Thomas Lyte and the AFC collaborated to create the most prestigious prize in Asian club football. Joining a comprehensive and illustrious trophy cabinet, the AFC Champions League Elite Trophy is an impressive, visually stunning piece of master craftsmanship.
Thomas Lyte, renowned designers and makers of elite sporting trophies, designed and handcrafted the AFC Champions League Elite Trophy, the most prestigious award in Asian club football. Unveiled to the world in August 2024, this highly coveted silverware represents the pinnacle of achievement in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC)’s elite men’s club competitions, marking a significant milestone in the sporting body’s history.
Royal Warrant Holders as silversmiths and goldsmiths to The Late Queen Elizabeth II, Thomas Lyte has designed, made and restored some of Asia’s top football awards, including the AFC Asian Cup and the AFC Women’s Asian Cup.
Standing at 70cm tall, The AFC Champions League Elite trophy stands out as the pinnacle of a new suite of trophies, designed and made by Thomas Lyte, to be lifted across the top tournaments in Asian continental club football. This family of trophies also includes the AFC Women’s Champions League trophy, the AFC Champions League Two trophy, and the AFC Challenge League trophy.
A stunning masterpiece that symbolises both the essence of Asian heritage and pinnacle of football achievement, the new AFC Champions League Elite (ACL Elite) trophy was unveiled during the official League Stage draw ceremony of the inaugural 2024/25 season at the InterContinental Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia by the AFC Competitions Committee Chairperson, Dr. Tran Quoc Tuan.
Thomas Lyte and the Asian Football Confederation focused on designing trophies with iconic and recognisable silhouettes, resulting in exceptional pieces. Our team of skilled craftspeople at our workshops in London used their diverse talents to create a beautiful trophy, which will be presented for the first time at the end of the 2024-25 season.
Elements of the Continent’s rich cultural tapestry have been elegantly incorporated into its classic vase form, with the motif of the lotus flower at its heart – a powerful emblem of the growth, strength and resilience that thrives throughout Asia, a motif also prominently reflected in the AFC Asian Cup trophy.
This hammered design creates a strong visual link to the tournament’s ACL Two counterpart, emphasising their interconnected nature.
The tournament name is intricately wire-eroded around the lip of the ACL Elite trophy, further enhancing its sophisticated and modern design, while the champion club names will be engraved on the large, closed-curve square base.
Once fully assembled, the entire trophy weighs 12kg. A proud Thomas Lyte example of a mastery in traditional design, modern aesthetic and innovative manufacturing.
Announced in 2024 and poised to elevate the pinnacle stage of the Asian club game to even greater heights in the coming years, the ACL Elite will crown its inaugural winners from the 24 teams that were involved in the League Stage draw on Friday.
The tournament is divided into two leagues of 12 teams across the West and East regions, with each team to play against eight different opponents within its region in the form of four home and four away matches. The top eight teams from each league progress to the Round of 16, which will be followed by a unique centralised Finals where all matches from the Quarter-finals onwards are contested in one country, with the 2024/25 tournament hosted in Saudi Arabia.
Over a billion football fans are expected to follow the thrilling showdowns in the ACL Elite, which will see the clubs being supported by significant increases in financial distribution.
Teams in the League Stage take home a minimum of USD 800,000, while the champions are guaranteed to receive at least USD 12 million.
Thomas Lyte and the AFC have enjoyed a long-standing relationship, working side by side to create the top awards in multiple competitions across Asia. In addition to the AFC Champions League Elite trophy, we are designers and makers of the AFC Asian Cup, AFC Women’s Asian Cup trophy, AFC Champions League Two trophy, AFC Women’s Champions League trophy, AFC Challenge League trophy (coming soon), the (now retired) AFC Champions League trophy, and the AFC Player of the Year Awards.
Internationally, we are honoured to be the makers of the Emirates FA Cup as part of our partnership with The FA, and are the makers of the CONCACAF Champions League trophy, another of global football’s most coveted prizes.
Our team make the conceivable possible, while preserving traditional skills, pioneering modern methods, and promoting authentic British craft across the globe. Combining the latest technologies with centuries of knowledge, Thomas Lyte’s silver workshops in London, England house world-class facilities for an elite team of designers and makers, masters of their craft. Learn about 3D printing, electroforming and other new technologies that our team have introduced to our sustainable handcrafting process.
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Materials. Hallmarked Sterling Silver
Workshop Processes. Chasing, Hammering, Polishing, Piercing, Soldering
Thomas Lyte are the proud designers and makers of the AFC Champions League Elite Trophy, the most prestigious award in Asian club football.
Explore these fast facts about the Elite award in the AFC football family.
