2004 AFC Champions League

;Group Stage A total of 28 clubs were divided into seven groups of four, based on region i.e. East Asian and Southeast Asian clubs were drawn in groups E to G, while the rest were grouped in groups A to D. Each club played double round-robin (home and away) against fellow three group members, a total of six matches each. Clubs received three points for a win, one for a draw, and zero for a loss. The clubs were ranked according to points and tie breakers were in the following order: • Points in head-to-head matches among the tied teams; • Goal difference in head-to-head matches among the tied teams; • Goals scored in head-to-head matches among the tied teams; • Goal difference in all group matches; • Goals scored in all group matches; The seven group winners along with the defending champion (Al Ain) advanced to the quarter-finals. ;Knockout stage An open draw was held for the knockout stage; teams from the same group or the same association could not be drawn against each other. Each tie is played on a home-and-away two-legged basis. The away goals rule, extra time and penalty shoot-outs were used to decide the winner if necessary. ==Teams==

For this year the competition was restricted to clubs from countries considered 'mature' in the 'Vision Asia' paper of AFC President Mohamed Bin Hammam, with clubs from 'developing' countries entering the newly created AFC Cup and 'emerging' nations to enter the AFC President's Cup from 2005 onwards. Mature countries • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Developing countries • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Emerging countries • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Qualified Teams ;Notes ==Group stage==

Group A Group B Group C Group D Group E Group F Group G ==Knock-out stage==

Bracket Quarter-finals The first legs were played on 14 and 15 September, and the second legs were played on 21 and 22 September 2004. Matches Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors won 5–1 on aggregate. ---- Al-Ittihad won 2–1 on aggregate. ---- Pakhtakor won 5–1 on aggregate. ---- Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma won 11–2 on aggregate. Semifinals The first legs were played on 19 and 20 October, and the second legs were played on 26 and 27 October 2004. Matches Al-Ittihad won 4–3 on aggregate. ---- Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma won 2–0 on aggregate. Final The first leg was played on 24 November, and the second leg was played on 1 December 2004. Matches Al-Ittihad won 6–3 on aggregate. == See also ==