The 2017 Arab Club Championship was the 27th season of the Arab World's inter-club football tournament organised by UAFA, and the first season since it was renamed from the UAFA Club Cup to the Arab Club Championship. The competition was won by Tunisian club Espérance de Tunis, who defeated Jordanian side Al-Faisaly 3–2 after extra time in the final to secure a joint-record third title.

Allocation of entries

The following team entries allocation was announced by the Union of Arab Football Associations on 20 June 2016. Each association was given entry either to the qualifying play-off or to the group stage based on the FIFA World Ranking of the associations on 2 June 2016. Only teams who were champions or runners-up of either their nation's league or one of their nation's cup competitions were allowed to participate in the tournament.

Participation for 2017 Arab Club Championship
Allocated group stage slot(s)
Allocated qualifying play-off slot
Did not participate
Asia Zone
RankMember AssociationSlots
Asia Zone Rank Member Association Slots Group stage Qualifying play-off Zone All Play-off round Prelim. round 2 Prelim. round 1 1 5 Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia 2 0 0 0 2 6 United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates 1 0 0 0 3 7 Jordan Jordan 1 0 0 0 4 8 Qatar Qatar 0 0 0 0 5 9 Oman Oman 0 1 0 0 6 10 Syria Syria 0 1 0 0 7 11 Iraq Iraq 0 1 0 0 8 12 Palestine Palestine 0 0 1 0 9 16 Bahrain Bahrain 0 0 0 1 10 17 Kuwait Kuwait 0 0 0 0 11 18 Lebanon Lebanon 0 0 0 1 12 20 Yemen Yemen 0 0 0 0 Total 4 3 1 2 6 10Africa Zone Rank Member Association Slots Group stage Qualifying play-off Zone All Play-off round Prelim. round 2 Prelim. round 1 1 1 Algeria Algeria 1 0 0 0 2 2 Egypt Egypt 2 0 0 0 3 3 Tunisia Tunisia 1 0 0 0 4 4 Morocco Morocco 1 0 0 0 5 13 Mauritania Mauritania 0 1 0 0 6 14 Libya Libya 0 0 0 0 7 15 Sudan Sudan 0 0 1 0 8 19 Comoros Comoros 0 0 0 1 9 21 Djibouti Djibouti 0 0 0 1 10 22 Somalia Somalia 0 0 0 1 Total 5 1 1 3 5 10
Group stageQualifying play-off
ZoneAllPlay-off roundPrelim. round 2Prelim. round 1
15Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia2000
26United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates1000
37Jordan Jordan1000
48Qatar Qatar0000
59Oman Oman0100
610Syria Syria0100
711Iraq Iraq0100
812Palestine Palestine0010
916Bahrain Bahrain0001
1017Kuwait Kuwait0000
1118Lebanon Lebanon0001
1220Yemen Yemen0000
Total4312
6
10
RankMember AssociationSlots
Group stageQualifying play-off
ZoneAllPlay-off roundPrelim. round 2Prelim. round 1
11Algeria Algeria1000
22Egypt Egypt2000
33Tunisia Tunisia1000
44Morocco Morocco1000
513Mauritania Mauritania0100
614Libya Libya0000
715Sudan Sudan0010
819Comoros Comoros0001
921Djibouti Djibouti0001
1022Somalia Somalia0001
Total5113
5
10

Notes

Teams

The following 20 teams from 18 associations entered the competition.

