2017 | Urawa Red Diamonds | Japan |
| 2018 | Kashima Antlers | Japan |
| 2019 | Al-Hilal | Saudi Arabia |
| 2020 | Ulsan Hyundai | South Korea |
| 2021 | Al-Hilal | Saudi Arabia |
| 2022 | Urawa Red Diamonds | Japan |
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