Players union says Asian Champions League system is unsustainable

Hong Kong: Players union FIFPRO has called for greater collaboration from Asian football's governing body over the future direction of club competitions in the region and said that the Asian Champions League is based on an "unsustainable system".

Following a report published on Monday that included feedback from players and clubs, the union called on the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to work with the organisation to "unlock value" in the region's elite club competition.

Forty teams from 20 nations have been playing in the current edition but FIFPRO's regional head Takuya Yamazaki said the competition's "merits do not outweigh the drawbacks for most players and clubs".

The AFC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

FIFPRO's report said the AFC's approach to governing "excludes the voices of players and clubs" from the decision-making progress and that despite subsidies clubs are generally participating at a loss.

It said there was "little benefit" to involvement in the competition "other than the inherent desire to play at the highest level available" and that players felt at heightened risk of injury due to workload and travel demands.

Continental club competitions started in Asia in 1967 and the creation of the Asian Champions League in 2002 saw participating teams travel extensively around the region to fulfil mid-week fixtures.

Recent editions have seen the confederation divided into East and West zones in an effort to limit travel, with the leading teams from either side of the continent facing off in a two-legged final.

The competition is due to undergo a major overhaul for the 2024-25 season, featuring a new format and with the latter stages of the tournament due to be played in a centralised hub.