Japan Football(Soccer) Guide Blog

Tag: ACL2

  • Gamba Osaka Make History in Riyadh

    AFC Champions League Two 2025–26 Final — Match Report

    Al Nassr 0–1 Gamba Osaka | May 17, 2026 | Al Awwal Park, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

    A Miracle Born from Adversity

    The 2026 season started as badly as possible for Gamba Osaka.

    During pre-season camp, Asahi Uenaka picked up an injury. In the opening match, Takashi Usami went off hurt. In the second round, both Shogo Sasaki and Shota Fukuoka followed him to the treatment room. Then key defender Riku Handa suffered a serious injury. It felt like the squad was falling apart before the season had even started.

    But the team did not break. Under their young head coach, Jens Wissing — only five months into the job — the players came together. And in the end, they lifted the trophy of the AFC Champions League Two (Asia’s second-tier continental club competition, organised by the Asian Football Confederation).

    Starting Line-ups

    Gamba Osaka lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation.

    Rui Araki started in goal. The back four, from right to left, was Takeru Kishimoto, Shinnosuke Nakatani, Genta Miura, and Ryo Hatsuse. Two defensive midfielders — players who sit in front of the defence and protect it — were Rin Mito and Tokuma Suzuki. Ryotaro Meshino started on the right wing and Ryoya Yamashita on the left. Issam Jebali played as the attacking midfielder (the player linking midfield and attack), with Deniz Hümmet as the lone striker up front.

    Al Nassr fielded a world-class squad featuring Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mané, and João Félix. Brazilian international Bento started in goal. Spain international Iñigo Martínez was part of the defensive line.

    Match Report

    First Half: Defending Well, Then Striking at the Right Moment

    In the early part of the first half, Gamba kept the ball and worked play into Al Nassr’s half. However, they could not find the net. Al Nassr gradually took control of the game, and Gamba spent more time defending in a compact block.

    Then, on 30 minutes, the moment arrived.

    Jebali played a perfectly timed through ball. Hümmet received it and calmly placed his right-foot shot into the bottom-right corner. Gamba had the lead they had been waiting for.

    Al Nassr kept firing in powerful shots, but none of them hit the target. Gamba went into half-time leading 1–0.

    Second Half: Five Substitutions to Hold the Lead

    As the second half began, Wissing made his first change. He withdrew goalscorer Hümmet and brought on Harumi Minamino.

    Al Nassr kept pressing throughout the second half. Gamba relied on the counter-attack — winning the ball quickly and pushing forward at pace — to relieve the pressure and create danger.

    On 60 minutes, Suzuki and Yamashita came off, replaced by Shuto Abe and Kanji Okunuki.

    On 70 minutes, Meshino came off and Welton came on.

    On 80 minutes, Jebali went off with an injury. Takashi Usami came on as the attacking midfielder, completing all five substitutions allowed in the match.

    There were six minutes of stoppage time in the second half. Gamba used their corner kicks smartly to run down the clock. And then the final whistle blew. The players erupted in celebration. This was the club’s 10th title in its history — won far away in Riyadh.

    Tournament MVP: Issam Jebali

    The AFC Champions League Two 2025–26 Most Valuable Player award went to Issam Jebali.

    He was the heart of the attack throughout the knockout stage — the phase of the tournament where teams are eliminated after a single defeat. In the final, he topped it all off with the decisive assist. Wissing’s decision to move him into the attacking midfielder role paid off in the best possible way.

    Man of the Match

    Honestly, every single player on this team deserves a mention today. But if we have to choose one name, goalkeeper Rui Araki is the clear candidate.

    Ronaldo hit the post at one point. Araki made save after save to keep Al Nassr out and give his team the win.

    Of course, there are other worthy candidates too. Hümmet, who scored the only goal. Jebali, whose pass led directly to it. And Nakatani and Miura, who threw themselves in front of shot after shot throughout the match.

    The Unsung Hero: Masaaki Higashiguchi

    Araki guarded the goal in the final, but there is someone who must not be forgotten: club legend and goalkeeper Masaaki Higashiguchi.

