2023–24 AFC Cup
Tournament details
DatesQualifying:
8–23 August 2023
Competition proper:
18 September 2023 – 5 May 2024
TeamsCompetition proper: 36 Total (maximum): 65 (from 37 associations)
Tournament statistics
Matches played18
Goals scored48 (2.67 per match)
Top scorer(s)Brazil Marco Túlio (8 goals)

The 2023–24 AFC Cup is the 19th and last edition of the AFC Cup, Asia's secondary club football tournament organized by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). From the 2024–25 season, the AFC Cup will be discontinued,[1] and the AFC Champions League 2 and AFC Challenge League will be introduced as Asia's second and third-tier club tournaments respectively.[2]

This is the first and only AFC Cup season to have a two-year (autumn-to-spring) schedule, instead of an all-year-round (spring-to-autumn) schedule.[3]

Al-Seeb were the title holders, having won their first AFC Cup title in 2022. However, they will not be able to defend their title on failing to advance through their domestic top division league.

The winners of the tournament will automatically qualify for the 2024–25 AFC Champions League Elite, entering the qualifying play-offs, if they have not qualified through their domestic performance.[4]

Association team allocation

The 47 AFC member associations are ranked based on their club's performance over the last four years in AFC competitions (their national team's FIFA World Rankings are no longer considered).[5] The slots are allocated by the following criteria according to the Entry Manual:[6]

Reallocation of Regions

  • Excluding the top five associations in each region for AFC Champions League slot allocation, all other associations are eligible to enter the AFC Cup.
  • The teams from associations ranked 6th, 11th and 12th which are eliminated in the AFC Champions League qualifying play-offs enter the AFC Cup group stage (Article 3.2). The following rules are applied:
    • The associations ranked 6th in both the West Region and the East Region, while allocated one direct slot in the AFC Cup group stage without taking away any direct slot from other associations, are not ranked in each zone for AFC Cup slot allocation (Article 5.3).[7]
    • If they advance to the AFC Champions League group stage, the AFC Cup group stage slot is filled by the standby team from their association if such team are available (Article 5.12).
    • The rules above do not apply to the AFC Champions League title holders and AFC Cup title holders which are allocated AFC Champions League play-off slots should they not qualify for the tournament through domestic performance.
  • In the West Asia Zone and the ASEAN Zone, there are three groups in the group stage, including 9 direct slots, with the 3 remaining slots filled through qualifying play-offs (Article 5.2). The slots in each zone are distributed as follows:
    • The associations ranked 1st to 3rd are each allocated two direct slots.
    • The associations ranked 4th to 6th are each allocated one direct slot and one play-off slot.
    • The associations ranked 7th or below are each allocated one play-off slot.
    • If any zone has an association ranked 6th for AFC Champions League slot allocation, which is allocated one direct slot in the AFC Cup group stage, there are 10 direct slots, with the 2 remaining slots filled through qualifying play-offs.
  • In the South Asia Zone, the Central Asia Zone, and the East Asia Zone, there is one group in the group stage, including 3 direct slots, with the 1 remaining slot filled through qualifying play-offs (Article 5.2). The slots in each zone are distributed as follows:[8]
    • The associations ranked 1st to 3rd are each allocated one direct slot and one play-off slot.
    • The associations ranked 4th or below are each allocated one play-off slot.
    • If any zone has an association ranked 6th for AFC Champions League slot allocation, which is allocated one direct slot in the AFC Cup group stage, there are 4 direct slots, and to ensure equal opportunity in each zone, another group is added to this zone in the group stage, with the 4 remaining slots filled through qualifying play-offs (Article 5.4.1).
    • If any zone has at least 7 play-off slots, to ensure equal opportunity in each zone, another group is added to this zone in the group stage, with the 5 remaining slots filled through qualifying play-offs (Article 5.4.2).
  • If any association with direct slots do not fulfill any one of the AFC Cup criteria, they have all their direct slots converted into play-off slots. The direct slots given up are redistributed to the highest eligible association by the following criteria (Articles 5.7 and 5.8):
    • For each association, the maximum number of total slots is two (Articles 3.4 and 3.5).
    • If any association is allocated one additional direct slot, one play-off slot is annulled and not redistributed.
  • If any association with only play-off slot(s), including those mentioned above, do not fulfill the minimum AFC Cup criteria, the play-off slot(s) are annulled and not redistributed (Articles 5.10 and 5.11).
  • For each association, the maximum number of total slots is one-third of the total number of eligible teams (excluding foreign teams) in the top division (Article 5.6). If this rule is applied, any direct slots given up are redistributed by the same criteria as mentioned above, and play-off slots are annulled and not redistributed (Article 9.10).
  • All participating teams must be granted an AFC Champions League or AFC Cup license, and, apart from cup winners, finish in the top half of their top division (Articles 7.1 and 9.5). If any association does not have enough teams which satisfy this criteria, any direct slots given up are redistributed by the same criteria as mentioned above, and play-off slots are annulled and not redistributed (Article 9.9).
  • If any team granted a license refuses to participate, their slot, either direct or play-off, is annulled and not redistributed (Article 9.11).

