PLDC - Kuala Lumpur, Iran has received four direct spots in the next edition of the AFC Champions League.

Iran, Japan, South Korea and Saudi Arabia are the only countries that will have four direct spots in the 2014 AFC Champions League. So in the next edition of the Champions League (which will start on February 8, 2014), Iran will have the following teams in the tournament: Sepahan, Esteghlal, Tractor Sazi, and Foolad.

The Asian Football Confederation has also announced that for the next three years, Eastern and Western teams won't meet until the semi-finals of the Champions League.

The following is a list of the Champions League spots allocated for each country:

WEST
Iran: 4 direct spots
Saudi Arabia: 4 direct spots
UAE: 3 plus 1 playoff spot
Qatar: 2 plus two playoff spots
Uzbekistan: 1 plus two playoff spots
Jordan, Oman, Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait: each get one playoff spot

EAST
Japan: 4 direct spots
Korea Republic: 4 direct spots
China: 3 plus one playoff spot
Australia: 2 plus one playoff spot
Thailand: 1 plus two playoff spots
Singapore, Hong Kong, Vietnam, India: one playoff spot each

*note: a playoff spot means that the club will have to qualify for the Champions League by playing another playoff contestant

By: Arman Tamjidi