# 2018–19 Arab Club Champions Cup

The 2018–19 Arab Club Champions Cup, officially named the 2018–19 Zayed Champions Cup (Arabic: كأس زايد للأندية الأبطال 2018–19) to mark 100 years since the birth of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, was the 28th season of the Arab Club Champions Cup, the Arab world's club football tournament organised by UAFA, and the first season since it was renamed from the Arab Club Championship to the Arab Club Champions Cup.
The final was played at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates, between Al-Hilal of Saudi Arabia and Étoile du Sahel of Tunisia. It was the fourth time Al-Hilal reached the final in their history, while it marked the first appearance of Étoile du Sahel in this stage. Étoile du Sahel defeated Al-Hilal 2–1 in the final and won the title for the first time in their history, becoming the third Tunisian team to win the competition in the last five editions.
Espérance de Tunis were the defending champions, having won the title in the previous edition. They were eliminated by Al-Ittihad Alexandria in the first round.

## Prize money

The prize money was as follows:
* Winners: $6 million
* Runners-up: $2.5 million

## Teams

A total of 40 teams participated in the tournament; 20 from Asia and 20 from Africa. 10 clubs started in the qualifying play-off where two of them advanced to the first round which consisted of 32 teams. From then on, the tournament was played in a knockout format with home and away legs, until the final which was a one-leg match played in the United Arab Emirates.

### Notes

* 1 2 3 Not including the cancelled 1990 edition.

## Schedule

The schedule of the competition was as follows:
| Phase | Round | Draw date | Dates |
| Qualifying play-off | Preliminary round | 24 April 2018 | 5–9 May 2018 |
| Qualifying play-off | Play-off round | 24 April 2018 | 17–24 May 2018 |
| Knockout stage | First round | 24 April 2018 | 31 July – 30 September 2018 |
| Knockout stage | Second round | 6 October 2018 | 27 October – 11 December 2018 |
| Knockout stage | Quarter-finals | 17 December 2018 | 26 January – 25 February 2019 |
| Knockout stage | Semi-finals | 17 December 2018 | 27 February – 15 April 2019 |
| Knockout stage | Final | 17 December 2018 | 18 April 2019 |

## Qualifying rounds
### Preliminary round

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | ADT | BAN | NGA |
| 1 | ASAS Djibouti Télécom (H) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 4 | Advance to Play-off round | — | 1–1 | 3–1 |
| 2 | Banadir | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 | +1 | 4 | | | — | 3–2 |
| 3 | Ngazi de Mirontsi | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 6 | −3 | 0 | | | | — |

### Play-off round
#### Group A

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | NEJ | CA | CON | FAI |
| 1 | Al-Nejmeh | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | +6 | 9 | Advance to First round | — | 1–0 | 4–0 | |
| 2 | Club Africain | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | | | — | | 2–2 |
| 3 | ASAC Concorde | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 7 | −3 | 3 | | | 1–2 | — | |
| 4 | Al-Faisaly | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 7 | −3 | 1 | | 1–2 | | 1–3 | — |

#### Group B

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | ITH | FUS | SAL | ADT |
| 1 | Al-Ittihad Alexandria | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 1 | +13 | 7 | Advance to First round | — | 1–1 | | 8–0 |
| 2 | FUS Rabat | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 1 | +12 | 7 | | | — | 5–0 | |
| 3 | Al-Salmiya | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 10 | −6 | 3 | | 0–5 | | — | 4–0 |
| 4 | ASAS Djibouti Télécom | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 19 | −19 | 0 | | | 0–7 | | — |