Asia Zone
TeamQualifying methodAppLast App
Asia Zone Team Qualifying method App Last App Group stage entrants Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal 2015–16 Saudi Professional League runners-up 9th 2004–05 Saudi Arabia Al-Nassr 2016 King Cup runners-up 5th 2012–13 United Arab Emirates Al-Wahda 2015–16 UAE League Cup winners 1st none Jordan Al-Faisaly 2015–16 Jordan League runners-up 12th 2008–09 Play-off round entrants Oman Fanja 2015–16 Oman Professional League champions 3rd 1989 Syria Al-Jaish 2015–16 Syrian Premier League champions 7th 2006–07 Iraq Naft Al-Wasat 2015–16 Iraqi Premier League runners-up 1st none Preliminary round 2 entrants Palestine Shabab Al-Khalil 2015–16 West Bank Premier League champions 1st none Preliminary round 1 entrants Bahrain Al-Riffa 2015–16 Bahraini King's Cup runners-up 8th 2007–08 Lebanon Al-Ahed 2015–16 Lebanese Premier League runners-up 2015–16 Lebanese FA Cup runners-up 2nd 2004–05Africa Zone Team Qualifying method App Last App Group stage entrants Algeria NA Hussein Dey 2015–16 Algerian Cup runners-up 4th 2004–05 Egypt Al-Ahly 2015–16 Egyptian Premier League champions 2016 Egypt Cup runners-up 7th 2003–04 Egypt Zamalek 2016 Egypt Cup winners 2015–16 Egyptian Premier League runners-up 6th 2006–07 Tunisia Espérance de Tunis 2015–16 Tunisian Cup winners 2015–16 Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 runners-up 7th 2008–09 Morocco Fath Union Sport 2015–16 Botola champions 2015 Coupe du Trône runners-up 1st none Play-off round entrants Mauritania FC Tevragh-Zeina 2015–16 Ligue 1 Mauritania champions 2016 Coupe du Président de la République winners 2nd 2012–13 Preliminary round 2 entrants Sudan Al-Merrikh 2016 Sudan Premier League runners-up 10th 2008–09 Preliminary round 1 entrants Comoros Volcan Club 2015 Comoros Premier League champions 2016 Coupe des Comores winners 1st none Djibouti ASAS Djibouti Télécom 2015–16 Djibouti Premier League champions 2016 Djibouti Cup winners 1st none Somalia Dekedaha 2015–16 Somali First Division runners-up 1st none
Group stage entrants
Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal2015–16 Saudi Professional League runners-up9th2004–05
Saudi Arabia Al-Nassr2016 King Cup runners-up5th2012–13
United Arab Emirates Al-Wahda2015–16 UAE League Cup winners1stnone
Jordan Al-Faisaly2015–16 Jordan League runners-up12th2008–09
Play-off round entrants
Oman Fanja2015–16 Oman Professional League champions3rd1989
Syria Al-Jaish2015–16 Syrian Premier League champions7th2006–07
Iraq Naft Al-Wasat2015–16 Iraqi Premier League runners-up1stnone
Preliminary round 2 entrants
Palestine Shabab Al-Khalil2015–16 West Bank Premier League champions1stnone
Preliminary round 1 entrants
Bahrain Al-Riffa2015–16 Bahraini King's Cup runners-up8th2007–08
Lebanon Al-Ahed2015–16 Lebanese Premier League runners-up 2015–16 Lebanese FA Cup runners-up2nd2004–05
TeamQualifying methodAppLast App
Group stage entrants
Algeria NA Hussein Dey2015–16 Algerian Cup runners-up4th2004–05
Egypt Al-Ahly2015–16 Egyptian Premier League champions 2016 Egypt Cup runners-up7th2003–04
Egypt Zamalek2016 Egypt Cup winners 2015–16 Egyptian Premier League runners-up6th2006–07
Tunisia Espérance de Tunis2015–16 Tunisian Cup winners 2015–16 Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 runners-up7th2008–09
Morocco Fath Union Sport2015–16 Botola champions 2015 Coupe du Trône runners-up1stnone
Play-off round entrants
Mauritania FC Tevragh-Zeina2015–16 Ligue 1 Mauritania champions 2016 Coupe du Président de la République winners2nd2012–13
Preliminary round 2 entrants
Sudan Al-Merrikh2016 Sudan Premier League runners-up10th2008–09
Preliminary round 1 entrants
Comoros Volcan Club2015 Comoros Premier League champions 2016 Coupe des Comores winners1stnone
Djibouti ASAS Djibouti Télécom2015–16 Djibouti Premier League champions 2016 Djibouti Cup winners1stnone
Somalia Dekedaha2015–16 Somali First Division runners-up1stnone

Notes

Venues

The following three venues were chosen to host all matches from the group stage onwards.

