The group stage matches of the AFC Champions League 2016, which is the competition to find the No.1 club championship in Asia, kicks off on 23 February. From Japan, Sanfrecce Hiroshima, Gamba Osaka, and Urawa Reds have already qualified, while F.C. Tokyo is having a playoff match against Chonburi FC (Thailand) on 9 February at Tokyo Stadium to hopefully join the group stage.

A total 32 teams will be divided into 2 groups based on east and west parts of Asia and in each group they will be divided into sub groups of 4 teams. The top 2 teams of these sub groups will be able to move on to the knock-out stage (Round 16).

Round 16, the quarter finals, and the semi finals will take place within the 2 groups and the 2 top teams from each group will face each other in the final. The matches will be held home and away. The winner of this competition can qualify as the Asian champion for the FIFA Club World Cup which will take place in December in Japan.

Sanfrecce Hiroshima, Gamba Osaka, Urawa Reds

The J1 League champion Sanfrecce Hiroshima recently got 3rd place in the FIFA Club World Cup 2015 after being selected from the host country last year, and this time the team is in Group F; they will face FC Seoul, the champion of Korean FA Cup who got 2nd place in the ACL 2013; and Buriram United FC the champion of Thai Premier League who has qualified for the ACL for the past 5 consecutive years. Additionally, one of the winners of a playoff will join the group: Adelaide United (Australia) or Shandong Luneng (China).

Last year, Gamba Osaka got through to the semi final and in the latest season, they have finished runner-up of the J1 League and got the title of the Emperor’s Cup. The team is playing in Group G and will be joined by Melbourne Victory who got the victory in the Grand Final of the Australian A-League, Suwon Samsung who was the runner-up of the K League Classic and one of the top 4 teams of the ACL 2011 in this group. From the play off, either Shanghai SIPG who is the runner-up of the Chinese Super League, or Muangthong United from Thailand will complete the group.

In Group H, Urawa Reds will play against Guangzhou Evergrande, the champion of the Chinese Super League and has strengthened the team drastically to get consecutive wins, Sydney FC (Australia) who is the runner-up of the A League and is playing in this competition for the second time since 2011. Additionally, either Pohang Steelers (Korea), the Asian Champion of 2010 or Hanoi T&T (Vietnam) will join the group from the playoff match.

Group E has Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors who has got consecutive wins in the K League Classic and aims at the title of the ACL for the first time after the one in 2006, and Jiangsu Suning who got the title of the Chinese FA Cup for the first time and joining in the ACL for the second time since 2013. Particularly, Jiangsu Suning has recently attracted international attention by signing the Brazilian midfielder Alex TEIXEIRA with the biggest offer of the Chinese football history. If F.C. Tokyo can qualify for the competition from the playoff, they will compete in this group.

F.C. Tokyo vs Chonburi FC

F.C. Tokyo is facing Chonburi FC from Thailand in the playoff to try to qualify for the ACL  for the first time since 2012. The team is challenging the play off for 3 years; last year, they lost against Kashiwa Reysol 2-3 after extended time. They challenged Kashiwa well.

This year, Chonburi FC has several players with good level of experiences and fitness which enabled them to keep winning in some official matches. Kroekrit THAWIKAN contributed to the victory at this year’s playoff qualifier match against Yangon (Myanmar) on 2 February; he scored the decisive shot in extended time and lead the team to win 3-2. Brazilian player LEANDRO and some of them experienced a match against Kashiwa last year.

F.C. Tokyo qualified for the playoff by getting the 4th place of the J1 League last year. Under the direction of the team’s coach JOFUKU Hiroshi, the team has strengthened its fitness throughout training camp in Okinawa which started in mid-January, and gained practical experiences at the same time. They have also included new players such as midfielder MIZUNUMA Kota, defender KOMANO Yuichi, and forward ABE Takuma.

Mizunuma said: "The first official match as a F.C. Tokyo player will be the most important one. The key is how much I can express in the play-off the things I did in the training camp and in the practice matches. I want to maximise my advantages while keeping a good teamwork."

Komano has accomplished good contributions in the national squad. "I’m looking forward to the ACL as a club team player. Each match will be important. Through the practice matches in the training camp, I am getting more familiar with the team. Considering the Kashiwa had difficulty with Chonburi FC last year, I know that they are not an easy at all. We will keep a good level of defence and play well grabbing chances."

West

The West Group has Al Ain who was the champion in 2003, and Al Nasr from UAE, whereas Al Ahly who was runner-up of last year couldn’t qualify this year. From Saudi Arabia, Al Ahly who was the runner-up in 2012, Al Hilal who was the runner-up in 2014, one of the strongest teams of Qatar, Lekhwiya, Foolad Mobarakeh Sepahan who is playing for the 9th time after 2 years, and Pakhtakor, who has qualified for 13 consecutive years.

The group stage will be held from 23 February to 25 May, the Round 16 matches are planned on 17th -18th May and 24th -25th May, the quarter finals will be on 23rd – 24th August and 13th-14th September, semi finals will take place on 27th – 28th September and 18th - 19th October, and the final is planned on both 19th and 26th November. The pairing of the quarter final will be fixed at the draw which will take place after the Round 16.