Association ranking

For the 2023–24 AFC Cup, the associations are allocated slots according to the November 2021 AFC club competitions ranking,[9][10][11] which takes into account their performance in the AFC Champions League and the AFC Cup during the period between 2018 and 2021.[2020]

Participation for 2023–24 AFC Cup
Participating
Not participating
Notes
  1. ^
    Competition in 2020: The 2020 season is not included in the overall ranking due to the cancellation of the remaining matches in the 2020 AFC Cup caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
  2. ^
    AFC Licensing (AFC): Association did not have a licensed club.[12]
  3. ^
    Jordan (JOR): Jordan are ranked 6th in the West Region for AFC Champions League allocation, and thus are allocated one direct slot in the AFC Cup group stage without taking away any direct slot from other associations.
  4. ^
    Vietnam (VIE): Vietnam are ranked 6th in the East Region for AFC Champions League allocation, and thus are allocated one direct slot in the AFC Cup group stage without taking away any direct slot from other associations.

Teams

Notes
  1. ^
    Iraq (IRQ): The 2022–23 Iraqi Premier League champions Al-Shorta were not granted an AFC license, therefore league runners-up and 2022–23 Iraq FA Cup winners Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya will participate in the AFC Champions League group stage.[12] The only other licensed Iraqi clubs, Al-Zawraa and Al-Kahrabaa, will therefore participate in the AFC Cup.[13]
  2. ^
    Syria (SYR): Al-Fotuwa, the 2022–23 Syrian Premier League champion, won 1–0 against Tishreen, the 2021–22 Syrian Premier League champion, in an additional playoff match.[14]
  3. ^
    Myanmar (MYA): Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Myanmar, the 2022 General Aung San Shield was not held. Instead, the runners-up of the 2022 Myanmar National League will participate in the AFC Cup play-off round.
  4. ^
    Nepal (NEP): Church Boys United, the 2023 Martyr's Memorial A-Division League champions, failed to obtain an AFC license. Instead, the runners-up, Machhindra will participate in the AFC Cup preliminary stage.
  5. ^
    Palestine (PLE): Hilal Al-Quds, the 2022–23 West Bank Premier League runner-up, failed to obtain an AFC license. Instead, the third place, Shabab Al-Khalil will participate in the AFC Cup play-off stage.

Schedule

The schedule of the competition is as follows.[15]

Stage Round Draw date First leg Second leg
Preliminary stage Preliminary round 1 No draw 8 August 2023
Preliminary round 2 15–16 August 2023
Play-off stage Play-off round 22–23 August 2023
Group stage Matchday 1 24 August 2023 18–21 September 2023
Matchday 2 2–5 October 2023
Matchday 3 23–26 October 2023
Matchday 4 6–9 November 2023
Matchday 5 27–30 November 2023
Matchday 6 11–14 December 2023
Knockout stage Zonal semi-finals 28 December 2023 12–13 February 2024 (A)
12–13 February 2024 (W) 19–20 February 2024 (W)
Zonal finals 22 February 2024 (A)
16 April 2024 (W) 23 April 2024 (W)
Inter-zone play-off semi-finals 6–7 March 2024 13–14 March 2024
Inter-zone play-off final 17 April 2024 24 April 2024
Final 5 May 2024
Notes
  • A = ASEAN
  • C = Central Asia
  • E = East Asia
  • S = South Asia
  • W = West Asia

Qualifying play-offs

Preliminary round 1

A total of two teams played in the preliminary round 1.

