2026–27 AFC Challenge League

The 2026–27 AFC Challenge League will be the 13th edition of the Asia's third-tier continental club football competition, organized by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and the third under the AFC Challenge League title.^[1] The winner will be given a direct slot for the 2027–28 AFC Champions League Two group stage, if they haven't already qualified through their domestic performance.

2026–27 AFC Challenge League

Tournament details
Teams	Competition proper: 20 (from 27 associations)
← 2025–26 2027–28 →

Association team allocation

The associations are allocated slots according to their club competitions ranking which was published after the 2024–25 competitions were completed.^[2][3][4][5]

Participation for 2026–27 AFC Challenge League
	Participating

West Region (3 groups) Rank Member Association Points Slots Group stage Play-off Zone AFC — — 2026–27 AFC Champions League Two qualifying round losers — 2 0 11 20  Turkmenistan 24.211 1 0 12 21  Kuwait 21.260 1 0 13 22  Lebanon 20.304 1 0 14 24  Tajikistan 20.033 0 1 15 26  Kyrgyzstan 18.378 0 1 16 28  Bangladesh 16.428 0 1 17 29  Syria 14.174 0 1 18 33  Maldives 9.910 0 1 19 35  Palestine 6.198 0 1 20 36  Bhutan 4.035 0 1 21 39    Nepal 1.300 0 1 22 40  Afghanistan 0.560 0 1 23 41  Sri Lanka 0.480 0 1 24 43  Yemen 0.356 0 1 24 43  Pakistan 0.219 0 1 Total Participating associations: 15 5 12 17

East Region (2 groups) Rank Member Association Points Slots Group stage Play-off Zone AFC — — 2026–27 AFC Champions League Two qualifying round losers — 2 0 11 25  Indonesia 18.653 0 1 12 27  Philippines 16.706 0 1 13 30  Myanmar 12.837 0 1 14 31  Chinese Taipei 12.280 0 1 15 32  North Korea 11.730 0 1 16 34  Mongolia 6.962 0 1 17 37  Macau 3.233 0 1 18 38  Laos 2.375 0 1 19 42  Brunei 0.090 0 1 20 43  Timor-Leste 0.089 0 1 20 43  Guam 0.0080 0 1 20 43  Northern Mariana Islands 0.0070 0 1 Total Participating associations: 12 2 12 14

Teams

West Region Group stage direct entrants Team Qualifying method App. (last) 2026–27 AFC Champions League Two qualifying round losers 2026–27 AFC Champions League Two qualifying round losers 2025 Turkmenistan Cup winners 2025–26 Kuwait Emir Cup winners 2025–26 Lebanese Premier League champions Qualifying play-off participants Team Qualifying method App. (last) 2025 Tajikistan Higher League champions 2025 Kyrgyz Premier League champions 2025–26 Bangladesh Premier League champions 1st 2025–26 Syrian Premier League champions 1st 2025–26 Dhivehi Premier League champions 2025–26 Palestine Professional League champions Paro 2025 Bhutan Premier League champions 3rd (2025–26) 2025–26 Martyr Memorial A-Division League champions 1st 2025 Afghan Premier League champions 1st 2025 Sri Lanka Premier League champions 1st 2025 Yemeni League champions 1st 2025–26 Pakistan Premier League champions 1st

East Region Group stage direct entrants Team Qualifying method App. (last) 2026–27 AFC Champions League Two qualifying round losers 2026–27 AFC Champions League Two qualifying round losers Qualifying play-off participants Team Qualifying method App. (last) 2025–26 Liga 1 runners-up 1st 2025–26 Philippines Football League runners-up 1st 2025–26 Myanmar National League champions 2025–26 Taiwan Football Premier League champions 3rd 2025–26 DPR Korea Premier Football League champions 1st 2025–26 Mongolian Premier League champions 3rd 2025 Liga de Elite champions 2nd 2025–26 Lao League 1 champions 2nd 2025–26 Brunei Super League champions 2025–26 Liga Futebol Timor Leste champions 2025–26 Guam Soccer League champions 1st 2025 Marianas Soccer League 1 champions 1st

See also

• 2026–27 AFC Champions League Elite

Notes