2008 AFC Champions League - Format

Format

Group stage

A total of 28 clubs were divided into seven groups of four, based on region, i.e. East Asian and Southeast Asian clubs are drawn in Group E to G, while rest are grouped in Group 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 are in following order:

• 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 champions qualified for the quarter-finals.

Knockout stage

All eight clubs were randomly paired together, with the restriction that clubs from 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 goal total being declared the match winner. If the aggregate goals 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.