Top Qs
Timeline
Chat
Perspective
2022 AFC Cup
19th secondary club football tournament organized by the AFC From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Remove ads
The 2022 AFC Cup was the 19th edition of the AFC Cup, Asia's secondary club football tournament organized by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
This season was the last in an all-year-round (spring-to-autumn) schedule; from 2023 the competition was switched to an autumn-to-spring schedule.[2]
Bahraini club Al-Muharraq were the title holders, having won their second AFC Cup title in 2021. As they failed to obtain the AFC license, they did not defend their title. Al-Seeb of Oman won its first continental title. They automatically qualified for the 2023–24 AFC Champions League and entered the qualifying play-offs, since Omani teams were unable to qualify through domestic performance.[3]
Remove ads
Association team allocation
Summarize
Perspective
The 47 AFC member associations were ranked based on their clubs' performance over the last four years in AFC competitions (their national team's FIFA World Rankings no longer considered).[4] The slots were allocated according to the following criteria according to the Entry Manual:[5]
- The associations were split into five zones (Article 5.1):
- West Asia Zone consisted of the 12 associations from the West Asian Football Federation (WAFF).
- South Asia Zone consisted of the 7 associations from the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF).
- Central Asia Zone consisted of the 6 associations from Central Asian Football Association (CAFA).
- ASEAN Zone consisted of the 12 associations from the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF).
- East Asia Zone consisted of the 10 associations from the East Asian Football Federation (EAFF).
- The AFC may reallocate one or more associations to another zone if necessary for sporting reasons.
- Excluding the top five associations in each region for AFC Champions League slot allocation, all other associations were eligible to enter the AFC Cup.
- The teams from associations ranked 6th, 11th and 12th which were eliminated in the AFC Champions League qualifying play-offs, entered the AFC Cup group stage (Article 3.2). The following rules were 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, were not ranked in each zone for AFC Cup slot allocation (Article 5.3).[6]
- If they advanced to the AFC Champions League group stage, the AFC Cup group stage slot would be filled by the standby team from their association if such team would be available (Article 5.12).
- The rules above dud not apply to the AFC Champions League title holders and AFC Cup title holders, which were allocated AFC Champions League play-off slots if they did 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 were each allocated two direct slots.
- The associations ranked 4th to 6th were each allocated one direct slot and one play-off slot.
- The associations ranked 7th or below were each allocated one play-off slot.
- If any zone had an association ranked 6th for AFC Champions League slot allocation, they were allocated one direct slot in the AFC Cup group stage. There were 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 was a single 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 were distributed as follows:[7]
- The associations ranked 1st to 3rd were each allocated one direct slot and one play-off slot.
- The associations ranked 4th or below were each allocated one play-off slot.
- If any zone has an association ranked 6th for AFC Champions League slot allocation, they were allocated one direct slot in the AFC Cup group stage. There were 4 direct slots, and to ensure equal opportunity in each zone, another group was 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 had at least 7 play-off slots, to ensure equal opportunity in each zone, another group was 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 did not fulfill any one of the AFC Cup criteria, they had all their direct slots converted into play-off slots. The direct slots would be 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 would be two (Articles 3.4 and 3.5).
- If any association was allocated one additional direct slot, one play-off slot was annulled and not redistributed.
- If any association with only play-off slot(s), including those mentioned above, did not fulfill the minimum AFC Cup criteria, the play-off slot(s) would be annulled and not redistributed (Articles 5.10 and 5.11).
- For each association, the maximum number of total slots was one-third of the total number of eligible teams (excluding foreign teams) in the top division (Article 5.6). Based on this rule, any direct slots given up would be redistributed by the same criteria as mentioned above, and play-off slots annulled and not redistributed (Article 9.10).
- All participating teams had to 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 did not have enough teams which satisfied these criteria, any direct slots given up would be redistributed by the same criteria as mentioned above, and play-off slots annulled and not redistributed (Article 9.9).
- If any team granted a license refused to participate, their slot, either direct or play-off, is annulled and not redistributed (Article 9.11).
Association ranking
For the 2022 AFC Cup, the associations were allocated slots according to their AFC Club Competitions Ranking which was published on 29 November 2019,[8][9] which takes into account their performance in the AFC Champions League and the AFC Cup during the period between 2016 and 2019.
