2008 AFC Champions League

The 2008 AFC Champions League was the 27th AFC Champions League, the top-level Asian club football tournament, and the 6th under the current AFC Champions League title. It was the last AFC Champions League before the competition expanded to 32 teams.

Format
A total of 28 clubs were divided into seven groups of four, based on region, i.e. East Asian and Southeast Asian clubs were drawn in groups E to G, while the rest were grouped in groups A to D. Each club played double round-robin (home and away) against the other three teams in their group, a total of 6 matches each. Clubs received three points for a win, one point for a draw and no points for a loss. The clubs were ranked according to points and tie breakers were in the following order:
 * Group stage
 * Points earned between the clubs in question
 * Goal difference between the clubs in question
 * Goal difference within the group
 * Goals for within the group

The seven group winners and the defending champion advanced to the quarter-finals.

All eight clubs were randomly paired together, with the restriction that clubs from the same country could not face each other in the quarter-finals. The games were played over two legs, home and away; the team with the higher aggregate score was declared the match winner. If the aggregate score could not produce a winner, "away goals rule" was used. If the two teams were still tied, extra time was played, at the end of which the "away goals rule" was again applied if the scores were tied. If still tied, the game would go to penalties.
 * Knockout stage

Schedule

 * Group stage draw - 12 December 2007
 * Group round: 12–19 March, 9–23 April, 7–21 May


 * Knockout stage draw - 24 May 2008
 * Quarter-finals: 17–24 September
 * Semi-finals: 8–22 October
 * Final: 5 and 12 November

Participating clubs
Indonesia were initially allocated two entries as per previous years. However, on 12 December 2007, the AFC awarded one to Thailand and the other one to Vietnam because the Indonesian domestic league and cup tournament wouldn't be completed in time for the start of the tournament. Both Thailand and Vietnam therefore effectively recovered the entries they had lost the previous year.


 * Notes

Group F

 * Notes
 *  Note 2: Nam Định played their home matches at Mỹ Đình National Stadium, Hanoi as their own Thiên Trường Stadium did not meet AFC criteria.

Group G

 * Notes
 *  Note 3: Chonburi played their home matches at Supachalasai Stadium, Bangkok as their own Chonburi Municipality Stadium did not meet AFC criteria.

Quarter-finals
The first leg matches were played on 17 September, and the second leg matches were played on 24 September 2008.

Semi-finals
The first leg matches were played on 8 October, and the second leg matches were played on 22 October 2008.

Final
The first and second legs of the final were played on 5 and 12 November 2008, respectively.

Top scorers
The top scorers from the 2008 AFC Champions League are as follows:

Fair Play Award
🇯🇵 Gamba Osaka