TEHRAN – Iranian football team Persepolis have been placed in Pot 1 of the AFC Champions League 2023/24 Group Stage.

Sepahan and Nassaji are the other Iranian team placed in Pot 2 and Tractor, who will lock horn with the UAE’s Sharjah in play-off, are placed in Pot 4.

The draw takes place at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur on Aug. 24. Marking the first instance of the AFC Club Competitions calendar shifting from its current Spring-Autumn season to an Autumn-Spring calendar, the 21st edition of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC)’s flagship club competition will take place from Sept. 2023 to May 2024. 

Divided into 10 groups of four, the draw will witness teams from the West Zone drawn into Groups A to E while the contestants in the East Zone will find their places in Groups F to J.

Of the 40 participating teams, the berths of 32 contenders have been confirmed while the remaining eight slots will be occupied by the winners from the Playoff Stage. Owing to the principle of country protection, clubs from the same Member Association (MA) will not be drawn into the same group.

the West Zone will see four former champions, namely Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal SFC and Al Ittihad, Al Ain FC from the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar’s Al Sadd SC attempt to reclaim the Continental throne. 

The pots for participating clubs in the AFC Champions League 2023/24 Group Stage Draw are: 

West Zone

Pot 1: Al Ittihad (KSA), Persepolis FC (IRN), Al Sadd SC (QAT), Pakhtakor (UZB), Al Hilal SFC (KSA)

Pot 2: Sepahan SC (IRN), Al Duhail SC (QAT), FC Nasaf (UZB), Al Fayha FC (KSA), Nassaji Mazandaran FC (IRN)

Pot 3: Al Faisaly (JOR), FC Istiklol (TJK), Air Force Club (IRQ), Ahal FC (TKM), Mumbai City FC (IND)

Pot 4: Al Ain FC (UAE), Al Nassr (KSA)/Shabab Al Ahli (UAE), Tractor FC (IRN/Sharjah FC (UAE), Al Arabi SC (QAT)/AGMK FC (UZB), Al Wakrah SC (QAT)/Navbahor (UZB)

Following the contest between the Asian powerhouses in the Group Stage, the 10 group winners along with the three best runners-up of each Zone will book their places in the Knockout Stages, which will take place from February to April before the coveted Final is held over two legs on May 11 and 18, 2024.