- Notes
- ^ AFC Licensing (AFC1): Association did not implement the club licensing system.[10]
- ^ AFC Licensing (AFC2): Association did not have a licensed club.[10]
- ^ Bangladesh (BAN): Maldives' representative Valencia withdrew from the competition after the preliminary round 1. As a result, Bangladesh's representative Abahani Limited Dhaka directly advanced to the play-off round.[11]
- ^ Jordan (JOR): Jordan's only team granted a license are playing in the 2022 AFC Champions League.
- ^ Kuwait (KUW): Kuwait is given an additional slot due to unallocated slots in West Zone (Entry Manual Article 5.2).
- ^ Macau (MAC): Macau's indirect slot is annulled as Benfica Macau, the Liga de Elite runners-up, refuses to enter the AFC Cup (Entry Manual Article 9.11).
- ^ Myanmar (MYA): The teams from Myanmar which originally entered the AFC Cup, Shan United and Hantharwady United, withdrew from the competition after the draw.[12]
- ^ Philippines (PHI): Philippines 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.
- ^ Uzbekistan (UZB): Uzbekistan 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.
- ^ Vietnam (VIE): Vietnam had only one entry as Nam Dinh, the 2021 V.League 1 fourth place, refuses to enter the AFC Cup (Entry Manual Article 9.11).
Remove ads
Teams
Summarize
Perspective
Lebanon
Syria
Bahrain
Al-Seeb (H)
Palestine
Kuwait
Pamir (H)
Ashgabat
Dordoi (H)
ATK Mohun Bagan (H)
Dhaka
Malé
Singapore
Bali United (H)
Hong Kong
Syria teams
Tishreen
Jableh
Lebanon teams
Al-Ansar
Nejmeh
Palestine teams
Shabab Al-Khalil
Hilal Al-Quds
Kuwait teams
Al-Arabi (H)
Al-Kuwait
Tishreen
JablehLebanon teams
Al-Ansar NejmehPalestine teams
Shabab Al-Khalil Hilal Al-QudsKuwait teams
Al-Arabi (H) Al-KuwaitBahrain teams
Al-Riffa
East Riffa (H)
Ashgabat teams
Altyn Asyr
Köpetdag Aşgabat
Dhaka teams
Bashundhara Kings
Dhaka Abahani
Malé teams
Maziya
Valencia
Al-Riffa East Riffa (H)Ashgabat teams
Altyn Asyr
Köpetdag AşgabatDhaka teams
Bashundhara Kings
Dhaka AbahaniMalé teams
Maziya ValenciaLocation of teams of the 2022 AFC Cup.
Brown: Group A; Red: Group B; Orange: Group C; Yellow: Group D; Pink: Group E;
Green: Group F; 
Blue: Group G; 
Cyan: Group H; 
Turquoise: Group I; 
Purple: Group J;
(H) Group stage hosts
Qualifying play-offs
Withdrawn teams
Brown: Group A; Red: Group B; Orange: Group C; Yellow: Group D; Pink: Group E; Green: Group F; 
Blue: Group G; 
Cyan: Group H; 
Turquoise: Group I; 
Purple: Group J;(H) Group stage hosts
Qualifying play-offs|
Locations of the 2022 AFC Cup teams in the West side of Central East |
Locations of the 2022 AFC Cup teams in the West side of Central East
|
- Notes
- ^ AFC Champions League (ACL): Standby team replacing another team qualified for the 2022 AFC Champions League group stage.
- ^ Bangladesh (BAN): The second-placed team Sheikh Jamal were ineligible as they failed to obtain an AFC license.
- ^ Hong Kong (HKG): Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong, the 2020–21 Hong Kong FA Cup was cancelled and declared null and void by the Hong Kong Football Association. The teams from Hong Kong playing in the 2022 AFC Cup are determined only by the results of the 2020–21 Hong Kong Premier League.[14]
- ^ Indonesia (IDN): The 2019 Liga 1 champions, Bali United and 2018–19 Piala Indonesia winners, PSM Makassar were chosen to represent Indonesia in the 2022 AFC Cup because the 2020 Liga 1 and the 2020 Piala Indonesia were cancelled and declared void by the Football Association of Indonesia and 2021–22 Liga 1 is still running and not be finished until April 2022.[15][16]
- ^ India (IND): Since Mumbai City, the 2020–21 Indian Super League regular season premiers, are also the 2021 Indian Super League playoffs winners, ATK Mohun Bagan, the 2020–21 Indian Super League regular season runners-up, qualify for the 2022 AFC Cup.