    He started in goal for every match except the final. He kept Gamba in the competition with consistent, reliable performances all the way to the final. When the final came, he accepted a place on the bench — and every player in that dressing room understood how much he had contributed. Without him, this trophy does not exist.

    The Season’s Greatest Contributor

    Looking across the whole season, the single biggest reason for this success is head coach Jens Wissing.

    Five months into the job, he has delivered Gamba Osaka’s first title in 11 years. His most important tactical move was converting Jebali into an attacking midfielder.

    When Usami’s injury left him without a natural player in that position, Wissing turned to Jebali — a player who had struggled to settle into a clear role in previous seasons. The decision worked perfectly. Jebali became the team’s creative hub and delivered the crucial assist in tonight’s final. The club’s decision to appoint Wissing has been proved completely right.

    To the Away Supporters in Blue and Black

    Amid an unsettled situation in the Middle East, some Gamba Osaka supporters still made the long journey to Riyadh. They deserve the highest respect.

    Gamba Osaka is nothing without its supporters. They, alongside the players and the manager, are part of what made this title happen.

    A Night Written into Club History

    Gamba Osaka’s last Asian title came in 2008, when they won the AFC Champions League — Asia’s top continental club competition. Tonight’s AFC Champions League Two victory is the club’s first Asian trophy in 18 years.

    Their most recent domestic title was the 2015 Emperor’s Cup — Japan’s most historic national knockout cup competition, which is open to every club in the country, from J1 League professionals down to amateur sides. Wissing has ended an 11-year wait for silverware.

    Injuries hit Gamba hard throughout 2026. Yet the team stayed together and climbed to the top of Asia. That scoreline — 1–0 — will not look spectacular in the history books. But everyone who watched knows exactly what it took. This victory in Riyadh is now part of Gamba Osaka’s story forever.

    Glossary for first-time J-League fans:

    • AFC Champions League Two → Asia’s second-tier continental club competition (below the AFC Champions League Elite)
    • Knockout stage → The part of a tournament where teams are eliminated after one loss (also called the knock-out round or playoff round)
    • Defensive midfielder → A central midfielder whose main job is to protect the defence and win the ball back
    • Attacking midfielder → A central player who operates between midfield and the strikers, creating chances
    • Lone striker → A single centre-forward playing at the top of the team’s attacking shape
    • Counter-attack → Moving quickly from defence to attack right after winning the ball
    • Emperor’s Cup → Japan’s most historic national knockout cup competition, open to all clubs from top professionals to amateur teams
    • J1 League → Japan’s top professional football division

  • Lose Before the Final. Win the Title. That’s Gamba Osaka.

    May 16. History Is About to Be Made in Riyadh.

    Gamba Osaka will play in the AFC Champions League 2 (ACL2) final on May 16 local time — May 17, 3:15 AM Japan time. The ACL2 is a continental club competition organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). Think of it as Asia’s version of the UEFA Europa League.

    Their opponents are Saudi Arabian powerhouse Al Nassr. The match takes place at King Saud University Stadium — Al Nassr’s home ground.

    Al Nassr have some of the biggest names in world football. Their squad includes Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), Sadio Mané (Senegal), Kingsley Coman (France), Marcelo Brozović (Croatia), and João Félix (Portugal) — all former stars at Europe’s top clubs. In the group stage, Al Nassr won all six matches, scored 22 goals, and conceded just two. They have been almost unstoppable.

    Gamba have matched them step for step. They also won all six group stage matches. In the knockout rounds, they beat South Korean side Pohang Steelers, then Thai clubs Ratchaburi FC and Bangkok United — to book their place in the final.

    Now Gamba are chasing their 10th club title. Their previous nine are:

    • 2005 J1 League
    • 2007 Nabisco Cup (Japan’s domestic League Cup — a knockout competition for J1 clubs, now called the Levain Cup)
    • 2008 AFC Champions League
    • 2008 Emperor’s Cup (Japan’s oldest cup competition, open to both professional and amateur teams — similar to England’s FA Cup)
    • 2009 Emperor’s Cup
    • 2014 Nabisco Cup
    • 2014 J1 League
    • 2014 Emperor’s Cup
    • 2015 Emperor’s Cup

    A win on May 16 would also be Gamba’s first Asian title in 17 years, since their 2008 ACL triumph.

