2018 AFC Cup

The 2018 AFC Cup was the 15th edition of the AFC Cup, Asia's secondary club football tournament organized by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya from Iraq won the title for the third consecutive year, defeating Altyn Asyr from Turkmenistan in the final.

Association team allocation The AFC Competitions Committee recommended a new format for the AFC Cup starting from 2017 which was played in the AFC's five zones: West Asia, Central Asia, South Asia, ASEAN, and East Asia, with the winner of the West Asia Zone and the winner of an inter-zone play-off between the other four zones playing in the final, hosted on a rotational basis at venues in the East and West. The 46 AFC member associations (excluding the associate member Northern Mariana Islands) were ranked based on their national team's and clubs' performance over the last four years in AFC competitions, with the allocation of slots for the 2017 and 2018 editions of the AFC club competitions determined by the 2016 AFC rankings (Entry Manual Article 2.2): The associations were split into five zones: West Asia Zone consists of the associations from the West Asian Football Federation (WAFF). Central Asia Zone consists of the associations from Central Asian Football Association (CAFA). South Asia Zone consists of the associations from the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF). ASEAN Zone consists of the associations from the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF). East Asia Zone consists of the associations from the East Asian Football Federation (EAFF). All associations which do not receive direct slots in the AFC Champions League group stage are eligible to enter the AFC Cup. In each zone, the number of groups in the group stage is determined based on the number of entries, with the number of slots filled through play-offs same as the number of groups: In the West Asia Zone and the ASEAN Zone, there are three groups in the group stage, including a total of 9 direct slots, with the 3 remaining slots filled through play-offs. In the Central Asia Zone, the South Asia Zone, and the East Asia Zone, there was one group in the group stage, including a total of 3 direct slots, with the 1 remaining slot filled through play-offs. The top associations participating in the AFC Cup in each zone as per the AFC rankings got at least one direct slot in the group stage (including losers of the AFC Champions League qualifying play-offs), while the remaining associations get only play-off slots: For the West Asia Zone and the ASEAN zone: The associations ranked 1st to 3rd each got two direct slots. The associations ranked 4th to 6th each got one direct slot and one play-off slot. The associations ranked 7th or below each got one play-off slot. For the Central Asia Zone, the South Asia Zone, and the East Asia zone: The associations ranked 1st to 3rd each got one direct slot and one play-off slot. The associations ranked 4th or below each got one play-off slot. The maximum number of slots for each association was one-third of the total number of eligible teams in the top division. If any association gives up its direct slots, they were redistributed to the highest eligible association, with each association limited to a maximum of two direct slots. If any association gives up its play-off slots, they were annulled and not redistributed to any other association. If the number of teams in the play-offs in any zone was fewer than twice the number of group stage slots filled through play-offs, the play-off teams of the highest eligible associations were given byes to the group stage.

For the 2018 AFC Cup, the associations were allocated slots according to their association ranking published on 30 November 2016, which took into account their performance in the AFC Champions League and the AFC Cup, as well as their national team's FIFA World Rankings between 2013 and 2016.

Participation for 2018 AFC CupParticipatedNot participated

+West Asia ZoneRankMemberAssociationPointsSlotsGroupstagePlay-off 110 Iraq37.240200 —11 Kuwait36.457000 213 Syria34.257200 315 Jordan31.213200 419 Bahrain27.353200 520 Lebanon22.077200 622 Oman19.313110 728 Palestine12.342010 —33 Yemen 6.926000Total1120213 +Central Asia ZoneRankMemberAssociationPointsSlotsGroupstagePlay-off 123 Tajikistan18.328110 229 Turkmenistan11.514101 331 Kyrgyzstan10.307101 —32 Afghanistan 7.114000Total31236 +South Asia ZoneRankMemberAssociationPointsSlotsGroupstagePlay-off 118 India27.930101 226 Maldives15.345101 337 Bangladesh 4.158101 438 Bhutan 3.877001 —39 Nepal 3.388000 —44 Sri Lanka 1.656000 —45 Pakistan 1.506000Total30447

+ASEAN ZoneRankMemberAssociationPointsSlotsGroupstagePlay-off 116 Vietnam29.273200 217 Malaysia28.865100 321 Indonesia20.372200 424 Myanmar17.220200 525 Philippines17.188200 627 Singapore13.664200 734 Laos 6.886010 836 Cambodia 4.856010 —42 Brunei 2.785000 —43 East Timor 2.409000Total1120013 +East Asia ZoneRankMemberAssociationPointsSlotsGroupstagePlay-off 130 North Korea10.314110 235 Chinese Taipei 5.609100 340 Macau 3.087100 —41 Guam 3.049000 446 Mongolia 1.430010Total32025

Notes

Teams The following 44 teams from 26 associations entered the competition.

