# 2023–24 AFC Champions League group stage

The 2023–24 AFC Champions League group stage was played from September to December 2023.
A total of 40 teams competed in the group stage to decide the 16 places in the knockout stage of the 2023–24 AFC Champions League.

## Draw

The draw for the group stage was held on 24 August 2023 at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The 40 teams were drawn into ten groups of four: five groups each in the West Region (Groups A–E) and the East Region (Groups F–J). For each region, teams were seeded into four pots and drawn into the relevant positions within each group, based on their association ranking and their seeding within their association, in consideration of the technical balance between groups. Teams from the same association could not be drawn into the same group.
| Region | Groups | Pot 1 | Pot 2 | Pot 3 | Pot 4 |
| West Region | A–E | Al-Hilal | Nassaji | Al-Faisaly SC | Al-Ain |
| West Region | A–E | Persepolis | Al-Duhail | Istiklol | Navbahor |
| West Region | A–E | Al-Sadd | Nasaf Qarshi | Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya | Sharjah |
| West Region | A–E | Pakhtakor | Al-Fayha | Ahal Änew | Al-Nassr |
| West Region | A–E | Al-Ittihad | Sepahan | Mumbai City | AGMK |
| East Region | F–J | Ulsan Hyundai | Ventforet Kofu | Hanoi FC | Kitchee |
| East Region | F–J | Yokohama F. Marinos | Shandong Taishan | Kaya F.C.–Iloilo | Incheon United |
| East Region | F–J | Wuhan Three Towns | Bangkok United | Johor Darul Ta'zim | Urawa Red Diamonds |
| East Region | F–J | Buriram United | Pohang Steelers | Melbourne City | Zhejiang |
| East Region | F–J | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors | Kawasaki Frontale | Lion City Sailors | BG Pathum United |

## Format

In the group stage, each group was played in a double round-robin format on home and away basis. The winners of each group and three best runners-up from each region advanced to the round of 16 of the knockout stage.

### Tiebreakers

The teams were ranked according to points (3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss). If tied on points, tiebreakers were applied in the following order (Regulations Article 8.3):
* Points in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
* Goal difference in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
* Goals scored in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
* If more than two teams were tied, and after applying all head-to-head criteria above, a subset of teams were still tied, all head-to-head criteria above were reapplied exclusively to this subset of teams;
* Goal difference in all group matches;
* Goals scored in all group matches;
* Penalty shoot-out if only two teams playing each other in the last round of the group are tied;
* Disciplinary points (yellow card = 1 point, red card as a result of two yellow cards = 3 points, direct red card = 3 points, yellow card followed by direct red card = 4 points);
* Association ranking.

## Schedule

The schedule of the group stage was as follows.
| Round | Dates |
| Matchday 1 | 18–20 September 2023 |
| Matchday 2 | 2–4 October 2023 |
| Matchday 3 | 23–25 October 2023 |
| Matchday 4 | 6–8 November 2023 |
| Matchday 5 | 27–29 November 2023 |
| Matchday 6 | 4–6, 12–13 December 2023 |

## Groups

The detailed schedule was announced on 24 August 2023 after the draw ceremony. It was updated on 6 September.

### Group A

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | AIN | FEI | PAK | AHA |
| 1 | Al-Ain | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 17 | 9 | +8 | 15 | Advance to round of 16 | — | 4–1 | 1–3 | 4–2 |
| 2 | Al-Fayha | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 10 | +2 | 9 | Advance to round of 16 | 2–3 | — | 2–0 | 3–1 |
| 3 | Pakhtakor | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 11 | −3 | 7 | | 0–3 | 1–4 | — | 3–0 |
| 4 | Ahal | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 13 | −7 | 4 | | 1–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 | — |

### Group B

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | NAS | SAD | SHJ | FAI |
| 1 | Nasaf | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 6 | +4 | 11 | Advance to round of 16 | — | 3–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 |
| 2 | Al Sadd | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 7 | +4 | 8 | | 2–2 | — | 0–0 | 6–0 |
| 3 | Sharjah | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 5 | −1 | 8 | | 1–0 | 0–2 | — | 1–0 |
| 4 | Al-Faisaly | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 12 | −7 | 6 | | 0–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | — |
* 1 2 Ranked on head-to-head points: Al Sadd 4, Sharjah 1.

### Group C

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | ITH | SEP | QWJ | AGK |
| 1 | Al-Ittihad | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 4 | +7 | 15 | Advance to round of 16 | — | 2–1 | 1–0 | 3–0 |
| 2 | Sepahan | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 16 | 8 | +8 | 10 | Advance to round of 16 | 0–3 | — | 1–0 | 9–0 |
| 3 | Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 7 | +2 | 10 | | 2–0 | 2–2 | — | 3–2 |
| 4 | AGMK | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 22 | −17 | 0 | | 1–2 | 1–3 | 1–2 | — |
* 1 2 Ranked on head-to-head points: Sepahan 4, Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya 1.
* ↑ The match was abandoned after Al-Ittihad walked off in protest due to the presence of a sculpture of Qasem Soleimani on the pitch. The match was awarded a 3–0 win to Al-Ittihad, with Sepahan also being fined $200,000 and banned from hosting its next three Asian Champions League matches at home.

