40th edition of premier club football tournament organized by the AFC
2021 AFC Champions League
Tournament details
Dates
Qualifying: 7–10 April 2021 (W) 23 June 2021 (E) Competition proper: 14 April – 23 November 2021
Teams
Competition: 40 Total: 49 (from 20 associations)
Final positions
Champions
Al-Hilal (4th title)
Runners-up
Pohang Steelers
Tournament statistics
Matches played
135
Goals scored
379 (2.81 per match)
Attendance
147,086 (1,090 per match)
Top scorer(s)
Michael Olunga (9 goals)
Best player(s)
Salem Al-Dawsari[1]
Fair play award
Al-Hilal
← 2020
2022 →
(Note: All statistics do not include qualifying play-offs)
International football competition
The 2021 AFC Champions League was the 40th edition of Asia's premier club football tournament organized by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and the 19th under the current AFC Champions League title.[2]
Al-Hilal won their fourth title by defeating Pohang Steelers 2–0 in the final, becoming the most successful team in the history of the competition. As winners, they automatically qualified for the 2022 AFC Champions League (although they had already qualified through their domestic performance).[3] They also earned the right to play in the 2021 FIFA Club World Cup in the United Arab Emirates and the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.
The tournament was the first to involve 40 teams during the group stage, with an increase from the previous 32 teams.[4]
Ulsan Hyundai of South Korea were the defending champions, but were eliminated in the semi-finals by fellow South Korean club Pohang Steelers.
^"Al-Hilal reign in Asia after tale of two Al-Dawsaris in AFC Champions League triumph". Arab News. 24 November 2021. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
^"AFC Champions League 2021 Competition Regulations" (PDF). the-afc.com. Asian Football Confederation.
^"More Member Associations to benefit from inclusive AFC Champions League". the-afc.com. Asian Football Confederation. 23 November 2019. Retrieved 14 January 2020.
^"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.
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Global Information
Al-Hilal (4th title)
Pohang Steelers
Michael Olunga