AFC has not decided on the additional slot for the Champions League Elite, Vietnamese football 'holds its breath'

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) confirmed that the allocation of additional slots for each country in the upcoming AFC Champions League Elite season has not been finalized and will be officially discussed at the Professional Football Committee meeting on April 24.

AFC Secretary General, Windsor Paul John, stated that the information circulating on social media is not the final decision. AFC always considers various factors to ensure the quality of the AFC Champions League Elite continues to improve.

He mentioned that currently many clubs in the region are showing positive development, especially those competing in AFC Champions League Two.

"I have seen the information on social media. That is just one of the expansion proposals for AFC Champions League Elite, and many other options are still under consideration.

The proposal to increase slots aims to enhance the quality of AFC Champions League Elite as clubs in the region are developing strongly, especially in AFC Champions League Two. Many clubs are investing heavily to become more competitive.

However, this proposal will be discussed at the Professional Football Committee meeting on Friday (April 24), before being submitted to the AFC Executive Committee for approval. There is no final decision yet," he said.

Previously, there was a proposal to increase the number of participating teams from 24 to 32, thereby allowing each country to have additional slots.

However, a report circulated by The Asian Games regarding slot allocation caused concern when Malaysia was not listed.

According to this report, countries such as Saudi Arabia and Japan would receive the most slots (3 direct AFC Champions League Elite slots, 2 AFC Champions League Elite playoff slots, 1 AFC Champions League Two slot), followed by UAE and South Korea with 5 slots.

Qatar and Thailand have 4 slots, while Iran and China have 3 slots. Uzbekistan and Australia also have 3 slots, while Iraq, Malaysia, Jordan, and Vietnam each have 2 slots with different structures.

Nevertheless, with AFC officially denying the report, countries including Vietnam still have the opportunity to receive additional slots so that more clubs can participate in continental competitions.

Currently, Johor Darul Ta'zim is the sole representative of Malaysia in AFC Champions League Elite, while Selangor FC is competing in AFC Champions League Two this season.