After almost 20 years, the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) has brought its Club Championship competition back to life with the announcement of the Shopee Cup.
Two teams each from Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam and one each from the Philippines and Singapore will qualify directly for the tournament.
The champions of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar will then compete for the remaining two group-stage spots with matches beginning on 17 July.
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The Lion City Sailors, which is bankrolled by the owners of Shopee, have already confirmed their participation.
Across the Causeway, champions Johor Darul Ta’zim have indicated that they will not be taking part though.
The 12 teams will be drawn into two groups, where they will play home-and-away matches in a single round-robin format.
The top two from each group progressing to the two-legged semi-finals.
The final will be a two-legged affair and the champions crowned on 21 May 2025.
Said Seamus O’Brien, President and Chairman of the Board of SPORTFIVE, “With the rise of ASEAN to the world’s fifth largest economy in recent decades, combined with the undying passion of ASEAN football fans, now all bound together in our contemporary digital landscape, makes this a truly significant occasion for the sport.
“We look forward to collaborating with our colleagues at the AFF and our partners at Shopee to bring this event to the hearts and minds of consumers and fans across ASEAN.”
The partnership between AFF and Shopee was concluded by the AFF’s exclusive commercial partner, SPORTFIVE, and also includes Shopee becoming a Presenting Partner of the AFF’s other major ASEAN Championships.
Said Zhou Jun Jie, Chief Commercial Officer of Shopee, “The Shopee Cup presents an opportunity for us to connect with fans across the Southeast Asia region and engage with the youth demographic.
“Through this, we look forward to introducing the Shopee brand to new audiences and staying in touch with existing shoppers, in an entertaining and fun way.”
Further details about the competition format, the Shopee Cup season 2024/25 schedule and participating clubs will be provided at the Official Draw to be held in the first week of May, with the date and venue to be announced.
When the tournament was last held in 2005, Tampines Rovers emerged champions after defeating Pahang.
MAIN PHOTOS: DETIK, LION CITY SAILORS