Identifying the Formidable Opponents of CAHN in the AFC Champions League

Following the play-off fixtures, the 16 Eastern zone teams for the 2026/2027 AFC Champions League Elite have emerged, opening up many formidable adversaries for Hanoi Police FC.

After the play-off matches held on the evening of August 11, the picture of the 16 teams participating in the AFC Champions League Elite 2026/2027 East region group stage has been completed. Cong An Ha Noi (CAHN) will have the opportunity to face a host of big names in Asian football when they enter AFC's most prestigious club competition.

The final ticket went to Gamba Osaka after the Japanese representative defeated South Korea's Gangwon FC 1-0. Previously, 15 other teams had already secured their spots, including Kashima Antlers, Kashiwa Reysol, Kyoto Sanga, Vissel Kobe, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, Daejeon Hana Citizen, Pohang Steelers, Buriram United, Port FC, Ratchaburi, Shanghai Port, Beijing Guoan, Johor Darul Ta'zim, Newcastle Jets, and CAHN.

Notably, Japan dominates in numbers with five representatives: Kashima Antlers, Kashiwa Reysol, Kyoto Sanga, Vissel Kobe, and Gamba Osaka. South Korea and Thailand each have three teams, China has two representatives, while Malaysia, Australia, and Vietnam each contribute one club. This shows that CAHN will face a huge challenge if they want to make their mark in their first appearance on the AFC Champions League Elite stage.

According to the format, the 16 teams in the East region will not be divided into groups in the traditional way but will compete in a ranking round under a new system. Each team plays 8 matches against 8 different opponents, including 4 home and 4 away games. After completing 8 rounds, the top 8 teams in terms of performance will advance to the regional knockout stage.

For CAHN, participating in the ranking round is already a special milestone for Vietnamese football. The capital representative just brilliantly overcame Adelaide United on Australian soil to qualify for the tournament, thereby further elevating the status of Vietnamese clubs on the continental stage. However, ahead of them will be tough matches predicted against giants from Japan, South Korea, Thailand, and China.

According to the plan, the AFC will hold the draw for the ranking round on August 18 to determine the specific schedule for each team. The East region ranking round is scheduled to start on September 15, 2026 and last until February 16, 2027. After that, the top 8 teams in the region will compete to select 4 representatives for the quarter-finals, where they will meet the top 4 teams from the West region at a centralized venue to aim for the 2026/2027 AFC Champions League Elite final.