Al-Hilal from Saudi Arabia leads the pack with four titles, making them the most successful team in AFC Champions League history.
Since 1967, 25 different clubs across 10 Asian nations have claimed continental glory in Asia’s premier club football competition.
The tournament has evolved significantly over nearly six decades. What started as a six-team Asian Champions Club Tournament now features top clubs battling for supremacy under the AFC Champions League Elite banner from 2024-25 onwards
Complete AFC Champions League Winners List (1967-2026)
Here’s the full breakdown of every champion since the tournament’s inception. This comprehensive table covers all eras and naming conventions.
| Year | Winners | Country | Runners-up | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 2023-24 | Al Ain | UAE | Yokohama F. Marinos | Japan |
| 2024-25 | Al Ahli | Saudi Arabia | Kawasaki Frontale | Japan |
This table showcases how different nations have taken turns dominating Asian club football across different decades.
Teams with Multiple AFC Champions League Titles
Several clubs have tasted continental glory more than once, establishing themselves as Asian football royalty.
Four-Time Champions
- Al-Hilal (Saudi Arabia): 1991, 1999-2000, 2019, 2021
Three-Time Champions
- Pohang Steelers (South Korea): 1996-97, 1997-98, 2009
- Urawa Red Diamonds (Japan): 2007, 2017, 2022
Two-Time Champions
Multiple clubs have won exactly two titles:
- Maccabi Tel Aviv (Israel): 1969, 1971
- Thai Farmers Bank (Thailand): 1993-94, 1994-95
- Suwon Samsung Bluewings (South Korea): 2000-01, 2001-02
- Al-Ittihad (Saudi Arabia): 2004, 2005
- Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (South Korea): 2006, 2016
- Guangzhou Evergrande (China): 2013, 2015
- Ulsan Hyundai (South Korea): 2012, 2020
- Al-Sadd (Qatar): 1988-89, 2011
- Al-Ain (UAE): 2002-03, 2023-24
These repeat champions demonstrate sustained excellence rather than one-off success stories.
Related Reads:
Conclusion: Al Ahli Saudi Arabia Won AFC Championship 2025
The AFC Champions League winners list tells the story of Asian football’s evolution. From modest six-team beginnings to today’s elite competition, the tournament has grown tremendously.
Al-Hilal’s record four titles showcase Saudi Arabian football’s rise, while South Korea’s 12 championships across multiple clubs prove their sustained excellence.
As the competition enters its Elite era, new champions will emerge while established powers fight to maintain their legacies.
FAQs
Al-Hilal from Saudi Arabia holds the record with four titles (1991, 1999-2000, 2019, 2021). They’ve also appeared in nine finals, more than any other club in tournament history.
South Korea leads with 12 titles won by five different clubs. Their consistent performance across decades makes them the most successful nation in the competition’s history.
The tournament began in 1967 as the Asian Champion Club Tournament. It was renamed Asian Club Championship in 1985, then AFC Champions League in 2002, and AFC Champions League Elite in 2024-25.
No, no Indian club has won the AFC Champions League. Indian teams typically compete in the lower-tier AFC Cup rather than the main Champions League competition.
Al Ahli from Saudi Arabia won the 2024-25 edition, defeating Japan’s Kawasaki Frontale in the final. This added another trophy to Saudi Arabia’s growing continental collection.
