In a draw ceremony held in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday, Foolad Khuzestan was pitted against last year’s AFC Champions League runner-up Al Hilal, and Locomotiv of Uzbekistan in Group C.
Iranian popular team Persepolis has been drawn alongside Saudi champion Nassr and Qatari Stars League winner Lekhwiya in Group A in another tough looking pool.
Another Iranian representative Tractor Sazi has been paired with Saudi Arabian Al Ahli and Uzbekistan’s Nasaf in Group D.
AFC Champions League winner Western Sydney Wanderers will face an early repeat of its bad-tempered quarter-final win over Chinese champion Guangzhou Evergrande in Group H.
Groups:
Group A: Nassr (KSA), Lekhwiya (QAT), Persepolis (IRI), Winner play-off 3 (West)
Group B: Pakhtakor (UZB), Al Shabab (KSA), Al Ain (UAE), Winner play-off 2 (West)
Group C: Foolad Khuzestan (IRI), Lokomotiv (UZB), Al Hilal (KSA), Winner play-off 4 (West)
Group D: Al Ahli (KSA), Tractor Sazi Tabriz (IRI), Nasaf (UZB), Winner play-off 1 (West)
Group E: Jeonbuk Hyundai (KOR), Shandong Luneng (CHN), Binh Duong (VIE), Winner play-off 2 (East)
Group F: Gamba Osaka (JPN), Seongnam FC (KOR), Buriram United (THA), Winner play-off 3 (East)
Group G: Brisbane Roar (AUS), Japan second club, Suwon Bluewings (KOR), Winner play-off 4 (East)
Group H: Guangzhou Evergrande (CHN), Western Sydney Wanderers (AUS), Japan third club, Winner play-off 1 (East)
The dates for the matches are yet to be released.