- ^ Macau (MAC): Due to the COVID-19 pandemic travel restrictions, Must CPK withdrew from the competition after the draw.
- ^ Malaysia (MAS): Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia, the 2021 Malaysia FA Cup was cancelled and not organized by the Football Association of Malaysia. The 2021 Malaysia Cup winners will qualify for the 2022 AFC Cup.[17]
- ^ Maldives (MDV): Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Maldives, the 2021 Maldives FA Cup was cancelled and not organized by the Football Association of Maldives. The teams from Maldives playing in the 2022 AFC Cup are determined only by the results of the 2020–21 Dhivehi Premier League.[18]
- ^ Myanmar (MYA): Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Myanmar plus the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état and protests, the 2021 Myanmar National League was not held by the Myanmar Football Federation.
- ^ Nepal (NEP): Since the 2021–22 Martyr's Memorial A-Division League could not be completed in time, it was agreed that the table toppers after matchday 7 would qualify for the AFC Cup.
- ^ Oman (OMA): Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Oman, the 2020–21 Oman Professional League was cancelled and declared null and void by the Oman Football Association.[19] One of the two teams from Oman playing in the 2022 AFC Cup was determined by the results of the previous domestic season (2019–20 Oman Professional League).
- ^ Palestine (PLE): Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the State of Palestine, the 2020–21 Palestine Cup was cancelled and not organized by the Palestinian Football Association. The teams from Palestine playing in the 2022 AFC Cup are determined only by the results of the 2020–21 West Bank Premier League. The second-placed team Markaz Balata were ineligible as they failed to obtain an AFC license.
- ^ Philippines (PHI): Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines, the 2021 Philippines Football League was cancelled, with the 2021 Copa Paulino Alcantara used to determine the Philippine club to participate. The Azkals Development Team were the runners-up in the competition, however the club did not own an AFC club license and was thus ineligible to compete in AFC club competitions.[20] Kaya F.C.–Iloilo first played in the 2022 AFC Champions League qualifying play-offs and were eliminated, but still qualified to the AFC Cup group stage.
- ^ Singapore (SIN): Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore, the 2021 Singapore Cup was cancelled and not organized by the Football Association of Singapore.[21] The teams from Singapore playing in the 2022 AFC Cup are determined only by the results of the 2021 Singapore Premier League.
- ^
- ^ Turkmenistan (TKM2):2021 Turkmenistan Cup winners[23] and 2021 Ýokary Liga 3rd place Şagadam were not granted an AFC Cup license. As a result, Köpetdag, the second best team granted an AFC Cup license and not an AFC Champions League license (2021 Ýokary Liga fourth place), qualified for the 2022 AFC Cup.[22][10]
- ^ Vietnam (VIE): Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Vietnam, the 2021 V.League 1 and 2021 Vietnamese Cup were both abandoned by the Vietnam Football Federation. It was decided that the league's first placed team at the time of abandonment would take the AFC Champions League slot,[24] with the AFC Cup slots to go to the second and third placed teams.[25] Subsequently, third-placed team Than Quang Ninh were omitted from V-League competitions, after loss of their main sponsor and other financial difficulties.[26] Nam Dinh, who were fourth at the time of the suspension, should be given the AFC Cup slot but declined.
Remove ads
Schedule
The tournament ran from April to October 2022, so as not to clash with the World Cup.[27]
The final schedule of the competition was as follows:
- Notes
- W: West Asia Zone
- S: South Asia Zone
- C: Central Asia Zone
- A: ASEAN Zone
- E: East Asia Zone
Qualifying play-offs
In the qualifying play-offs, each tie was played as a single match. Extra time and penalty shoot-out were used to decide the winner if necessary.[28] The bracket of the qualifying play-offs for each zone was determined based on each team's association ranking, with the team from the higher-ranked association hosting the match. The three winners of the play-off round advanced to the group stage to join the 36 direct entrants.
