Asian Champions League 2008 Overview

The draw for the 2008 AFC Champions League took place last week and this is what next year's Group Stage looks like:

Edit: I realized it's difficult to read the image so here are the groups:

WEST ASIA

Group A
Sepahan
Kuruvchi
Al Ittihad (KSA)
Al Ittihad (SYR)

Group B
Al Wasl
Saipa FC
Kuwait FC
Al Quwa Al Jawiya

Group C
Al Sadd
Al Wahda
Al Karamah
Al Ahli

Group D
Pakhtakor
Al Gharafa
Arbil
Al Qadsiya

EAST ASIA

Group E
Changchun Yatai
Adelaide United
Pohang Steelers
Binh Duong

Group F
Krung Thai Bank FC
Beijing Guoan
Nam Dinh
Kashima Antlers

Group G
Melbourne Victory
Chonburi FC
Gamba Osaka
Chunnam Dragons

Urawa Reds are entered directly into the Quarter Finals as defending champions hence the reason for seven groups and not eight.

For those that don't know too much about the Asian Champions League: clubs qualify by winning their respective country's league or cup competition. If there is more than one cup the national federation decides which is worthy of a place in the ACL.

The winners recieve US$500,000 (measly compared to UEFA Champions League winners who are reported to recieve upwards of 10million Euros) and a spot in the annual FIFA World Club Cup (won this year by AC Milan)

The countries represented in the Champions League are: Australia, China, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Korea Republic, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.