    Gamba Lost — Six Days Before the Final

    With six days until the ACL2 final, Gamba played a home match in Matchday 16 of the Meiji Yasuda J1 League — Japan’s top division — against Sanfrecce Hiroshima on May 10.

    They lost 0–1. A defeat, six days before the biggest game of their season.

    You’d be forgiven for worrying. But Gamba fans know something the rest of the world might not.

    Gamba Osaka almost always lose — or fail to win — the match right before they lift a trophy. And then they lift the trophy.

    This is not a coincidence. History proves it.

    2005 J1 League: First Title, After Three Straight Defeats

    Gamba’s trophy-winning story begins with the 2005 J1 League title.

    They started the season slowly. But from July, they went on a long winning run and climbed to the top of the table in September. It looked like they would hold on.

    They didn’t.

    In November, they lost three matches in a row. After the third defeat — against JEF United Chiba in Matchday 33 — Gamba dropped out of first place.

    Matchday 34 was the final day of the season. Five clubs still had a chance to win the title.

    Gamba beat Kawasaki Frontale. Meanwhile, league leaders Cerezo Osaka needed only a draw to be champions — but Yasuyuki Konno, a defensive midfielder from FC Tokyo (a man who would join Gamba himself seven years later), scored a last-minute equaliser. Cerezo drew. Gamba moved above them on points.

    The title was theirs.

    Three defeats in a row. Then a miraculous first championship.

    2007 Nabisco Cup: Lose on Saturday, Celebrate the Next Weekend

    The Nabisco Cup is Japan’s domestic League Cup. It is a knockout competition for J1 clubs, similar to England’s Carabao Cup. (The competition was renamed the Levain Cup in 2016.)

    In the 2007 Nabisco Cup final, Gamba faced Kawasaki Frontale.

    One week before the final — on October 27 — Gamba lost a league match to Shimizu S-Pulse.

    Then, on November 3, they walked out at the National Olympic Stadium (the old one, built for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics — not the current venue), beat Kawasaki 1–0, and lifted the trophy.

    2008 AFC Champions League: Beaten Mid-Week, Asian Champions by Month’s End

    In 2008, Gamba reached the AFC Champions League final for the first time. Their opponents were Australian club Adelaide United.

    Three days after losing to Shimizu S-Pulse in a league match on October 26, Gamba hosted Adelaide in the first leg of the final at home — and won 3–0.

    Three days after that, they returned to J1 League duty and were beaten heavily by FC Tokyo. Center back Sota Nakazawa was out with a back injury, so defensive midfielder Tomokazu Myojin had to step into the defensive line. The team was far from full strength.

    It didn’t matter. On November 12, Gamba flew to Australia for the second leg and won 2–0. The aggregate score was 5–0. Gamba Osaka were champions of Asia.

    2014 Nabisco Cup: The Fans Sang — and the Players Responded

    The 2014 season was Gamba’s first year back in J1 after spending a season in J2. (In Japan’s football pyramid, clubs are promoted to J1 or relegated to J2 based on their final league position. J2 is the second division, similar to England’s Championship.)

    Gamba chased league leaders Urawa Reds hard that season. But on November 2, they conceded a last-minute equaliser against Vegalta Sendai. It felt like a defeat.

    The Gamba fans inside the stadium did not boo. They did not panic. After the final whistle, they began to sing — chanting “Grab the cup!” — to lift the players.

    Six days later, Gamba faced Sanfrecce Hiroshima in the Nabisco Cup final. They went 0–2 down. Then they scored three goals and won 3–2. A stunning comeback.

    History Repeats Itself

    The pattern is clear. Before almost every Gamba title, the club loses — or at least fails to win — in the match immediately before the final.

    (There are some exceptions. Competitions like the Emperor’s Cup have many matches concentrated at the end of the year, so the pattern does not always apply there. But in the cases above, it holds almost every time.)

    The 0–1 loss to Sanfrecce Hiroshima on May 10 is not a reason for alarm.

