After the recent AFC Inspiring League Forum which focused on sustainable financial models in club football the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has written to its Member Associations reminding them that clubs with any outstanding payments by August 31, 2017, will face exclusion from the AFC Champions League in 2018.
The Confederation reminded Member Associations that any club applying for a license to compete in next season’s AFC Champions League must clear all overdue payments which are owed either to clubs in respect of transfer activity, players, employees or to tax/social authorities, which is non-negotiable.
It means that Clubs have until the last day of August to demonstrate that the overdue amounts have been fully settled, deferred by mutual agreement or are the subject of a serious complaint which has been submitted to a competent authority.
The Confederation has asked the Member Associations to investigate the matter and provide AFC with an update by August 15, 2017, and also provide the AFC with a comprehensive list of all overdue amounts by the same date. This move is intended to promote financial discipline among football clubs in Asia.