The AFC’s marquee competition was expanded from 16 to 24 teams which saw the Philippines and Kyrgyz Republic making their debuts while Vietnam and India’s heroic performances were commended.

The positive impact of the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 will see the AFC Champions League from the 2021 season expanded to 40 clubs, further growing the reputation of one of the richest Continental club competitions in the world.

Dato’ Windsor John said the additional teams in the AFC Champions League will further elevate the development of the sport in the Continent.

Al Sadd came close to recording the greatest comeback the competition has ever seen but their 4-2 win was ultimately not enough as Al Hilal advanced 6-5 on aggregate, while Urawa sealed their place in the main event after a 1-0 victory secured a 3-0 aggregate scoreline. The-AFC.com looks back at the facts and figures that caught the eye in the semi-final match-ups.

Relief, regrets, and revenge following two rollercoaster matches in Riyadh and Guangzhou. Here's the post-match reaction from some of the key men involved.

Japan climbed three positions up to 28th spot, followed by Korea Republic, who fell two rungs down to 39th.

Australia's position remained unchanged at 44th, while Qatar were one of the biggest movers, surging five spots up to 57th to complete Asia's top five.

Iraq and Thailand also moved five spots up to 74th and 109th respectively after convincing performances in the recent Asian Qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and AFC Asian Cup China 2023.

The preliminary joint qualifying action resumes on November 15.

UAE 2019 was a resounding success with 24 teams competing for honours with Qatar ultimately emerging champions after defeating Japan 3-1 in the final.

The Post Tournament Report provides a comprehensive breakdown of the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019.

POST TOURNAMENT REPORT

TECHNICAL REPORT AND STATISTICS

UAE 2019 IN NUMBERS

UAE 2019 - THE PASSION AND THE GLORY (PHOTOBOOK)

As the players head back to their clubs and the national team head coaches start planning for the November International Window - when two more Matchdays will be held - the-AFC.com picks five takeways from Tuesday.