The AFC Women’s Champions League heralds a new era for women’s football in Asia. It’s crowning glory was handcrafted in 2024 by London-based master gold and silversmith’s Thomas Lyte, exhibiting specialist multidisciplinary craftsmanship.
Thomas Lyte are the designers and makers of the AFC Women’s Champions League Trophy for one of the most evolutionary competitions in Asia. This new era for women’s football required a landmark showpiece. Our team of master craftspeople exhibit their accomplished multidisciplinary approach to create a beautiful trophy, to be presented for the first time at the conclusion of the 2024-25 season.
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.
The latest milestone in the evolution of women’s football in Asia was fittingly marked by the reveal of the stunning new AFC Women’s Champions League trophy.
The exquisite silverware was unveiled at the official draw ceremony for the Preliminary Stage and Group Stage for the maiden 2024/25 season by AFC Women’s Football Committee Chairperson, Ms. Kanya Keomany, with Japanese icon Mana Iwabuchi in attendance.
The trophy was crafted using a multitude of techniques, and stands at an impressive 650mm in height. Initially developed as a flowing 3D design, each section of the trophy is 3D printed and subsequently electroformed. Electroforming is a process using electrodeposition to form, or ‘grow’, metal onto an object.
The iconic letters that appear on the trophy’s plinth were wire eroded in brass, a procedure that guarantees meticulous precision. Prior to their application to the plinth, the letters and the individual elements of the trophy are plated in silver, before full assembly by the experienced hands of our master silversmiths.
Once fully assembled, the entire trophy weighs 12.25kg. A proud Thomas Lyte example of a mastery in traditional design, modern aesthetic and innovative manufacturing.
The AFC Women’s Champions League is a new competition for the 2024/25 season, with a creative format featuring 21 of the best teams in the AFC. Held at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, the draw decided four groups for 13 of the 21 teams. The group games are then played in a centralised league format, with the four group winners qualifying for the Group Stage. These teams will join the other eight clubs – that have qualified directly to the Group Stage – which comprises three groups of four teams.
The top two finishers of each group and the two best third-placed sides will progress to the Quarter-finals. A Knockout Stage draw will be conducted to determine the four single-leg Quarter-final pairings, which will be followed by single-leg the Semi-finals and subsequently, the Final.
With an attractive prize purse on offer, the first ever champions will not only raise the dazzling trophy, but can also expect to be rewarded with at least USD1.3 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 Women’s Champions League, we are designers and makers of the AFC Asian Cup, AFC Women’s Asian Cup trophy, the 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. Resin, Silver Plate
Workshop Processes. 3D Printing, Electroforming, Spinning, Filing, Sanding, Polishing, Plating, Piercing
Thomas Lyte are honoured to be the designers and makers of the AFC Women’s Champions League trophy, a new award for a landmark competition.
Take a glance at these fast facts about the newest member of the AFC Women’s football family.
