Cambodian champions Svay Rieng FC have been drawn in Group B of next seasons ASEAN Club Championship in the official ceremony conducted in Jakarta yesterday.
Back-to-back defending champions Buriram United FC will face fellow Thai League 1 outfit Ratchaburi FC and a rematch with Singapore Premier League side Tampines Rovers FC in Group A.
Following the success of the first two editions, the new season features an expansion from 14 to 16 of the region’s most renowned and storied clubs and the introduction of a quarter-finals phase in the knock-out stage. The total number of matches will increase from 40 to 56.
ASEAN’s national league champions and runners-up or Cup winners who will join title holders Buriram United who qualify automatically.
Former runners-up Công An Hà Nội FC, Malaysia treble winners Johor Darul Ta’zim FC and Indonesia Super League treble champions Persib Bandung, who are making their debut are all in the same group as Svay Rieng.
The other newcomers who will join the third season of Southeast Asia’s premier club competition which kicks off in September and runs through to June next year are Kuching City FC of Malaysia, Manila Digger FC of the Philippines and Thailand’s Port FC and Ratchaburi FC.
Two clubs each from Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, Svay Rieng from Cambodia and the winners of the Qualifying Round Play-Offs featuring the league champions of Brunei Darussalam, Laos, Myanmar and the Philippines will complete the Group Stage line-up.
| GROUP A | |
| A1 | BURIRAM UNITED FC (THA) |
| A2 | RATCHABURI FC (THA) |
| A3 | KUCHING CITY FC (MAS) |
| A4 | TAMPINES ROVERS FC (SGP) |
| A5 | VIETNAM CUP WINNERS |
| A6 | BORNEO FC SAMARINDA (IDN) |
| A7 | WINNER PLAY-OFF 1 |
| GROUP B | |
| B1 | PORT FC (THA) |
| B2 | JOHOR DARUL TA’ZIM FC (MAS) |
| B3 | LION CITY SAILORS FC (SGP) |
| B4 | CÔNG AN HÀ NỘI FC (VIE) |
| B5 | PKR SVAY RIENG FC (CAM) |
| B6 | PERSIB BANDUNG (IDN) |
| B7 | WINNER PLAY-OFF 2 |
