The Newcastle Jets 2026-27 AFC Champions League Elite League Stage match details have been confirmed following last nights draw
Tuesday night’s draw in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, has confirmed the Newcastle Jets fixtures for the 2026-27 AFC Champions League Elite. The Club is set to host Gamba Osaka(Japan) Shanghai Port FC (China), Kashiwa Reysol (Japan) and Johor Darul Ta’zim (Malaysia), whilst we will travel to face Kashima Antlers (Japan), Kyoto Sanga F.C. (Japan), Vissel Kobe (Japan) and Beijing FC (China).
Due to the unavailability of Newcastle Stadium, our ACLE home tie against Kashiwa Reysol will take place at Central Coast Stadium (Gosford). This is the case as it is the nearest ground that meets AFC requirements.
Jets Members will receive priority ticket access to our ACLE home matches – with both single tickets and bundled packages available. Full ticketing information including on-sale dates for the Jets home matches will be communicated shortly.
Matchday One:
Opponent: Kashima Antlers
Venue: Kashima Soccer Stadium, Kashima, Japan
Date/Local Time: 15th September 2026, 7pm
Founded in 1947, Kashima Antlers are one of the biggest clubs in Japan, having won 9 J-League 1 titles, 5 Emperors Cups, and one AFC Champions League title in 2018. Key players include Japanese forward Yuma Suzuki, who has played over 300 games for Kashima, contributing 150 goals/assists. Brazilian forward Léo Ceará will also be a threat, having won two J-League 1 Top Scorer awards across his time in Kashima. Legendary Brazilian midfielder Zico has also called Kashima home, playing 66 times between 1992 and 1994.
The Club has played Kashima Antlers one previously, with the Japanese side prevailing 4-1 in the 2019 Asian Champions League play-off round
Matchday Two:
Opponent: Gamba Osaka
Venue: Newcastle Stadium, Newcastle, Australia
Date/Local Time: Tuesday 13th October, 6:45pm
Gamba Osaka come into the tournament as the reigning AFC Champions League Two champions, having previously won the AFC Elite tournament in 2008. Gamba could bring a very familiar face to Newcastle, having signed Eli Adams from the Jets in early July. Former Japanese international Yasuhito EndĹŤ has previously represented Gamba Osaka, playing over 700 times for the ‘Nerazzurri’, as well as playing 152 times for Japan.
Matchday Three:
Opponent: Kyoto Sanga F.C.
Venue: Kyoto Stadium, Kyoto, Japan
Date/Local Time: Tuesday 27th October, 7pm
Kyoto Sanga qualified for the 2026-27 AFC Champions League Elite for the first time ever as a result of finishing 3rd in the 2025 J-League 1 league table. Kyoto have previously lifted two J-League 2 titles, as well as one Emperors Cup in 2002. Former Central Coast Mariners favourite Marco TĂşlio currently plies his trade in Japan’s imperial ancient capital city, whilst former Manchester United and South Korean star Park Ji-sung started his career in Kyoto.
Matchday Four:
Opponent: Shanghai Port FC
Venue: Newcastle Stadium, Newcastle, Australia
Date/Local Time: Tuesday, 3rd November, 6:45pm
Shanghai Port are the reigning Chinese Super League champions, having lifted four league titles in total alongside one Chinese FA Cup. 46-cap Socceroo and former Melbourne Victory coach Kevin Muscat leads ‘The Red Eagles’, with Brazilian forward Leo Souza looking to be one of their biggest threats, having contributed 96 goals/assists in 124 Chinese Super League games. Former Chelsea midfielder Oscar spent eight years with Shanghai, playing just shy of 250 games for them.
Matchday Five:
Opponent: Kashiwa Reysol
Venue: Central Coast Stadium, Gosford, Australia
Date/Local Time: Tuesday 24th November, 6:45pm
Kashiwa Reysol qualifed for the 2026-27 AFC Champions League Elite as a result of finishing second in the 2025 J-League 1. They have lifted 1 J-League 1 title and 3 Emperors Cups previously. Mao Hosoya looks to be one of Kashiwa’s biggest threats, having played over 200 games for the club at the age of 24, as well as scoring 3 times in 9 caps for the Japanese national team.
Matchday Six:
Opponent: Vissel Kobe
Venue: Kobe City Misaki Park Stadium, Kobe, Japan
Date/Local Time: Tuesday 1st December, 7pm
Three-time J-League 1 winners Vissel Kobe enter as one of the most dominant Japanese clubs in recent history, with all three of their titles coming since 2023. Current manager Michael Skibbe has twice been named as the J-League 1 Manager of the season. Former Montpellier defender Matheus Thuler calls Kobe home, playing close to 150 games for them. Spanish football and Barcelona legend Andrés Iniesta played 134 times for Vissel Kobe following his departure from the Catalan club.
Matchday Seven:
Opponent: Johor Darul Ta’zim FC
Venue: Newcastle Stadium, Newcastle, Australia
Date/Local Time: Tuesday 9th February, 7pm
Johor is one of the most successful clubs in Malaysia, having won 12 Malaysian Super League titles as well as 1 AFC Cup (now AFC Champions League Two). Former Leeds, Aston Villa and Perth Glory defender Shane Lowry currently plays for Johor, lifting four league titles with them. 52-cap former Argentina international Pablo Aimar has previously played for Johor, as well as two-time UEFA Champions League winner and former Real Madrid and PSG player JesĂ© RodrĂguez.
Matchday Eight:
Opponent: Beijing FC
Venue: Workers’ Stadium, Beijing, China
Date/Local Time: Tuesday 16th February, 6pm
Beijing FC (also known as Beijing Guoan FC) have lifted one Chinese Super League title, as well as six Chinese FA Cups. Their current Head Coach, Nick Montgomery, lifted an A-League Championship during his time with the Central Coast Mariners, having also coached Hibernian in Scotland before taking the top job at Beijing FC. Newcastle Jets record goal-scorer Joel Griffiths played 90 times for Beijing FC, winning a Chinese Super League during his time with them.
The Club has previously played Beijing twice during the 2009 AFC Champions League, with Beijing winning 2-0 in Beijing whilst the Jets prevailed 2-1 in Newcastle thanks to a 94th minute winner from Sean Rooney.