    For fans who know Gamba’s history, it might actually feel like a good sign. Sound familiar? It should.

    Playing Al Nassr — a squad full of global superstars, on their own pitch, with their own fans — will not be easy.

    But Gamba Osaka did something very similar in 2008, in Australia, against Adelaide United. Now, under Head Coach Jens Wissing, they travel to Riyadh carrying 17 years of ambition.

    Gamba Osaka win when it matters. That is who they are.

    This article is written for overseas football fans who are new to the J.League.

  • What is the Emperor’s Cup?

    Introduction

    The Emperor’s Cup is the oldest football competition in Japan. Its full name is the Emperor’s Cup JFA Japan Football Championship. It is one of Japan’s three major domestic football titles, alongside the J1 League (Japan’s top professional football league) and the LEVAIN Cup (a domestic cup competition open only to J-League clubs).

    The Beginning: A Silver Cup from England

    The story of the Emperor’s Cup goes back to 1919. William Haigh, an assistant secretary at the British Embassy in Japan, put forward a special request. Thanks to his efforts, the Football Association (The FA) of England sent a solid silver cup to Japan. The idea was to create a national tournament in Japan, modelled on England’s FA Cup.

    This gift set things in motion. In 1921, the Dai-Nippon Football Association — now known as the Japan Football Association (JFA) — was founded. That same year, the first national tournament was held under the name “Association Football National Championship.” This was the birth of what we now call the Emperor’s Cup. The inaugural winners were Tokyo Football Club, and they received the trophy from the British Ambassador.

    In short, the Emperor’s Cup was born as Japan’s answer to England’s FA Cup. As of 2026, the competition is in its 106th edition — a record that speaks for itself.

    Why Is It Called the “Emperor’s Cup”?

    In 1947, Emperor Showa attended a football match between East and West Japan representative teams. This event led to a key decision. The Imperial Household Agency — the office that manages the Emperor’s affairs — agreed to present a cup to the JFA. From the 31st edition in 1951, the winning club officially received the Emperor’s Cup trophy, and the competition took on its current name.

    The name “Emperor’s Cup” also exists in other Japanese sports, such as rugby and judo. But the football Emperor’s Cup is the oldest, and it holds a special place in Japanese sport.

    How It Works: Why Upsets Happen So Often

    The Emperor’s Cup is a single-match knockout tournament. Lose once, and you are out. There are no draws — every game must produce a winner.

    This format is very different from a league competition, where teams play home and away matches across a full season, or from a two-legged tie such as those in the AFC Champions League Elite. In a one-game knockout, even a big gap in quality between two clubs does not guarantee the stronger side wins. Amateur teams and lower-league clubs can — and regularly do — beat big J1 clubs.

    A total of 88 teams take part. These include 20 clubs from the J1 League (Japan’s top flight), 20 clubs from the J2 League (the second division), 47 regional representatives — one from each of Japan’s 47 prefectures, selected through local qualifying rounds — and a number of university teams chosen as amateur seeds. The mix of professional and amateur clubs on the same stage is one of the things that makes the Emperor’s Cup unique.

    Past Winners: A Mirror of Japanese Football History

    The list of Emperor’s Cup winners tells the story of Japanese football itself.

    From the first edition through the early 1960s, university teams and amateur clubs dominated the competition. When the Japan Soccer League — the forerunner of the J-League — was founded in 1965, company-backed teams began to take over. Toyo Kogyo (now Sanfrecce Hiroshima), Furukawa Electric (now JEF United Ichihara Chiba), Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (now Urawa Red Diamonds), and Nissan Motors (now Yokohama F. Marinos) all won the cup during this era.

    Since the J-League launched as Japan’s professional football league in 1993, every Emperor’s Cup has been won by a J-League club.

    The competition has also produced some unforgettable moments. In the 1998 edition (the 78th), Yokohama Flügels — a club that was set to be dissolved at the end of the season due to financial difficulties — won the title in their final match as a club. The scenes of joy and heartbreak that followed moved fans across the whole country. Then in the 2022 edition (the 102nd), Ventforet Kofu, who had just finished 18th in the J2 League, beat one top-flight J1 club after another and claimed the trophy — and it genuinely caught the whole country off guard.

