According to AFF regulations, the top two teams from each member country's national league or cup competition qualify for the Southeast Asian Club Cup. The AFF selected Persib Bandung and Dewa United, the champion and runner-up of Indonesia's Liga 1 2024-2025 season, respectively. However, Liga 1's governing body, LIB, rejected this, instead choosing the third and fourth-placed teams, Malut United and Persebaya.

"Our decision is based on the regulations and agreements with all clubs from the beginning of the season. The champion and runner-up will focus on Asian competitions, while the third and fourth-placed teams will participate in the Southeast Asian tournament," LIB President Ferry Paulus told Indonesian media on 4/7.

The Southeast Asian Club Championship trophy. Photo: Hieu Luong

The Southeast Asian Club Championship trophy. Photo: Hieu Luong

Persib Bandung will compete in the AFC Champions League Two, Asia's second-tier club competition, starting from the play-off round. Dewa United will participate in the AFC Challenge League, the third-tier competition, from the group stage. Liga 1 wants these teams to prioritize achieving good results in these Asian competitions to improve Indonesian clubs' ranking in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) points table, thereby increasing their chances of qualifying for the top-tier AFC Champions League Elite.

Liga 1 representatives argue that this selection distributes opportunities among the teams. If they were to also participate in the Southeast Asian Club Cup, the top two teams would have to compete in four different tournaments, leading to scheduling difficulties.

As of this morning, the AFF and Liga 1 have yet to reach an agreement. Liga 1, however, is prepared to have no representatives in the 2025-2026 Southeast Asian Club Cup. "We are firm in upholding the terms agreed upon with the clubs," Paulus said. "We are not ready to change."

Unlike Indonesia, other Southeast Asian clubs have nominated their champions and runners-up for both AFC and AFF tournaments, including Cong An Ha Noi (CAHN) and Nam Dinh from Vietnam, Buriram United, Bangkok United, and BG Pathum United from Thailand, Johor Darul Tazim and Selangor from Malaysia, Lion City Sailors and Tampines Rovers from Singapore, and Svay Rieng from Cambodia.

Cong An Ha Noi (in red) drew 2-2 with Thai club Buriram United in the first leg of the 2024-2025 Southeast Asian Club Cup final at Hang Day Stadium, Hanoi on 14/5/2025. Photo: Hieu Luong

Cong An Ha Noi (in red) drew 2-2 with Thai club Buriram United in the first leg of the 2024-2025 Southeast Asian Club Cup final at Hang Day Stadium, Hanoi on 14/5/2025. Photo: Hieu Luong

The AFF intends to increase the number of teams in the group stage from 12 to 14 to ensure each team plays three home and three away matches. Without Indonesia, the 2025-2026 Southeast Asian Club Cup is expected to have 14 teams. Four teams, including DH Cebu (Philippines), Shan United (Myanmar), Ezra (Lao), and Kasuka (Brunei), will compete in a play-off for two spots in the group stage, joining 10 representatives from Thailand (3), Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore (2), and Cambodia (1).

The draw for the 2025-2026 Southeast Asian Club Cup group stage will take place this afternoon, 4/7, in Thailand.

With 14 teams, the tournament will be divided into two groups, with each team playing every other team in their group once. Higher-seeded teams will have the advantage of playing three home matches. The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals, which will be played home and away.

In the previous season, Buriram United won the championship after drawing 5-5 on aggregate with CAHN in the final and winning 3-2 in a penalty shootout. Indonesia's representative, PSM Makassar, reached the semi-finals before losing 2-1 on aggregate to Cong An Ha Noi.

Hieu Luong