"Jeonbuk, Daejeon, and Pohang ACLE direct entry; Gangwon to PO, Seoul to ACL2"... K League secures 5 spots for '2026~27 ACLE'

*This content was translated by AI.

Following the restructuring of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) club competition, a total of five K League teams will compete on the Asian stage. Jeonbuk Hyundai, Daejeon Hana Citizen, and Pohang Steelers will advance directly to the AFC Champions League Elite (ACLE) group stage, the top-tier tournament.

On the 29th of last month, the AFC held an executive committee meeting to finalize the redistribution of qualification slots by club ranking, expanding the number of teams participating in the 2026~27 ACLE group stage from 24 to 32.

As a result of this restructuring, the K League has secured five Asian stage qualification slots: three direct entries to the ACLE group stage, one playoff (PO) slot, and one direct entry to the ACL2 group stage, the second-tier tournament.

Consequently, for the 2026~27 ACLE group stage, Jeonbuk Hyundai, the 2025 K League 1 and Korea Cup champions, along with the second-place Daejeon Hana Citizen and fourth-place Pohang Steelers, will join directly. Originally, the third-place team, Kim Cheon (SVP), was excluded from the list for failing to meet qualification requirements under the K League club licensing regulations, and the vacant spots were sequentially transferred to the next-ranked teams.

Gangwon FC, which finished fifth in the league, will begin its schedule from the ACLE playoffs. Gangwon will face a single-match playoff at home on August 11; a victory will secure their place on the ACLE group stage. Gangwon's opponent will be determined after the AFC completes its final process for confirming all participating teams. FC Seoul, which finished sixth in the league, will advance directly to the ACL2 group stage, the second-tier tournament, to compete.

The 2026~27 ACLE, which will officially begin its race in the second half of this year, is expected to feature intense competition among 16 teams from the East Asian region. The AFC stated, "This restructuring was implemented to increase the participation of teams from top-tier leagues, thereby strengthening the overall competitiveness of the tournament and showcasing high-quality matches."

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*This content was translated by AI.