    The New Year’s Day Final — And Its Return in 2027

    For many years, the Emperor’s Cup final was played on January 1st — New Year’s Day. Starting the new year by crowning Japan’s best club at the National Stadium was a tradition that football fans across the country looked forward to each year.

    Over time, however, the New Year’s Day final became harder to hold. In years when the AFC Asian Cup was scheduled in January, the timing clashed with the Japan national team’s schedule. There were also concerns about giving players enough rest, and the end of the J-League season had to be considered. As a result, the final was moved to late December. The most recent New Year’s Day final was the 100th edition in 2020, when Kawasaki Frontale beat Gamba Osaka 1–0. The winning goal was scored by midfielder Kaoru Mitoma, who would later go on to make his name in Europe.

    Now, the New Year’s Day final is coming back. The final of the 106th edition (which begins in 2026) is scheduled for January 1st, 2027, at MUFG Stadium (Japan National Stadium) in Tokyo — the first time in six editions.

    The reason for the return is clear. From the 2026/27 season, the J-League switched from a spring-to-autumn calendar to an autumn-to-spring calendar. This means the New Year period is no longer the off-season — it falls in the middle of the season instead. As a result, scheduling the final on New Year’s Day is possible again.

    What Winning Means: A Ticket to Asia

    The Emperor’s Cup winner earns a place in an Asian club competition.

    In the past, the winning club received a spot in the AFC Champions League (now called the AFC Champions League Elite, or ACLE) — Asia’s top club competition.

    However, the rules changed from the 2024 edition (the 104th). Now, the Emperor’s Cup winner enters the AFC Champions League Two (ACL2), not the ACLE. A place in the ACLE instead goes to the club that finishes third in the J1 League.

    The ACL2 follows in the tradition of the former AFC Cup Winners’ Cup — a competition for domestic cup winners across Asia, similar to the old UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup in Europe. The spirit of that format lives on in the ACL2 today.

    As a recent example, FC Machida Zelvia, who won the 2025 Emperor’s Cup, earned a place in the ACL2 2026/27.

    Summary

    The Emperor’s Cup was born in 1921, inspired by England’s FA Cup. With more than 100 years of history, it remains one of Japanese football’s most important competitions — an open knockout tournament where professional and amateur clubs compete on the same stage. The New Year’s Day final tradition was on hold for several years, but it returns in 2027. And beyond the trophy itself, the prize is a place on the Asian stage. If you are new to Japanese football, this is a competition worth following.

  • [Explained] Why the J.League’s 2026/27 AFC Champions League Elite Slot Rules Got So Complicated

    The AFC Champions League Elite (ACLE) is the top club football competition in Asia. It is like the UEFA Champions League in Europe.

    Starting from the 2026/27 season, the ACLE rules have changed in a big way.

    But the rules for deciding which J.League clubs will play in it have become — honestly, almost absurdly — confusing. Many people are calling them the most complicated in the league’s history.

    Let me try to explain why, in the simplest way I can, for fans who are new to the J.League.

    First, the ACLE itself is changing

    Until now, the ACLE was split into two zones, East and West. A total of 24 clubs played in it.

    From the 2026/27 season, that number will grow to 32 clubs. The number of slots given to each country has also gone up.

    The J.League is one of the top leagues in the East zone. (The Saudi Pro League is the top in the West zone.) Because of that, the J.League has been given a large share of the slots.

    The new slot allocation looks like this:

    • Direct slots: 3 clubs
    • Indirect slots: 2 clubs (newly added)

    Those terms might be new to you, so here is a quick explanation.

    A direct slot means the club goes straight into the ACLE group stage.

    An indirect slot means the club has to start in a qualifying playoff. If they win the playoff, they move into the ACLE group stage. If they lose, they drop down to the group stage of the AFC Champions League Two (ACL2), which is a lower-level Asian tournament.

    The ACL2 is similar to the UEFA Europa League in Europe.

    So far, so good. This part is fairly simple.