AlexandriaAlexandria
Borg El Arab StadiumAlexandria Stadium
Capacity: 86,000Capacity: 13,660
CairoCairoAlexandria
Al Salam Stadium
Capacity: 30,000

Schedule

The schedule of the competition was as follows.

StageRoundDate
Qualifying play-offRound 114 September 2016 – 4 March 2017
Round 2
Play-off round
Group stageMatchday 122 July – 6 August 2017
Matchday 2
Matchday 3
Knockout stageSemi-finals
Final

Qualifying play-off

The qualifying play-off was held between 14 September 2016 and 4 March 2017. The three winners of the play-off round advanced to the group stage to join the nine direct entrants.

Preliminary round 1

Asia Zone

Team 1Agg.Tooltip Aggregate scoreTeam 21st leg2nd leg
Al-Riffa Bahrain1–5Lebanon Al-Ahed0–11–4

Africa Zone

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsDJIDEKVOL
1Djibouti ASAS Djibouti Télécom (H)20201102—1–10–0
2Somalia Dekedaha20201102——0–0
3Comoros Volcan Club20200002———

Notes

Preliminary round 2

Team 1Agg.Tooltip Aggregate scoreTeam 21st leg2nd leg
Asia Zone
Al-Ahed Lebanon3–0Palestine Shabab Al-Khalil1–02–0
Africa Zone
ASAS Djibouti Télécom Djibouti1–2Sudan Al-Merrikh1–10–1

Play-off round

Team 1Agg.Tooltip Aggregate scoreTeam 21st leg2nd leg
Asia Zone
Al-Jaish Syria0–1Iraq Naft Al-Wasat0–00–1
Al-Ahed Lebanon6–1Oman Fanja2–14–0
Africa Zone
FC Tevragh-Zeina Mauritania2–3Sudan Al-Merrikh0–12–2

Group stage

From the group stage onwards, the tournament was held in Egypt in the cities of Cairo and Alexandria. Twelve teams participated in the group stage, divided into three groups. The draw for the groups took place on 5 May 2017 in Cairo. The top team of each group along with the best runner-up advanced to the semi-finals.

Tiebreakers
points obtained in all group matches;goal difference in all group matches;number of goals scored in all group matches. If two or more teams were to be equal on the basis of the above three criteria, their rankings would have been determined as follows: points obtained in the group matches between the teams concerned.
  • Times listed are UTC+2.

Group A

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Jordan Al-Faisaly330041+39Advance to knockout stage
2Egypt Al-Ahly320142+26
3Algeria NA Hussein Dey31023303
4United Arab Emirates Al-Wahda300316−50
NA Hussein Dey Algeria2–0United Arab Emirates Al-Wahda
Addadi 11' Gasmi 45+1'
Al-Ahly Egypt0–1Jordan Al-Faisaly
Al-Rawashdeh 55'
Al-Faisaly Jordan1–0Algeria NA Hussein Dey
Mendy 52'
Al-Wahda United Arab Emirates0–2Egypt Al-Ahly
32' Barakat 84' Mohareb
Al-Wahda United Arab Emirates1–2Jordan Al-Faisaly
Batna 41'76' Łukasz 90+2' Zuway
Al-Ahly Egypt2–1Algeria NA Hussein Dey
Gomaa 74' (pen.) Barakat 90+2'61' Boulaouidet

Group B

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Morocco Fath Union Sport312073+45Advance to knockout stage
2Lebanon Al-Ahed312032+15
3Egypt Zamalek31114404
4Saudi Arabia Al-Nassr301227−51
Al-Nassr Saudi Arabia1–1Lebanon Al-Ahed
Al-Shehri 37'49' Diop
Zamalek Egypt2–2Morocco Fath Union Sport
Morsy 43' (pen.) Shikabala 65'8', 89' Diakité
Fath Union Sport Morocco4–0Saudi Arabia Al-Nassr
Fouzair 11', 29' (pen.), 32' (pen.) El-Bahraoui 60'
Al-Ahed Lebanon1–0Egypt Zamalek
Zreik 84'
Al-Ahed Lebanon1–1Morocco Fath Union Sport
Haidar 54' (pen.)45' Ait Khoursa
Zamalek Egypt2–1Saudi Arabia Al-Nassr
Emam 1' Hamdy 37'11' Pereira

