Saudi Arabia and Japan tied for lead
The number of spots allocated to Saudi Arabia and Japan in the new AFC Champions League edition has been increased to five, after both Al-Ittihad and Gamba Osaka successfully qualified through the playoff matches, granting each of them a full share of five spots. This change comes as part of the tournament's expansion from 24 to 32 teams, where Saudi Arabia and Japan previously held 4.5 spots each, with the possibility of increasing to five upon qualification. The participation of teams from these countries was the largest among all nations, with the West Zone comprising five Saudi teams, three Emirati teams, three Qatari teams, two teams from Iran and Uzbekistan, and one Iraqi team. Gamba Osaka secured their playoff spot with a narrow victory over Le Mans, winning 1-0 in extra time; meanwhile, Uzbek side Pakhtakor and Vietnamese team Cong An Hanoi advanced after defeating Al-Hussein Irbid and Aldeild United, respectively.
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