    Where it gets tricky: the J.League’s own changes

    Here is where things start to get messy.

    More ACLE slots is great news on its own. But the J.League is in the middle of huge changes right now, and the timing is what makes the rules so hard to follow.

    There are two main reasons.

    Reason 1: The J.League is moving to a new season calendar

    From 2026, the J.League is switching to an “autumn–spring” calendar.

    Until now, J.League seasons ran from February to December — a “spring–autumn” calendar. The league is changing this to start in August and end in May, the same as most major European leagues.

    To fill the gap between the end of the 2025 season and the start of the new 2026/27 season, the J.League created a special one-off tournament. It is called the J.League 100 Year Vision League.

    This tournament runs from February to June 2026. All 20 J1 clubs are split into two regional groups (East and West) and play each other inside their group.

    Because it is not a normal league season, no clubs will be relegated to J2 based on the results. Instead, the promotion and relegation system uses the 2025 season’s standings to set the 2026/27 season.

    (Quick note: the J.League uses a pyramid-style promotion and relegation system. There are three tiers — J1 (the top), J2 (second tier), and J3 (third tier). Every year, the bottom clubs and the top clubs swap places between tiers.)

    But the winner of the 100 Year Vision League gets a special reward: a spot in the 2026/27 ACLE.

    So Japan’s ACLE representatives will not be decided only by the 2025 J1 standings. The 100 Year Vision League results matter too.

    Reason 2: Gamba Osaka could still win the ACL2

    There is one more factor: Gamba Osaka.

    Gamba Osaka are still in the running for the title of the current ACL2 (the 2025/26 season).

    If Gamba Osaka win that title, they earn a spot in next season’s ACLE — to be exact, one of the new indirect slots.

    That makes the slot picture even harder to predict.

    What is already confirmed

    I know, that is a lot to take in. Let’s pause and look at what we already know for sure.

    ClubCompetitionReason
    Kashima AntlersACLE (direct slot)2025 J1 League champions
    Kashiwa ReysolACLE (direct slot)2025 J1 League runners-up
    Kyoto SangaACLE (direct or indirect slot)2025 J1 League third place
    100 Year Vision League winnerACLE (direct slot)Winner of the 100 Year Vision League
    FC Machida ZelviaACL22025 Emperor’s Cup winners

    Two unfamiliar competition names appear in this table. Let me explain them quickly.

    The Emperor’s Cup is the oldest cup competition in Japanese football. Clubs from every level can enter it, from professional to amateur. It is a single-elimination knockout tournament. Think of it as Japan’s version of England’s FA Cup.

    Scenarios that are still uncertain

    Now we get to the truly tricky part. Several “what if” scenarios are still open.

    Case 1: Gamba Osaka win the ACL2

    Gamba Osaka take one of the ACLE indirect slots.

    Case 2: Gamba Osaka do not win the ACL2

    The runners-up of the 100 Year Vision League take that ACLE indirect slot instead.

    Case 3: The same club qualifies through more than one route

    For example, Kyoto Sanga already have a slot as the 2025 J1 third-placed club. But what if Kyoto also win the 100 Year Vision League? Then they would be holding two slots at once.

    When that happens, the empty slot is passed down to another club. The order is decided by the 2025 J1 standings and the 100 Year Vision League final positions.

    Case 4: FC Machida Zelvia move up to the ACLE

    Machida are already set to play in the ACL2 as the Emperor’s Cup winners. But if Machida also win the 100 Year Vision League, they move up to an ACLE direct slot.

    That leaves an empty ACL2 slot. The empty slot goes to Sanfrecce Hiroshima, because Hiroshima won the 2025 YBC Levain Cup.

    The YBC Levain Cup is the J.League’s own league cup competition. J1 and J2 clubs take part. It is similar to England’s EFL Cup (League Cup).

    A heads-up: not every scenario has been spelled out

    Truth be told, even the J.League’s official announcements do not cover every possible combination.

    For example, what happens if Gamba Osaka win the ACL2 and also win the 100 Year Vision League? That kind of overlapping case has not been fully explained yet.

    Because of that, it is very possible the J.League will release more announcements or corrections later.