Team 1  Score  Team 2
South Asia Zone
Machhindra Nepal 3–2 Bhutan Paro

Preliminary round 2

Team 1  Score  Team 2
South Asia Zone
Mohun Bagan SG India 3–1 Nepal Machhindra
Dhaka Abahani Bangladesh 2–1 Maldives Club Eagles
Team 1  Score  Team 2
Central Asia Zone
Merw Mary Turkmenistan 1–0 Kyrgyzstan Alay Osh
Team 1  Score  Team 2
ASEAN Zone
Phnom Penh Crown Cambodia 3–0 Laos Young Elephants
Yangon United Myanmar 2–1 Brunei DPMM

Play-off round

Team 1  Score  Team 2
West Asia Zone
Al-Khaldiya Bahrain 2–3 Oman Al-Nahda
Al-Ittihad Syria 2–1 State of Palestine Shabab Al-Khalil
Team 1  Score  Team 2
South Asia Zone
Mohun Bagan SG India 3–1 Bangladesh Dhaka Abahani
Team 1  Score  Team 2
Central Asia Zone
Khujand Tajikistan 1–2 Turkmenistan Merw Mary
Team 1  Score  Team 2
ASEAN Zone
Tampines Rovers Singapore 2–3 Cambodia Phnom Penh Crown
PSM Makassar Indonesia 4–0 Myanmar Yangon United
Team 1  Score  Team 2
East Asia Zone
Monte Carlo Macau 1–2 Chinese Taipei Taichung Futuro

Group stage

The draw for the group stage was held on 24 August 2023 at AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The 36 teams were drawn into nine groups of four teams: three groups each in the West Asia Zone (Groups A–C) and the ASEAN Zone (Groups F–H), one group in the Central Asia Zone (Groups E), and one group each in the South Asia Zone (Group D) and the East Asia Zone (Group I). For each zone, teams were seeded into four pots and drawn into the relevant positions within each group, based on their association ranking and their seeding within their association, in consideration of technical balance between groups. Teams from the same association in zones with more than one group (West Asia Zone and ASEAN Zone) could not be drawn into the same group.

Group A

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification ALN AHD FUT JAB
1 Oman Al-Nahda 4 3 0 1 6 4 +2 9 Zonal semi-finals 2–1 2–1 4–0
2 Lebanon Al Ahed 4 2 0 2 5 5 0 6 2–1 2–1 23 Oct
3 Syria Al-Fotuwa 4 1 0 3 3 5 2 3 0–1 1–0 27 Nov
4 State of Palestine Jabal Al-Mukaber 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Withdrew[lower-alpha 1] 12 Dec 6 Nov 1–0
Source: AFC
Notes:
  1. On 26 November 2023, Jabal Al-Mukaber announced their withdrawal from the competition due to the Israel war against Hamas.[16]

Group B

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification KAH WHD KSC ITT
1 Iraq Al-Kahrabaa 6 4 1 1 10 5 +5 13 Zonal semi-finals 3–1 0–0 3–1
2 Jordan Al-Wehdat 6 3 1 2 10 7 +3 10 3–1 1–1 2–0
3 Kuwait Al-Kuwait 6 1 4 1 5 5 0 7 0–1 2–1 1–1
4 Syria Al-Ittihad 6 0 2 4 3 11 8 2 0–2 0–2 1–1
Source: AFC

Group C

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification RIF ZWR ARA NEJ
1 Bahrain Al-Riffa 6 4 1 1 15 5 +10 13 Zonal semi-finals 1–1 2–1 6–1
2 Iraq Al-Zawraa 6 3 2 1 11 7 +4 11 2–1 1–2 4–1
3 Kuwait Al-Arabi 6 2 2 2 6 8 2 8 0–3 1–1 0–0
4 Lebanon Nejmeh 6 0 1 5 4 16 12 1 0–2 1–2 1–2
Source: AFC