## Knockout phase
### Bracket

| First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Final | Final |
| Al-Hilal | 1 | 1 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Al-Shabab | 0 | 0 | 0 | Al-Hilal | 4 | 2 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Al-Naft (a) | 1 | 2 | 3 | Al-Naft | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | |
| CS Sfaxien | 1 | 2 | 3 | | | | | Al-Hilal | 3 | 0 | 3 | | | | | | |
| Al-Ittihad Alexandria (a) | 1 | 2 | 3 | | | | | Al-Ittihad Alexandria | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | | | |
| Espérance de Tunis | 1 | 2 | 3 | Al-Ittihad Alexandria (p) | 0 | 1 | 1 (4) | | | | | | | | | | |
| Zamalek (a) | 0 | 1 | 1 | Zamalek | 1 | 0 | 1 (3) | | | | | | | | | | |
| Al-Qadsia | 0 | 1 | 1 | | | | | | | | | Al-Hilal (p) | 1 | 0 | 1 (3) | | |
| Al-Ahly | 0 | 4 | 4 | | | | | | | | | Al-Ahli Jeddah | 0 | 1 | 1 (2) | | |
| Al-Nejmeh | 0 | 1 | 1 | Al-Ahly | 2 | 1 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Al-Ittihad Jeddah | 1 | 0 | 1 | Al-Wasl (a) | 2 | 1 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Al-Wasl (a) | 1 | 0 | 1 | | | | | Al-Wasl | 2 | 1 | 3 | | | | | | |
| Al-Ain | 1 | 1 | 2 | | | | | Al-Ahli Jeddah | 2 | 2 | 4 | | | | | | |
| ES Sétif (a) | 2 | 0 | 2 | ES Sétif | 0 | 1 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Al-Muharraq | 0 | 0 | 0 | Al-Ahli Jeddah | 1 | 1 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Al-Ahli Jeddah | 2 | 3 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | Al-Hilal | 1 |
| Ismaily (p) | 2 | 0 | 2 (4) | | | | | | | | | | | | | Étoile du Sahel | 2 |
| Al-Kuwait | 0 | 2 | 2 (2) | Ismaily | 0 | 0 | 0 (2) | | | | | | | | | | |
| Salam Zgharta | 1 | 1 | 2 | Raja Casablanca (p) | 0 | 0 | 0 (4) | | | | | | | | | | |
| Raja Casablanca | 2 | 1 | 3 | | | | | Raja Casablanca | 0 | 1 | 1 | | | | | | |
| Wydad Casablanca (p) | 1 | 1 | 2 (4) | | | | | Étoile du Sahel | 2 | 0 | 2 | | | | | | |
| Al-Ahli Tripoli | 1 | 1 | 1 (2) | Wydad Casablanca | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Étoile du Sahel | 3 | 3 | 6 | Étoile du Sahel | 0 | 1 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Al-Ramtha | 1 | 1 | 2 | | | | | | | | | Étoile du Sahel | 1 | 0 | 1 | | |
| Al-Jazira | 1 | 1 | 2 | | | | | | | | | Al-Merrikh | 0 | 0 | 0 | | |
| Al-Nassr | 2 | 4 | 6 | Al-Nassr | 0 | 1 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Al-Riffa | 1 | 0 | 1 | MC Alger | 1 | 2 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| MC Alger | 2 | 0 | 2 | | | | | MC Alger | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | | | |
| Al-Jaish | 1 | 1 | 2 | | | | | Al-Merrikh | 0 | 3 | 3 | | | | | | |
| Al-Merrikh | 3 | 1 | 4 | Al-Merrikh | 4 | 0 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya | 0 | 0 | 0 | USM Alger | 1 | 2 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| USM Alger | 1 | 3 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

### First round

| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| Zamalek | 1–1 (a) | Al-Qadsia | 0–0 | 1–1 |
| Al-Ain | 2–2 (a) | ES Sétif | 1–2 | 1–0 |
| Ismaily | 2–2 (4–2 p) | Al-Kuwait | 2–0 | 0–2 |
| Salam Zgharta | 2–3 | Raja Casablanca | 1–2 | 1–1 |
| Al-Ittihad Jeddah | 1–1 (a) | Al-Wasl | 1–1 | 0–0 |
| Al-Naft | 3–3 (a) | CS Sfaxien | 1–1 | 2–2 |
| Al-Hilal | 2–0 | Al-Shabab | 1–0 | 1–0 |
| Al-Riffa | 1–2 | MC Alger | 1–2 | 0–0 |
| Étoile du Sahel | 6–2 | Al-Ramtha | 3–1 | 3–1 |
| Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya | 0–4 | USM Alger | 0–1 | 0–3 |
| Al-Jazira | 2–6 | Al-Nassr | 1–2 | 1–4 |
| Al-Ittihad Alexandria | 3–3 (a) | Espérance de Tunis | 1–1 | 2–2 |
| Wydad Casablanca | 2–2 (4–2 p) | Al-Ahli Tripoli | 1–1 | 1–1 |
| Al-Jaish | 2–4 | Al-Merrikh | 1–3 | 1–1 |
| Al-Ahly | 4–1 | Al-Nejmeh | 0–0 | 4–1 |
| Al-Muharraq | 0–5 | Al-Ahli Jeddah | 0–2 | 0–3 |
1–1 on aggregate. Zamalek won on away goals.
2–2 on aggregate. ES Sétif won on away goals.
2–2 on aggregate. Ismaily won 4–2 on penalties.
Raja Casablanca won 3–2 on aggregate.
1–1 on aggregate. Al-Wasl won on away goals.
3–3 on aggregate. Al-Naft won on away goals.
Al-Hilal won 2–0 on aggregate.
MC Alger won 2–1 on aggregate.
Étoile du Sahel won 6–2 on aggregate.
USM Alger won 4–0 on aggregate. They were awarded a 3–0 walkover win in the second leg after Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya's players withdrew from the match at 71 minutes while losing 2–0 in protest at offensive chants from the home fans.
Al-Nassr won 6–2 on aggregate.
3–3 on aggregate. Al-Ittihad Alexandria won on away goals.
2–2 on aggregate. Wydad Casablanca won 4–2 on penalties.
Al-Merrikh won 4–2 on aggregate.
Al-Ahly won 4–1 on aggregate.
Al-Ahli Jeddah won 5–0 on aggregate.

