Current A-League leaders Melbourne Victory have drawn a difficult group for next season's Asian Champions League. The Victory have drawn South Korea's Seongnam Ilhwa, Chinese Super League champions Beijing Guoan and J-League outfit Kawasaki Frontale in Group E of the competition that kicks off early next year.

The A-League's other side in the competition - last season's runners-up Adelaide United - also drew a tough group alongside China's Shandong Luneng, defending Asian Champions Pohang Steelers and the soon to be advised winner of Japan's Emperors Cup (held on January 1).

The top two teams from each group will progress to the round of 16, a one-off elimination match before the finals begin.

The 32 teams in the AFC's premier event were assigned to eight groups of four, split into West and East zones, with all opponents playing each other at home and away.