Group D

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification ODI BDK MBSG MAZ
1 India Odisha 6 4 0 2 17 12 +5 12 Inter-zone play-off semi-finals 1–0 0–4 6–1
2 Bangladesh Bashundhara Kings 6 3 1 2 10 10 0 10 3–2 2–1 2–1
3 India Mohun Bagan SG 6 2 1 3 11 11 0 7 2–5 2–2 2–1
4 Maldives Maziya 6 2 0 4 9 14 5 6 2–3 3–1 1–0
Source: AFC

Group E

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification ABD ALT MRW RAV
1 Kyrgyzstan Abdysh-Ata Kant 6 5 1 0 18 6 +12 16 Inter-zone play-off semi-finals 3–0 8–3 1–0
2 Turkmenistan Altyn Asyr 6 3 1 2 7 9 2 10 2–4 1–0 1–1
3 Turkmenistan Merw Mary 6 0 3 3 6 13 7 3 1–1 1–2 1–1
4 Tajikistan Ravshan Kulob 6 0 3 3 2 5 3 3 0–1 0–1 0–0
Source: AFC

Group F

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification MAC CRO DHC SHN
1 Australia Macarthur FC 6 5 0 1 23 5 +18 15 Zonal semi-finals 5–0 8–2 4–0
2 Cambodia Phnom Penh Crown 6 4 0 2 15 7 +8 12 3–0 4–0 4–0
3 Philippines DH Cebu 6 1 1 4 4 19 15 4[lower-alpha 1] 0–3 0–3 1–0
4 Myanmar Shan United 6 1 1 4 3 14 11 4[lower-alpha 1] 0–3 2–1 1–1
Source: AFC
Notes:
  1. 1 2 Ranked on head-to-head points: DH Cebu 4, Shan United 1.

Group G

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification CCM TFC BUF STA
1 Australia Central Coast Mariners 6 4 1 1 21 7 +14 13 Zonal semi-finals 1–1 6–3 9–1
2 Malaysia Terengganu 6 3 3 0 10 6 +4 12 1–0 2–0 2–2
3 Indonesia Bali United 6 2 1 3 15 15 0 7 1–2 1–1 5–2
4 Philippines Stallion Laguna 6 0 1 5 9 27 18 1 0–3 2–3 2–5
Source: AFC

Group H

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification SAB HFC PSM HOU
1 Malaysia Sabah 6 4 0 2 19 9 +10 12 Zonal semi-finals 4–1 1–3 3–1
2 Vietnam Haiphong 6 3 1 2 13 9 +4 10[lower-alpha 1] 3–2 3–0 4–0
3 Indonesia PSM Makassar 6 3 1 2 10 12 2 10[lower-alpha 1] 0–5 1–1 3–1
4 Singapore Hougang United 6 1 0 5 6 18 12 3 1–4 2–1 1–3
Source: AFC
Notes:
  1. 1 2 Ranked on head-to-head points: Haiphong 4, PSM Makassar 1.

Group I

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification FUT ULA TAI CPK
1 Chinese Taipei Taichung Futuro 6 4 0 2 8 8 0 12[lower-alpha 1] Inter-zone play-off semi-finals 1–2 2–1 1–0
2 Mongolia Ulaanbaatar 6 4 0 2 7 7 0 12[lower-alpha 1] 0–2 3–1 1–0
3 Chinese Taipei Taiwan Steel 6 3 0 3 15 12 +3 9 5–1 3–0 4–2
4 Macau Chao Pak Kei 6 1 0 5 6 9 3 3 0–1 0–1 4–1
Source: AFC
Notes:
  1. 1 2 Ranked on head-to-head goal difference: Taichung Futuro +1, Ulaanbaatar –1

Ranking of runner-up teams

West Asia Zone

Pos Grp Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 A Lebanon Al Ahed 4 2 0 2 5 5 0 6 Zonal semi-finals
2 C Iraq Al-Zawraa 4 1 2 1 5 5 0 5
3 B Jordan Al-Wehdat 4 1 1 2 6 7 1 4
Source: AFC

ASEAN Zone

Pos Grp Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 F Cambodia Phnom Penh Crown 6 4 0 2 15 7 +8 12 Zonal semi-finals
2 G Malaysia Terengganu 6 3 3 0 10 6 +4 12
3 H Vietnam Haiphong 6 3 1 2 13 9 +4 10
Updated to match(es) played on 30 November 2023. Source: AFC

Knockout stage

In the knockout stage, the 11 teams will play a single-elimination tournament. Each tie was played on a home-and-away two-legged basis, except the ASEAN Zone's semi-finals, ASEAN Zone's final and the final which will be played as a single match. Extra time and penalty shoot-out will be used to decide the winners if necessary (note that the away goals rule is abolished). (Regulations Article 11.3).

