1996–97 Asian Club Championship

The Asian Club Championship 1996-97 was the 16th edition of the annual international club football competition held in the AFC region (Asia). It determined that year's club champion of association football in Asia.

Pohang Steelers of South Korea won the final and became Asian champions for the first time.

First round

West Asia

Team 1	Agg.	Team 2	1st leg	2nd leg
FK Neftchy Farg'ona	8-2	Pamir Dushanbe	4-1	4-1
AiK Bishkek	3-6	Yelimay Semipalatinsk	2-4	1-2
Köpetdag Aşgabat	0-1	Persepolis FC	0-0	0-1
Al-Kazma	10-1	Dhofar	9-0	1-1
West Riffa	w/o3	Al-Nejmeh	2-1	0-3
Al-Nasr	w/o4	Al-Sharjah
Al-Rayyan	bye
Al-Zawraa	bye

¹ West Riffa withdrew.
² Al-Sharjah withdrew.

East Asia

Team 1	Agg.	Team 2	1st leg	2nd leg
Shanghai Shenhua	9-2	Instant-Dict FC	7-1	2-1
Công an Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh	1-2	Johor FC	0-1	1-1(aet)
JCT FC	2-2(4-2p)	New Road Team	1-1	1-1
PSM Makassar	1-4	Pohang Steelers	1-0	0-4
New Radiant	1-0	Pettah United SC	1-0	n/p1
Yokohama Marinos	w/o2	GD Artilheiros
Cheonan Ilhwa Chunma	bye
Thai Farmers Bank FC	bye

¹ The 2nd leg was cancelled due to political violence in Sri Lanka.
² GD Artilheiros withdrew.

Second round

West Asia

Team 1	Agg.	Team 2	1st leg	2nd leg
Al-Zawraa	3-1	FK Neftchy Farg'ona	1-0	2-1
Yelimay Semipalatinsk	3-5	Persepolis FC	3-0	0-5
Al-Nejmeh	1-4	Al-Nasr	1-0	0-4
Al-Kazma	1-2	Al-Rayyan	0-1	1-1

East Asia

Team 1	Agg.	Team 2	1st leg	2nd leg
Cheonan Ilhwa Chunma	1-0	Shanghai Shenhua	0-0	1-0
Yokohama Marinos	3-1	Johor FC	2-0	1-1
JCT FC	1-2	New Radiant	1-0	0-2
Thai Farmers Bank FC	1-5	Pohang Steelers	1-3	0-2

Quarterfinals

West Asia

Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
Persepolis FC	3	2	0	1	6	5	+1	6
Al-Zawraa	3	1	1	1	3	2	+1	4
Al-Nasr	3	1	1	1	4	4	0	4
Al-Rayyan	3	1	0	2	3	5	−2	3

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East Asia

Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
Cheonan Ilhwa Chunma	3	2	1	0	12	2	+10	7
Pohang Steelers	3	1	2	0	8	2	+6	5
Yokohama Marinos	3	1	1	1	14	5	+9	4
New Radiant	3	0	0	3	0	25	−25	0

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Semifinals

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Third place match

Final

Champions

Asian Club Championship 1996-97 Pohang Steelers First Title

References

• Asian Club Competitions 1997 at RSSSF.com

Asian Club Championship and AFC Champions League Asian Champion Club Tournament era, 1967–1971 Seasons 1967 1969 1970 1971 Finals 1967 1969 1970 1971 Asian Club Championship era, 1985–86–2002 Seasons 1985–86 1986 1987 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 Finals 1967 1969 1970 1971 1986 1986 1987 1989 1990 1991 1991 1993 1994 1995 1995 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 Champions League era, 2002–present Seasons 2002–03 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Finals 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014   Other merges with the Champions League Asian Cup Winners' Cup, 1990–2002 Seasons 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 Asian Super Cup, 1995–2002 Seasons 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 History Finals Records and statistics Winning managers