JDT earn shot at AFC Champions League

PETALING JAYA: Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) will play in next season’s AFC Champions League.

The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) confirmed on Saturday that the Southern Tigers have qualified to play in Asia’s top-tier competition. No Malaysian team have ever played in the AFC Champions League, which was first introduced by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in 2002. 

JDT, however, have to compete in the qualifying tournament in February. If they fail to make the tournament proper, they will compete in tournament proper of the second-tier AFC Cup.

If that happens, FA Cup champions Pahang will have to play in the qualifying tournament in the AFC Cup. Previously, the Super League and FA Cup champions were given automatic slots in the AFC Cup’s tournament proper.

FAM competitions committee chairman Datuk Seri Afandi Hamzah said JDT’s inclusion in the AFC Champions League qualifying tournament was due to the AFC revamping the competition format.