2020 AFC Champions League

2020 AFC Champions League
The Ulsan Hyundai team lifting the 2020 AFC Champions League trophy at Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah, Qatar
Tournament details
DatesQualifying:
14–28 January 2020
Competition proper:
10 February – 19 December 2020
TeamsCompetition proper: 29 teams
Total: 52 (from 23 associations)
Final positions
ChampionsSouth Korea Ulsan Hyundai (2nd title)
Runners-upIran Persepolis
Tournament statistics
Matches played93
Goals scored236 (2.54 per match)
Attendance182,388 (1,961 per match)
Top scorer(s)Morocco Abderrazak Hamdallah
Brazil Júnior Negrão
(7 goals each)[1]
Best player(s)South Korea Yoon Bit-garam[2]
Fair play awardSouth Korea Ulsan Hyundai
← 2019
2021 →
(Note: All statistics do not include qualifying play-offs and matches voided by AFC)

The 2020 AFC Champions League was the 39th edition of Asia's premier club football tournament organized by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and the 18th under the current AFC Champions League title.[3]

Ulsan Hyundai won their second Champions League title by defeating Persepolis 2–1 in the final.[4] Ulsan automatically qualify for the 2021 AFC Champions League (although they had already qualified through their domestic performance), the first time since 2008 that the AFC Champions League holders were guaranteed automatic qualification in the following year.[5][6] They also earned the right to play in the 2020 FIFA Club World Cup in Qatar.

The tournament was the last to involve 32 teams during the group stage, which increased to 40 teams in 2021.[7]

The competition was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Asia after group stage matches on 4 March 2020,[8] and restarted on 14 September 2020.[9] All matches after the restart were played in Qatar,[10][11][12] with the final played at the Al Janoub Stadium.

Al-Hilal of Saudi Arabia were the defending champions, but the club effectively withdrew from the competition when they could not name the required 13 players for their final group stage match, as all but 11 players had tested positive for COVID-19.[13][14] For the first time, the video assistant referee (VAR) system was in use from the quarter-finals onwards.[15]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference top scorer was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference mvp was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "2020 AFC Champions League Competition Regulations" (PDF). Asian Football Confederation.
  4. ^ Rajan, Adwaidh (19 December 2020). "Star power lifts Ulsan to the AFC Champions League title". ESPN. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
  5. ^ "More Member Associations to benefit from inclusive AFC Champions League". the-afc.com. Asian Football Confederation. 23 November 2019. Retrieved 14 January 2020.
  6. ^ "ACL 2020 to kick-off in Singapore and Philippines". the-afc.com. Asian Football Confederation. 13 January 2020. Retrieved 14 January 2020.
  7. ^ "AFC to invest in new era of national team and club competitions". the-afc.com. Asian Football Confederation. 26 October 2019. Archived from the original on 5 February 2020. Retrieved 14 January 2020.
  8. ^ "AFC extends postponement of all matches and competitions". Asian Football Confederation. 14 April 2020.
  9. ^ "AFC reiterates commitment to complete 2020 competitions with new calendar". Asian Football Confederation. 9 July 2020.
  10. ^ "Qatar to host 2020 AFC Champions League in the West region". Asian Football Confederation. 16 July 2020.
  11. ^ "AFC Champions League (East) to be staged in Doha". Asian Football Confederation. 9 October 2020.
  12. ^ Cite error: The named reference final Doha was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ "Al Hilal - Update on AFC Champions League". Asian Football Confederation. 23 September 2020.
  14. ^ "Asian Champions League: Al Hilal kicked out after naming 11-man squad". BBC Sport. 24 September 2020.
  15. ^ "VAR set for AFC Champions League debut". Asian Football Confederation. 24 August 2020.