K League in 2025-2026 AFC Champions League Match Day 1 Preview

The 2025-2026 AFC Champions League Elite and AFC Champions League Two get underway this week with some milestone fixtures for K League sides. Gangwon FC head into their first-ever ACL match when hosting Shanghai Shenhua, FC Seoul mark their first ACL match in five years when taking on an Asian continental football newcomer, while Ulsan HD will look to put their poor league form behind them and overcome another of this year's competition's newcomers, Chengdu Rongcheng.

AFC Champions League Elite

Tuesday 16th September

Machida Zelvia (JPN) vs. FC Seoul - 19:00 KST

FC Seoul's first AFC Champions League match in nearly five years sees the beleaguered capital club head to Japan to take on Machida Zelvia, a side that's competing in the ACL for the very first time. FC Seoul make the trip to Tokyo having lost 3-2 to Gangwon at the weekend, and on a run of back-to-back losses, and with just one win in five. Zelvia, meanwhile, are fifth in J1 but are without a win in their last three, having drawn 1-1 with Yokohama FC on Friday, to follow up a 5-3 loss to Kawasaki Frontale and a 0-0 draw with Yokohama F. Marinos. Before that, Zelvia had been on a run of eight wins in a row. Tuesday's contest will be the first between the two teams, but FC Seoul have a record of nine wins, three draws, and nine losses against Japanese opposition since 2009. Their last win over J.League opposition was in May 2017, beating Urawa Reds at home, while their last away win over a Japanese side goes back to May 2015, a 3-2 victory over Kashima Antlers.

Gangwon FC vs. Shanghai Shenhua - 19:00 KST

Gangwon FC will embark on their first-ever AFC Champions League campaign at home against Shanghai Shenhua. The Bears head into Tuesday's contest in good form, having picked up back-to-back wins over Pohang in Round 28 and Seoul in Round 29, and have just lost once in their last eight, albeit with four draws. Shanghai Shenhua drew 3-3 at home to Shandong Taishan on Friday, and lost to Wuhan Three Towns just before the international break. Their form is inconsistent, with just one win in six and two in eight in all competitions, but, despite that, sit third in the Chinese Super League, just three points behind leaders Chengdu Rongcheng. Shanghai Shenhua don't have a good record against K League teams, having lost 12, won just five, and drawn two in 19 encounters. Their last meetings with Korean opposition came last year, beating Pohang 4-1 at home, losing 1-0 away to Gwangju, and losing 2-1 at home to Ulsan.

Wednesday 17th September

Ulsan HD (KOR) vs. Chengdu Rongcheng (CHN) - 19:00 KST

Ulsan HD endured a wretched AFC Champions League Elite campaign last year, winning just one of their eight matches. Such poor form seems to have carried over into this season, with the Horangi now in danger of being sucked into a relegation battle. Ulsan drew 1-1 with East Coast Derby rivals Pohang Steelers at the weekend, coming from behind to earn the point, but are without a win in four and have just one victory in 16 matches in all competitions, stretching back to the end of May. Needless to say, Shin Tae-yong will be looking to use the ACL to turn his side's fortunes around. But Chengu Rongcheng, their first opponents this year, sit top of the Chinese Super League and have won their last three in a row, scoring 10 in the process and conceding just two. With this being Chengdu Rongcheng's first-ever Champions League match, Seo Jung-won's men will be fired up. Ulsan's record against Chinese Super League opposition reads 10 wins, two draws, and three losses. The Horangi's last encounters with Chinese sides were in the 2022 group stage, beating Guangzhou 3-0 and 5-0.

[READ: Get to know K League's ACL opponents]

AFC Champions League Two

Thursday 18th September 

BG Pathum United (THA) vs. Pohang Steelers (KOR) - 21:15 KST

Pohang Steelers' first-ever AFC Champions League Two match sees Park Tae-ha's men head into a tricky tie with Thai side BG Pathum United. Pohang's recent league form has been hit and miss, drawing with Ulsan at the weekend after losing 1-0 away to Gangwon FC in the round before. Prior to that, though, the Steelers had won four on the spin. BG Pathum United are currently fourth in the Thai League table with seven points from four games played. On Friday, United eased past Uthai Thani 1-0 to successfully bounce back from the 2-1 loss to Bangkok United. Thursday's meeting will be the first-ever between the two teams, but BG Pathum United have faced K League opposition before, earning just one win, one draw, and losing four. Pohang's record against Thai opposition reads three wins, two draws, and one loss. Pohang's most recent meeting with a Thai team was a 1-0 away loss to Buriram United last season in the AFC Champions League Elite league stage.