Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The Saudi Arabia Football Federation's board of directors has adopted a mechanism for the participation of Saudi clubs in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) competitions in the upcoming 2024-2025 season. This decision was made in response to the AFC's request for member associations to define the appropriate process for allocating slots to each country.

As per the newly established mechanism, the champion of the Saudi Professional League, the runner-up, and the team finishing in third place in the current 2023-2024 season will qualify for the 2024–25 AFC Champions League Elite (ACLE).

In contrast, the winner of the King's Cup will earn a spot in the AFC Champions League 2. In the event that the King's Cup winner is one of the top three teams in the league, the team finishing in fourth place in the Saudi Professional League will be selected to participate in the AFC Champions League 2.

The AFC recently introduced a new structure for its competitions, consisting of the Elite Championship as the highest level for clubs in Asia, featuring the top 24 clubs. The second-tier competition, named the AFC Champions League 2, includes 32 clubs. Additionally, the AFC Asian Challenge Cup, featuring 20 clubs, comprises the third tier, with Saudi clubs not participating in this particular tournament.

Saudi Arabia is allocated three direct slots in ACLE and one direct slot in the AFC Champions League 2, representing the maximum allocation of slots due to its top-ranking performance in Asian club competitions this season.