Recently relegated Tokyo Verdy will face the South Korean K-League's champion team in the group stage of the 2006 Asian Champions League, the Japan Football Association said Thursday.
The announcement came after the Asian Football Confederation held a drawing to divide 28 teams into seven groups. Verdy, which booked a place in Asia's premier club tournament by winning the Emperor's Cup on New Year's Day this year but was relegated from the J. League last weekend, is in Group F.
The winner of the J. League championship, to be decided Saturday, is in Group E, which includes the 2005 Korea F.A. Cup winner and China's Dalian Shide.