    Summary

    The slot rules for the 2026/27 ACLE may be the most complex set of rules the J.League has ever had.

    Three things have come together to make them so complicated:

    • The ACLE has grown bigger, so the J.League gets more slots
    • The J.League is changing from a spring–autumn to an autumn–spring calendar, with the one-off “100 Year Vision League” sitting in between
    • Gamba Osaka still have a real chance of winning the ACL2

    The full list of Japanese clubs heading to the 2026/27 ACLE will not be clear until the 100 Year Vision League finishes in June.

    This is a turning point. The J.League is stepping into a new era. If you are even a little curious about Asian football, this is a great moment to start watching.

  • Gamba Osaka vs Al-Nassr — A Final Like No Other(ACL2)

    The Two Finalists Are Set

    The two clubs that will meet in the AFC Champions League 2 (ACL2) final for the 2025/26 season have been decided.

    The ACL2 is the second-biggest club competition run by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). It is similar to the UEFA Europa League in European football.

    From the East zone, Gamba Osaka (Japan, J1 League) advanced to the final. From the West zone, Al-Nassr (Saudi Arabia, Saudi Pro League) claimed their spot. The two clubs will face each other on May 16.

    Two Clubs From Very Different Worlds

    There is a huge gap between these two clubs in terms of financial size.

    Gamba Osaka’s total revenue for the 2024 season was approximately ¥7.2 billion (around $50 million / approx. €44 million). This ranked sixth in the entire J1 League — Japan’s top professional football division — and was the highest figure in the club’s history.

    Al-Nassr, on the other hand, is backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), a government-owned investment fund. The club’s estimated value in 2024 was around $1 billion (approx. ¥150 billion). Their reported annual player wage bill is approximately €364 million (approx. ¥60 billion / around $419 million). That is roughly 13 times Gamba Osaka’s entire annual revenue.

    Al-Nassr’s squad includes global superstars such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mané, and Kingsley Coman.

    Please note: Full financial details for both clubs are not always made public. The figures above are estimates based on available official reports and media sources.

    Group Stage: Both Clubs Won All Six Games

    In the group stage — a round-robin format where each club plays against all others in their group — both Gamba Osaka and Al-Nassr won all six of their matches. They started from the same point.

    However, once the knockout rounds began — where one loss ends your tournament — the two clubs took very different paths.

    Al-Nassr: Dominant and Unstoppable

    Al-Nassr showed consistent, powerful football through the Round of 16, the quarterfinals, and the semifinals.

    In the quarterfinals, they defeated Al-Wasl (UAE) 4–0. Ronaldo scored his first goal of the tournament, and manager Jorge Jesus’s side showed no weaknesses at all.

    In the semifinals, Kingsley Coman scored a hat-trick — three goals in a single match — as Al-Nassr crushed Al-Ahli (Qatar) 5–1.

    They dominated every opponent in the West zone.

    Gamba Osaka: Surviving Crisis After Crisis

    Gamba Osaka’s journey looked completely different. They won matches, but they were pushed to the edge again and again.

    Round of 16 vs. Pohang Steelers (South Korea)

    This round used a two-legged format — each club plays one home match and one away match, and the winner is decided by the total goals scored across both games. Gamba won one leg and drew the other to advance. But in the closing moments of the second leg, Pohang nearly scored a late equaliser. A VAR check — a video review by the Video Assistant Referee — ruled the goal out. Gamba survived by the narrowest of margins.

    Quarterfinals

    After both legs, the scores were level. The tie went to extra time — two additional 15-minute periods played when the match is still level after the standard 90 minutes. Gamba scored the winning goal in extra time to advance.

    Semifinals

    Gamba lost the first leg at home. But they turned it around in the away second leg, winning on aggregate — total goals over both matches — to reach the final. It was a true comeback from the edge of elimination.

    Two Opposites Meet in the Final

    The financial difference between these clubs is enormous. Their paths to the final have also been completely different.

    Al-Nassr brought a squad of superstars and won comfortably in each round. Gamba Osaka fought through difficult moments, relying on teamwork and never giving up.