### Second round

| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| Al-Merrikh | 4–3 | USM Alger | 4–1 | 0–2 |
| Al-Nassr | 1–3 | MC Alger | 0–1 | 1–2 |
| Al-Ahly | 3–3 (a) | Al-Wasl | 2–2 | 1–1 |
| Wydad Casablanca | 0–1 | Étoile du Sahel | 0–0 | 0–1 |
| Al-Hilal | 6–0 | Al-Naft | 4–0 | 2–0 |
| Ismaily | 0–0 (2–4 p) | Raja Casablanca | 0–0 | 0-0 |
| Al-Ittihad Alexandria | 1–1 (4–3 p) | Zamalek | 0–1 | 1–0 |
| ES Sétif | 1–2 | Al-Ahli Jeddah | 0–1 | 1–1 |
Al-Merrikh won 4–3 on aggregate.
MC Alger won 3–1 on aggregate.
3–3 on aggregate. Al-Wasl won on away goals.
Étoile du Sahel won 1–0 on aggregate.
Al-Hilal won 6–0 on aggregate.
0–0 on aggregate. Raja Casablanca won 4–2 on penalties.
1–1 on aggregate. Al-Ittihad Alexandria won 4–3 on penalties.
Al-Ahli Jeddah won 2–1 on aggregate.

### Quarter-finals

| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| Al-Hilal | 3–0 | Al-Ittihad Alexandria | 3–0 | 0–0 |
| Al-Wasl | 3–4 | Al-Ahli Jeddah | 2–2 | 1–2 |
| Raja Casablanca | 1–2 | Étoile du Sahel | 0–2 | 1–0 |
| MC Alger | 0–3 | Al-Merrikh | 0–0 | 0–3 |
Al-Hilal won 3–0 on aggregate.
Al-Ahli Jeddah won 4–3 on aggregate.
Étoile du Sahel won 2–1 on aggregate.
Al-Merrikh won 3–0 on aggregate.

### Semi-finals

| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| Al-Hilal | 1–1 (3–2 p) | Al-Ahli Jeddah | 1–0 | 0–1 |
| Étoile du Sahel | 1–0 | Al-Merrikh | 1–0 | 0–0 |
1–1 on aggregate. Al-Hilal won 3–2 on penalties.
Étoile du Sahel won 1–0 on aggregate.

### Final
## Top scorers

Statistics exclude qualifying rounds.
    As of 18 April 2019
| Rank | Player | Team | FR1 | FR2 | SR1 | SR2 | QF1 | QF2 | F | Total |
| 1 | Mohamed Abdel Rahman | Al-Merrikh | 2 | | 3 | | | 2 | | 7 |
| 2 | Bafétimbi Gomis | Al-Hilal | | | 1 | 1 | 2 | | 1 | 5 |
| 3 | Abdulrahman Ghareeb | Al-Ahli Jeddah | | 2 | 1 | | | | | 3 |
| 3 | Yahya Al-Shehri | Al-Nassr | 1 | 1 | | 1 | | | | | 3 |
| 3 | Carlos Eduardo | Al-Hilal | | 1 | | 1 | 1 | | | 3 |

## Broadcasting

2018–19 Zayed Champions Cup Media Coverage :
| Country | Television Channel |
| United Arab Emirates | AD Sports |