To support the teams participating in the AFC Champions League, the Chinese Football Association should take action.

Written by Han Bing The new season of the AFC Elite League begins on September 15, and the topic of whether to provide "support" for AFC teams in terms of scheduling and other aspects has come to the forefront again.

How have our opponents acted? As early as the last edition of the old AFC Champions League for the 2023/24 season, the J1 League in Japan made specific schedule adjustments for participating teams, encouraging them to perform well in Asia. Japanese teams have not disappointed the league organizers, reaching the finals for three consecutive AFC Champions League seasons. Notably, last season, Kawasaki Frontale, despite finishing as runners-up, defeated Al Sadd and Al Nassr, led by Cristiano Ronaldo, in away matches in West Asia.

The J-League has been planning for years to officially launch a cross-year system next summer, with the main motivation not only being to synchronize with European leagues for easier player transfers but also to align with the AFC Elite League to help teams compete better in the AFC. The Japan Football Association has repeatedly emphasized that it will provide conveniences in scheduling and formats for teams participating in the AFC Elite League, allowing Japanese teams to showcase the strength of the J-League on the AFC stage.

The Thai League and the Malaysian League have also provided scheduling conveniences for their teams participating in the AFC. Before Buriram United's away match against Yokohama F. Marinos on November 6 last year, the Thai League allocated 9 days for preparation. Before the Southeast Asian derby against Johor DT on December 3, they set aside 11 days for Buriram United to prepare thoroughly. In March, prior to the round of 16 match against Johor DT, the Thai League did not schedule any domestic matches for Buriram United, giving them a week to prepare for the second leg, which ultimately led to Buriram United defeating Johor DT away and successfully advancing to the quarter-finals of the AFC Elite League.

The Malaysian League has taken similar actions. To allow Johor DT to focus on the AFC, before last season's away matches against Shanghai Port and Shandong Taishan in the AFC Elite League, the Malaysian League coordinated 5 days for their preparation. In February, for the last two matches in the East Asian region and the two-legged round of 16 against Buriram United in March, they allocated 6 days for preparation, enabling Johor DT to play only one domestic league match from February 5 to March 16, allowing them to concentrate on four AFC Elite matches.

Once the AFC starts, the Chinese Super League teams will face the challenge of a grueling schedule, exemplified by Shanghai Port and Chengdu Rongcheng's September fixtures: playing in the AFC on the 17th, followed by the Chinese Super League on the 21st and 26th, and then another AFC match on the 30th, resulting in a game every four days. Therefore, the Chinese Football Association could consider making targeted scheduling adjustments for the three CSL teams, especially given that all three will be facing Buriram United, making it even more urgent since the performance of CSL teams in this season's AFC will directly determine whether the CSL can surpass the Thai League in AFC points and regain the strategy of three qualification spots in the future.