Group C

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Tunisia Espérance de Tunis330062+49Advance to knockout stage
2Sudan Al-Merrikh311134−14
3Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal302156−12
4Iraq Naft Al-Wasat301235−21
Naft Al-Wasat Iraq0–1Tunisia Espérance de Tunis
83' Khenissi
Al-Merrikh Sudan1–1Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal
Al-Madina 71'26' Al-Dawsari
Al-Hilal Saudi Arabia2–2Iraq Naft Al-Wasat
Al-Qahtani 52' Zabani 58'45+2' Ahmed 80' Sadir
Espérance de Tunis Tunisia2–0Sudan Al-Merrikh
Badri 21', 70'
Espérance de Tunis Tunisia3–2Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal
Matri 45' Jouini 58' Chaalali 74'49' Al-Yami 60' Al-Rashidi
Al-Merrikh Sudan2–1Iraq Naft Al-Wasat
Abdul-Rahman 23' (pen.) Osunwa 89'2' Ahmed

Ranking of second-placed teams

The highest ranked second-placed team from the groups advanced to the knockout stage; the rest were eliminated.

PosGrpTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1AEgypt Al-Ahly320142+26Advance to knockout stage
2BLebanon Al-Ahed312032+15
3CSudan Al-Merrikh311134−14

Knockout stage

Matches were determined by a random draw.

Semi-finalsFinal
2 August – Alexandria
Egypt Al-Ahly1
6 August – Alexandria
Jordan Al-Faisaly2
Jordan Al-Faisaly2
3 August – Alexandria
Tunisia Espérance de Tunis (a.e.t.)3
Morocco Fath Union Sport1
Tunisia Espérance de Tunis (a.e.t.)2

Semi-finals

Al-Ahly Egypt1–2Jordan Al-Faisaly
Oualid Azaro 90+9'26' Mendy 37' (o.g.) Fathy
Fath Union Sport Morocco1–2 (a.e.t.)Tunisia Espérance de Tunis
Semmoumy 28'47' Chemmam 95' (pen.) Khenissi

Final

Al-Faisaly Jordan2–3 (a.e.t.)Tunisia Espérance de Tunis
Zuway 72' Attiah 88'46', 54' Bguir 101' Dhaouadi

Top scorers

Statistics exclude qualifying rounds.

RankPlayerClubGoals
1Morocco Mohamed FouzairMorocco Fath Union Sport3
2Egypt Amr BarakatEgypt Al-Ahly2
Iraq Ziyad AhmedIraq Naft Al-Wasat
Libya Akram ZuwayJordan Al-Faisaly
Senegal Dominique MendyJordan Al-Faisaly
Lebanon Mohamad HaidarLebanon Al-Ahed
Ivory Coast Lamine DiakitéMorocco Fath Union Sport
Nigeria Kelechi OsunwaSudan Al-Merrikh
Sudan Bakri Al-MadinaSudan Al-Merrikh
Tunisia Anice BadriTunisia Espérance de Tunis
Tunisia Saad BguirTunisia Espérance de Tunis
Tunisia Taha Yassine KhenissiTunisia Espérance de Tunis

Prize money

UAFA announced that the winner will receive $2.5 million, while $600,000 will go to the runner-up and the losing semi-finalists will each get $200,000.

Media

The tournament gained international coverage for being the first football tournament to be broadcast live on Twitter, with all 21 matches from the group stage and knockout stage being shown for free on the competition's official Twitter account.

Broadcasting

TerritoryChannel
EgyptONTV
Saudi ArabiaAl-Riyadiah
United Arab EmiratesAbu Dhabi TV

Notes

External links

  • (in Arabic)