KUALA LUMPUR – Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) is set to clash with one of the Middle East’s elite clubs in a high-stakes AFC Champions League Elite (ACLE) quarter-final showdown.
The Southern Tigers, crowned Super League champions, finished sixth in the league stage but made headlines after defeating Japan’s Sanfrecce Hiroshima 3-2 in the round of 16.
Their reward for the win is a quarter-final tie against either Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ahli or Qatar’s Al-Duhail, who are yet to play their Round of 16 match due to the Middle-East conflict.
Al-Ahli are defending ACL Elite champions and are widely tipped to win again this year, have stars such as Riyad Mahrez, Ivan Toney, Frank Kessie, and Merih Demiral.
Elsewhere in the quarter-finals, the winner of the Al-Hilal vs Al-Sadd clash will face Japan’s Vissel Kobe. Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal topped the West Zone League Stage, while Qatar’s Al-Sadd finished eighth.
In the East Zone, Japan’s Machida Zelvia, league leaders in their zone, will take on the winner of the Al-Ittihad Club vs Al-Wahda fixture.
Al-Ittihad finished fourth in the West Zone, with the UAE’s Al-Wahda one spot behind.
Thailand’s Buriram United, who finished fourth in the East Zone, will meet the winners of the Tractor vs Shabab Al-Ahli tie.
Iranian side Tractor claimed third place in the West Zone, while UAE club Shabab Al-Ahli finished three positions lower.
The knockout stage begins with the West Zone’s round of 16, a single-leg affair in Jeddah on April 13–14.
The quarter-finals follow, with the first match on April 16 and subsequent ties on April 17 and 18.
Semi-finals are scheduled for April 20 and 21, culminating in the grand final at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium on April 25 (date to be confirmed).
The champions of Asia’s premier men’s club competition will not only lift the prestigious trophy but also claim a record prize purse of at least US$12 million (RM47.4 million). – March 25, 2026