The 2009 AFC Champions League - Asia's premier club competition - saw Pohang Steelers through to UAE after the club from Korea Republic beat Al Ittihad 2-1 in the final in Tokyo on 7 November.

The 2009 CAF Champions League involved 32 of Africa's premier clubs battling it out over two legs in the hunt for a berth to UAE 2009. In the end, Tout Puissant Mazembe of Democratic Republic of Congo reigned supreme after a nervy 1-0 defeat of Heartland of Nigeria.

The 2008/09 UEFA Champions League - Europe's premier club competition - saw Barcelona through to UAE after the Spanish giants beat Mancheser United 2-0 in the final in Rome on 27 May.

CONCACAF Champions League 2009
The new-look CONCACAF Champions League featured four groups of four teams with eight teams contesting the knockout stages. Mexico's Atlante defeated fellow Mexican club Cruz Azul 2-0 on aggregate in the final played during April and May.

O-League 2009
The OFC Champions League in Oceania featured two groups of three. Waitakere United (New Zealand), Auckland City FC (New Zealand) and Port Vila Sharks (Vanuatu) comprise Group A and Koloale (Solomon Islands), Ba (Fiji) and Hekari Souths (Papua New Guinea) make up Group B. The winners of each group met in a two-legged final to decide the region's champion, with Auckland City defeating Koloale FC 9-4 on aggregate

Argentina's Estudiantes will represent CONMEBOL at UAE 2009 after winning the 50th edition of the Copa Libertadores on 15 July. Los Pincharratas beat Cruzeiro of Brazil 2-1 on aggregate in the final.

UAE League 2009
The winner of the UAE Football League (UFL) will qualify automatically to the 2009 FIFA Club World Cup. The final matchday of the competition takes place on 23 May 2009*.

* If a UAE team wins the AFC Champions League, the host representative team will be replaced by the highest placed non UAE team of the AFC Champions League.