    This final may be more than just a football match. It asks a deeper question about the sport: What can money buy — and what can it not?

    The final takes place on May 16. A J1 League club will face the big money of Asian football head-on.

    About ACL2: The AFC Champions League 2 launched in 2021 with a new format. Clubs from leagues across Asia compete through a group stage and then a knockout tournament. The highest-level club competition in Asian football is the AFC Champions League Elite (ACLE). The ACL2 sits one level below that.

  • ACL2 Semi-Final Second Leg: Gamba Osaka Fight Back to Reach the Final

    Bangkok United 0–3 Gamba Osaka (April 15, 2026)

    Gamba Osaka beat Bangkok United 3–0 in the second leg of the AFC Champions League 2 (ACL2) semi-final.

    What is ACL2? The ACL2 is a continental club competition in Asia. It is similar to the UEFA Europa League in Europe — the second-tier Asian club cup after the AFC Champions League Elite.

    Gamba had lost the first leg at home. To advance, they needed to win this away game by at least two goals. ACL2 semi-finals are decided on aggregate — the total score from both legs combined.

    A Difficult Situation Before Kick-Off

    Gamba faced serious problems before the match even started.

    Centre-back Shinnosuke NAKATANI was suspended. Right back Riku HANDA had also picked up an injury and left the pitch during the Osaka derby the previous weekend.

    Two young players stepped in to fill those roles. Rookie defender Ginjiro IKEGAYA — in his first professional season — started at right back. Takeru KISHIMOTO also came into the starting eleven. Both players carried heavy responsibility from the very first minute.

    Bangkok United, on the other hand, had rotated their entire squad in their league match over the weekend. They came into this game fresh and well-rested. In terms of fitness, the advantage was clearly with Bangkok.

    First Half: Jebali Takes Control

    Gamba dominated possession from the start. Bangkok sat back and looked to attack on the counter.

    In the 6th minute, Rin MITO fired a long-range shot from outside the penalty area — showing exactly the kind of aggressive, forward-thinking attitude that had been missing in the first leg.

    The opening goal arrived in the 19th minute. KISHIMOTO played a through ball into the box. Issam JEBALI received it with his back to goal, held off the defender, and laid it off to Deniz HUMMET. Ryoya YAMASHITA was there to tap in the rebound. The aggregate score was now level at 1–1.

    In the 35th minute, JEBALI was fouled inside the penalty area. After a VAR check — where the Video Assistant Referee reviews the footage to verify the decision — the referee awarded a penalty kick. The goalkeeper made the initial save, but JEBALI followed up and scored on the rebound to put Gamba 2–0 up on the night. Gamba now led 3–1 on aggregate and were through to the final.

    Gamba went into half-time leading 2–0. It was the perfect start.

    Second Half: Meshino Seals the Win

    Gamba kept pressing after the break.

    In the 82nd minute, JEBALI played a perfectly timed through ball in behind the defence. Ryotaro MESHINO calmly finished to make it 3–0 on the night. The win was complete.

    Man of the Match: Issam Jebali

    The standout player of the match was without question Issam JEBALI.

    • Goal 1: Held up the ball with his back to goal and set up YAMASHITA’s opener
    • Goal 2: Won the penalty and converted the rebound to score
    • Goal 3: Played the key through ball that set up MESHINO’s finish

    JEBALI was involved in all three goals and played the full 90 minutes. The Tunisian international striker was exceptional from start to finish.

    Into the Final — and Looking Ahead

    Gamba Osaka have reached the ACL2 final, scheduled for May 16. They are now just one win away from becoming Asian champions.

    One concern from this match was the physical nature of Bangkok United’s play. Rough challenges were a regular feature throughout the game. Fair play is what makes football enjoyable for everyone.

    Back in domestic football, Gamba have a J1 League home match on Sunday. The J1 League is Japan’s top professional football division. Six players who started tonight — including JEBALI, MITO, and goalkeeper Masaaki HIGASHIGUCHI — will need careful squad management before that game.

    Gamba Osaka’s run to the ACL2 final is proof that J.League clubs can compete — and win — at the highest level in Asia.