The draw for the Zonal finals and the Inter-zone play-off semi-finals will be held on 28 December 2023, 14:00 MYT (UTC+8), at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Bracket

Zonal semi-finals

In the Zonal semi-finals, the four qualified teams from the West Asia Zone (Groups A–C) play in two ties, and the four qualified teams from the ASEAN Zone (Groups F–H) play in two ties, with the matchups and order of legs determined by the group stage draw and the identity of the best runners-up.

Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
West Asia Zone
Al-Riffa Bahrain West SF1 Oman Al-Nahda 12 Feb '24 19 Feb '24
Al Ahed Lebanon West SF2 Iraq Al-Kahrabaa 13 Feb '24 20 Feb '24
Team 1  Score  Team 2
ASEAN Zone
Macarthur FC Australia 13 Feb '24 Malaysia Sabah
Central Coast Mariners Australia 13 Feb '24 Cambodia Phnom Penh Crown

Zonal finals

Draw for the Zonal finals was held on 28 December. In the Zonal finals, the two winners of West Asia Zonal semi-finals play each other, with the order of legs decided by draw. The two winners of ASEAN Zonal semi-finals play each other, with the host decided by draw. The winners of the West Asia Zonal final advances to the final, while the winners of the ASEAN Zonal final advance to the Inter-zone play-off semi-finals.

Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
West Asia Zone
TBD TBD 16 Apr '24 23 Apr '24
Team 1  Score  Team 2
ASEAN Zone
TBD 22 Feb '24 TBD

Inter-zone play-off semi-finals

Draw for the Inter-zone play-off semi-finals was held on 28 December. In the Inter-zone play-off semi-finals, the four zonal winners other than the West Asia Zone play in two ties (the winners of the South Asia Zone (Group D), the winners of the Central Asia Zone (Group E), the winners of the East Asia Zone (Group I), and the winners of the ASEAN Zonal final. The matchups and order of legs will be decided by draw.

Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Abdysh-Ata Kant Kyrgyzstan Chinese Taipei Taichung Futuro 6 Mar '24 13 Mar '24
ASEAN Zone Champion India Odisha 7 Mar '24 14 Mar '24

Inter-zone play-off final

In the Inter-zone play-off final, the two winners of the Inter-zone play-off semi-finals will play each other, with the order of legs determined by the Inter-zone play-off semi-final draw. The winners of the Inter-zone play-off final advance to the final.

Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
TBD TBD 17 Apr '24 24 Apr '24

Final

In the final, the winners of the West Asia Zonal final and the winners of the Inter-zone play-off final will play each other, with the host team (winners of the West Zone) alternated from the previous season's final.

Top scorers

  Team eliminated / inactive for this round.
  Player is not in the team but team still active for this round.
Rank Player Team MD1 MD2 MD3 MD4 MD5 MD6 ZSF1 ZSF2 ZF1 ZF2 ISF1 ISF2 IF1 IF2 F Total
1 Brazil Marco Túlio Australia Central Coast Mariners FC 3 2 1 2 8
2 Japan Shintaro Shimizu Cambodia Phnom Penh Crown 1 3 2 1 7
3 Malaysia Darren Lok Malaysia Sabah 2 2 1 1 6
Macau Niki Torrão Macau Chao Pak Kei 2 4
5 Chinese Taipei Ange Kouamé Chinese Taipei Taiwan Steel 1 3 1 5
6 Senegal Mourtada Fall India Odisha FC 2 1 1 4
France Valère Germain Australia Macarthur FC 1 2 1
Bahrain Hashim Sayed Isa Bahrain Al-Riffa 1 1 2
Serbia Đorđe Maksimović Singapore Hougang United FC 2 1 1
Kyrgyzstan Kayrat Zhyrgalbek uulu Kyrgyzstan Abdysh-Ata Kant 1 1 2


See also

2024–25 competitions

References

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