Potential opponents for Vietnam’s Cong An Ha Noi at 2026-27 AFC Champions League Elite

Cong An Ha Noi secured a historic place in the continent's top club competition yesterday by beating Australia's Adelaide United 2-0 in the play-off round.

Despite missing several key players — Quang Hai, Dinh Bac, Viet Anh, Thanh Long, Van Do, and Van Hau — who were away with the Vietnam national team, Alexandre Polking's side showed great composure to win on Australian soil.

Foreign players David Henen and Brayan Perea scored in the 41st and 64th minutes, respectively, giving Cong An Ha Noi a major upset and making them the only Vietnamese representative in the league stage of the 2026-27 AFC Champions League Elite.

The final team to secure a place in the league stage was Japan's Gamba Osaka, who beat South Korea's Gangwon FC 1-0 in their play-off match.

The other 15 teams had already secured their places in the league stage. They are Kashima Antlers, Kashiwa Reysol, Kyoto Sanga, and Vissel Kobe of Japan; Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, Daejeon Hana Citizen, and Pohang Steelers of South Korea; Buriram United, Port FC, and Ratchaburi of Thailand; Shanghai Port and Beijing Guoan of China; Johor Darul Ta'zim of Malaysia; Newcastle Jets of Australia; and Cong An Ha Noi of Vietnam.

Japan has the largest contingent with five teams. South Korea and Thailand each have three, while China has two. Malaysia, Australia, and Vietnam each have one representative.

Under the 2026-27 AFC Champions League Elite format, each team will play eight matches against eight different opponents in the league stage, with four games at home and four away.

After those eight matches, the eight highest-ranked teams will advance to the knockout stage. This means every team in the league stage is a potential opponent for Cong An Ha Noi.

The eight teams that advance from the league stage in the eastern region will then compete in the knockout stage, with four eventually qualifying for the quarterfinals. They will join four teams from the western region, which will go through a similar process.

From the quarterfinal stage onward, teams from the eastern and western regions will face each other at a centralized venue through to the final.

The AFC is scheduled to hold the draw for the 2026-27 AFC Champions League Elite on August 18. The eastern region's league stage is scheduled to run from September 15 to February 16, 2027.