Saudi clubs made a strong showing in the group stage of the AFC Champions League, with four teams advancing to the Round of 16, including Al-Feiha, the surprise of the final round in their first appearance at the continental level. Global football stars such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Sadio Mane, Brozović, Kanté, Savic, and Neves, among others, made a strong presence in the Asian competition with the clubs Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr, and Al-Ittihad, leading their teams to take the top spots in Groups Three, Four, and Five, along with Al-Feiha, which finished in second place with nine points.
The strong advancement of Saudi teams strengthens the desire to go far in the competition and seriously contend for the AFC Champions League title, leading the continent. Notably, the top ranking of three teams in the group stage gives Saudi football representatives the first seed among West Asian teams, ensuring that "the Leader," "the Global," and "the Chairman" are placed in the first seed for the upcoming round's draw, which will be held on December 28 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Meanwhile, Al-Feiha will be in the second seed along with Nasaf and Navbahor from Uzbekistan and Sepahan from Iran.
The advancement of Saudi teams to the Round of 16 in the AFC Champions League confirms the significant potential of Saudi clubs and the clear technical contribution provided by elite global football stars, creating a strong boost for the Asian competition by showcasing big names for the remainder of the tournament, ensuring continued excitement and thrill in the stadiums.
After three teams—Al-Hilal, Al-Shabab, and Al-Faisaly—succeeded in reaching the Round of 16 last season, Saudi football representatives have excelled this year, increasing their chances of competing for the title. It is worth mentioning that Al-Hilal leads Asian clubs, having won the AFC Champions League four times.
Regarding the performance of Emirati clubs in the Asian championship, only Al-Ain managed to continue in the competition from two teams that entered the group stage, following the same scenario of last year when Al-Ahly Youth was the only team to reach the Round of 16, while Sharjah and Al-Jazeera exited early. The Al-Ain club achieved an unprecedented record in their continental campaign, collecting 15 points for the first time in the group stage. Additionally, Sharjah, the second representative of Emirati football in this edition, finished third in Group B with just eight points.
### Decline of Qatari Clubs
Qatari teams experienced a noticeable decline in this edition of the AFC Champions League, as both Al-Sadd and Al-Duhail failed to advance from the group stage, marking a reduction in the Qatari representation in the continental tournament to half this season, down from four spots previously. Thus, Qatari football will miss the Round of 16, following two representatives last year: Al-Rayan and Al-Duhail.
### Failure of Jordanian and Iraqi Teams
Jordanian and Iraqi clubs have not achieved any positive results since joining the AFC Champions League, consistently failing to surpass the group stage. Since 2019, Iraqi teams have struggled to advance beyond the group stage, despite the varying representatives of Iraqi football. Although Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya performed well this edition, collecting 10 points in Group Three, they could not qualify for the Round of 16, as Sepahan secured the spot despite a tie on points, benefiting from a superior goal difference.
As for Jordanian teams, which entered the continental competition in 2021, they too failed to reach the Round of 16 this season, with Al-Faisaly finishing last in Group Two with just six points.