Preliminary round 1
Preliminary round 2
Play-off round
Remove ads
Group stage
The draw for the group stage was held on 17 January 2022 at AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The 39 teams were drawn into nine groups of four and one group of three (in the Central Asia Zone): three groups each in the West Asia Zone (Groups A–C) and the ASEAN Zone (Groups G–I), two groups in the Central Asia Zone (Groups E–F), and one group each in the South Asia Zone (Group D) and the East Asia Zone (Group J). 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, Central Asia Zone, and ASEAN Zone) could not be drawn into the same group. In the group stage, each group is played on a single round-robin basis in centralised venues. The following teams will advance to the knockout stage:
- The winners of each group and the best runners-up in the West Asia Zone and the ASEAN Zone advance to the Zonal semi-finals.
- The winners of each group in the Central Asia Zone advance to the Zonal finals.
- The winners of each group in the South Asia Zone and the East Asia Zone advance to the Inter-zone play-off semi-finals.
Group A
Group B
Group C
- Head-to-head points: Tishreen 3, Nejmeh 0.
Group D
Group E
Group F
Group G
- Head-to-head standings:
- Tied on head-to-head points.
- Head-to-head goal difference: Kedah Darul Aman: +2, Visakha FC –1, Bali United –1.
- Head-to-head goals scored: Visakha FC 6, Bali United 4.
Group H
- Tied on head-to-head results. Overall goal difference used as tiebreaker.
Group I
Group J
Source: AFC
Ranking of runner-up teams
West Asia Zone
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Disciplinary points; 5) Drawing of lots.
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Disciplinary points; 5) Drawing of lots.
ASEAN Zone
Since Group H only had three teams, the results against fourth-placed teams in Groups G and I were omitted for this ranking.
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Disciplinary points; 5) Drawing of lots.
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Disciplinary points; 5) Drawing of lots.
Remove ads
Knockout stage
In the knockout stage, the 12 teams played a single-elimination tournament. The extra time and penalty shoot-out were used to decide the winners if necessary (Regulations Article 9.3 and 10.1).
Bracket
The draw for the Zonal finals and the Inter-zone play-off semi-finals was held on 14 July 2022.
The bracket of the knockout stage was determined as follows:
Zonal semi-finals
Summary
The Zonal semi-finals were played over one leg, with the home team determined by the following tables based on which group runners-up qualified. The group winner hosts the match against a group runner-up. If two group winners played each other, one of the group winners hosted the match.
West Asia Zone
ASEAN Zone
Zonal finals
Summary
The Zonal finals were played over one leg, with the home team decided by draw. The winners of the West Asia Zonal final advanced to the final, while the winners of the Central Asia Zonal final and ASEAN Zonal final advanced to the Inter-zone play-off semi-finals.
West Asia Zone
Central Asia Zone
ASEAN Zone
Inter-zone play-off semi-finals
Attendance: 18,594
Referee: Khalid Al-Turais (Saudi Arabia)
Inter-zone play-off final
Summary
In the Inter-zone play-off final, the two winners of the Inter-zone play-off semi-finals played each other, with the home team determined by the Inter-zone play-off semi-final draw. The winners of the Inter-zone play-off final advanced to the final.
Match
Final
The final was played over one leg at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, between the winners of the Inter-zone play-off final, Kuala Lumpur City, and the winners of the West Asia Zonal final, Al-Seeb.
Remove ads
Top scorers
Team eliminated / inactive for this round.
Player is not in the team but team still active for this round.
Remove ads
See also
Notes
- On 11 April 2022, the AFC announced that Valencia withdrew from the preliminary stage of the qualification, citing financial constraints. Abahani Limited Dhaka advanced to the play-off round.[29][30]
- On 19 January 2022, the AFC announced that the two teams from Myanmar, Shan United and Hanthawaddy United, withdrew from the group stage after the draw.[31] As a result, on 1 March 2022, the AFC decided to cancel the ASEAN zone play-off round match between Visakha FC and Young Elephants, and promote both the participating teams to the group stage to fill the vacant group stage spots.[32]
References
External links
Wikiwand - on
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.
Remove ads