### Group D

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | HIL | NAV | NAS | MUM |
| 1 | Al-Hilal | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 2 | +14 | 16 | Advance to round of 16 | — | 1–1 | 2–1 | 6–0 |
| 2 | Navbahor | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 6 | +5 | 13 | Advance to round of 16 | 0–2 | — | 2–1 | 3–0 |
| 3 | Nassaji Mazandaran | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 10 | −3 | 6 | | 0–3 | 1–3 | — | 2–0 |
| 4 | Mumbai City | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 17 | −16 | 0 | | 0–2 | 1–2 | 0–2 | — |

### Group E

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | NSR | PRS | DUH | IST |
| 1 | Al Nassr | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 13 | 7 | +6 | 14 | Advance to round of 16 | — | 0–0 | 4–3 | 3–1 |
| 2 | Persepolis | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 8 | | 0–2 | — | 1–2 | 2–0 |
| 3 | Al-Duhail | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 7 | | 2–3 | 0–1 | — | 2–0 |
| 4 | Istiklol | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 9 | −6 | 3 | | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | — |

### Group F

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | UTD | JBH | LCS | KIT |
| 1 | Bangkok United | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 8 | +3 | 13 | Advance to round of 16 | — | 3–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 |
| 2 | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 9 | +3 | 12 | Advance to round of 16 | 3–2 | — | 3–0 | 2–1 |
| 3 | Lion City Sailors | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 9 | −4 | 6 | | 1–2 | 2–0 | — | 0–2 |
| 4 | Kitchee | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 9 | −2 | 4 | | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–2 | — |

### Group G

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | FMA | SHT | ICN | KAY |
| 1 | Yokohama F. Marinos | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 7 | +5 | 12 | Advance to round of 16 | — | 3–0 | 2–4 | 3–0 |
| 2 | Shandong Taishan | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 14 | 7 | +7 | 12 | Advance to round of 16 | 0–1 | — | 3–1 | 6–1 |
| 3 | Incheon United | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 14 | 9 | +5 | 12 | | 2–1 | 0–2 | — | 4–0 |
| 4 | Kaya–Iloilo | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 21 | −17 | 0 | | 1–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | — |
* 1 2 3 Head-to-head goal difference: Yokohama F. Marinos +1, Shandong Taishan 0, Incheon United −1.

### Group H

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | VEN | MCY | ZHP | BUR |
| 1 | Ventforet Kofu | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 8 | +3 | 11 | Advance to round of 16 | — | 3–3 | 4–1 | 1–0 |
| 2 | Melbourne City | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 6 | +2 | 9 | | 0–0 | — | 1–1 | 0–1 |
| 3 | Zhejiang | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 13 | −4 | 7 | | 2–0 | 1–2 | — | 3–2 |
| 4 | Buriram United | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 10 | −1 | 6 | | 2–3 | 0–2 | 4–1 | — |

### Group I

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | KWF | UHD | JDT | BGP |
| 1 | Kawasaki Frontale | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 6 | +11 | 16 | Advance to round of 16 | — | 1–0 | 5–0 | 4–2 |
| 2 | Ulsan Hyundai | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 8 | +4 | 10 | Advance to round of 16 | 2–2 | — | 3–1 | 3–1 |
| 3 | Johor Darul Ta'zim | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 13 | −2 | 9 | | 0–1 | 2–1 | — | 4–1 |
| 4 | BG Pathum United | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 9 | 22 | −13 | 0 | | 2–4 | 1–3 | 2–4 | — |

### Group J

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | POH | RED | HAN | WTT |
| 1 | Pohang Steelers | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 5 | +9 | 16 | Advance to round of 16 | — | 2–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 |
| 2 | Urawa Red Diamonds | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 12 | 9 | +3 | 7 | | 0–2 | — | 6–0 | 2–1 |
| 3 | Hanoi FC | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 16 | −9 | 6 | | 2–4 | 2–1 | — | 2–1 |
| 4 | Wuhan Three Towns | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 11 | −3 | 5 | | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | — |

## Ranking of second-placed teams
### West Region

| Pos | Grp | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | D | Navbahor | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 6 | +5 | 13 | Advance to round of 16 |
| 2 | C | Sepahan | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 16 | 8 | +8 | 10 | Advance to round of 16 |
| 3 | A | Al-Fayha | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 10 | +2 | 9 | Advance to round of 16 |
| 4 | B | Al Sadd | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 7 | +4 | 8 | |
| 5 | E | Persepolis | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 8 | |

### East Region

| Pos | Grp | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | G | Shandong Taishan | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 14 | 7 | +7 | 12 | Advance to round of 16 |
| 2 | F | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 9 | +3 | 12 | Advance to round of 16 |
| 3 | I | Ulsan Hyundai | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 8 | +4 | 10 | Advance to round of 16 |
| 4 | H | Melbourne City | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 6 | +2 | 9 | |
| 5 | J | Urawa Red Diamonds | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 12 | 9 | +3 | 7 | |