The draw for the Southeast Asian Club Cup took place on 4/7 in Thailand. The tournament, which runs from 8/8/2025 to 27/5/2026, features 12 teams divided into two groups. The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals.
Nam Dinh, the reigning V-League champions, were drawn into Group B alongside Johor Darul Tazim (JDT), Malaysia's dominant force for the past decade. JDT recently completed a quadruple, winning the Malaysian Super League (for the 11th consecutive time), the National Super Cup, the FA Cup, and the Malaysia Cup. They also reached the round of 16 in the AFC Champions League Elite. In 2015, JDT became the first Southeast Asian team to win a major Asian club competition in the modern era, claiming the AFC Cup (now the AFC Champions League Two). This is JDT's first appearance in the Southeast Asian Club Cup.
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Johor Darul Tazim's starting lineup, with only Arif Aiman Hanapi (bottom center) holding Malaysian nationality, during their 5-2 victory over South Korea's Pohang Steelers in the final group stage match of the 2024-2025 AFC Champions League Elite at Sultan Ibrahim Stadium on 18/2/2025. _Photo: JDT_ |
Nam Dinh's other Group B opponents include Svay Rieng (Cambodia), Lion City Sailors (Singapore), and Bangkok United (Thailand).
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Nam Dinh lift the V-League 2024-2025 trophy after defeating Ha Tinh 1-0 in round 26 at Thien Truong Stadium, Nam Dinh on 22/6/2025. _Photo: Hieu Luong_ |
In Group A, Cong An Ha Noi (CAHN) will face Buriram United in a rematch of last season's final, which Buriram won on penalties after a 5-5 aggregate draw. The other teams in Group A are Tampines Rovers (Singapore), Selangor (Malaysia), and BG Pathum United (Thailand).
Two more teams will qualify for the group stage via playoffs. The winner of Kasuka FC (Brunei) versus Dynamic Herb Cebu (Philippines) will join Group A, while the winner of Ezra FC (Laos) versus Shan United (Myanmar) will enter Group B.
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Cong An Ha Noi (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 seeding for the tournament was determined primarily by the AFC club rankings. Thailand is ranked 7th, followed by Malaysia (11th), Vietnam (14th), Singapore (15th), Cambodia (23rd), Philippines (27th), Myanmar (30th), Laos (38th), and Brunei (42nd). Within each country, league champions were prioritized over cup winners, explaining Nam Dinh's higher seeding than CAHN, despite CAHN being the previous year's runners-up. As defending champions, Buriram United were automatically placed in Group A and given the advantage of playing the second leg of the semi-final at home.
Indonesian clubs are absent from this year's tournament due to a disagreement over team selection between the AFF and the Indonesian league organizers. The AFF had selected Persib Bandung and Dewa United, the top two teams in Liga 1, but the league organizers preferred the third and fourth-placed teams, Malut United and Persebaya, to prioritize their participation in Asian competitions for ranking points. The dispute ultimately led to Indonesia's withdrawal.
The Southeast Asian Club Cup was first held in 2003 with 10 ASEAN nations participating, along with guest team East Bengal from India, who ultimately won the tournament. In 2004, the tournament featured eight teams, and Tampines Rovers of Singapore emerged victorious. The competition was revived in the 2024-2025 season with 14 teams, with Buriram United of Thailand winning the title.
Hieu Luong