+West Asia Zone+Group stage direct entrants (Groups A–C)TeamQualifying methodApp Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya2016–17 Iraqi Premier League champions3rd Al-Zawraa2016–17 Iraq FA Cup winners4th Al-Jaish2016–17 Syrian Premier League champions8th Al-Wahda2017 Syrian Cup winners7th Al-Faisaly2016–17 Jordan League champions2016–17 Jordan FA Cup winners9th Al-Jazeera2016–17 Jordan League runners-up2nd Malkiya2016–17 Bahrain First Division League champions1st Manama2016–17 Bahraini King's Cup winners1st Al-Ahed2016–17 Lebanese Premier League champions8th Al-Ansar2016–17 Lebanese FA Cup winners5th Dhofar2016–17 Oman Professional League champions4th +Qualifying play-off participants: Entering in play-off roundTeamQualifying methodApp Al-Suwaiq2016–17 Sultan Qaboos Cup winners6th Hilal Al-Quds2016–17 West Bank Premier League champions2nd

+Central Asia Zone+Group stage direct entrants (Group D)TeamQualifying methodApp Istiklol2017 Tajik League champions4th Altyn Asyr2017 Ýokary Liga champions4th Alay Osh2017 Kyrgyzstan League champions4th +Qualifying play-off participants: Entering in play-off roundTeamQualifying methodApp Khujand2017 Tajik Cup winners2nd +Qualifying play-off participants: Entering in preliminary roundTeamQualifying methodApp Ahal2017 Turkmenistan Cup winners2nd Dordoi2017 Kyrgyzstan Cup winners3rd

+South Asia Zone+Group stage direct entrants (Group E)TeamQualifying methodApp Aizawl2016–17 I-League champions1st New Radiant2017 Dhivehi Premier League champions2017 Maldives FA Cup winners9th Abahani Limited Dhaka2017–18 Bangladesh Premier League champions2017 Bangladesh Federation Cup winners2nd +Qualifying play-off participants: Entering in preliminary roundTeamQualifying methodApp Bengaluru2016–17 Indian Federation Cup winners4th TC Sports2017 Dhivehi Premier League runners-up1st Saif2017–18 Bangladesh Premier League 4th place1st Transport United2017 Bhutan National League champions1st

+ASEAN Zone+Group stage direct entrants (Groups F–H)TeamQualifying methodApp FLC Thanh Hóa2017 V.League 1 runners-up1st Sông Lam Nghệ An2017 Vietnamese Cup winners3rd Johor Darul Ta'zim2017 Malaysia Super League champions5th Bali United2017 Liga 1 runners-up1st Persija Jakarta2017 Liga 1 4th place1st Shan United2017 Myanmar National League champions2017 General Aung San Shield winners1st Yangon United2017 Myanmar National League runners-up5th Ceres–Negros2017 Philippines Football League champions4th Global Cebu2017 Philippines Football League runners-up3rd Tampines Rovers2017 S.League runners-up10th Home United2017 S.League 3rd place9th +Qualifying play-off participants: Entering in play-off roundTeamQualifying methodApp Lao Toyota2017 Lao Premier League champions4th Boeung Ket Angkor2017 Cambodian League champions2nd

+East Asia Zone+Group stage direct entrants (Group I)TeamQualifying methodApp April 252017 DPR Korea League champions2nd Hang Yuen2017 Taiwan Premier League 3rd place1st Benfica de Macau2017 Liga de Elite champions3rd +Qualifying play-off participants: Entering in play-off roundTeamQualifying methodApp Hwaebul2017 DPR Korea League runners-up 1st Erchim2017 Mongolian Premier League champions2nd

Notes

Schedule The schedule of the competition was as follows (W: West Asia Zone; C: Central Asia Zone; S: South Asia Zone; A: ASEAN Zone; E: East Asia Zone).

StageRoundDraw dateFirst legSecond legPreliminary stagePreliminary roundNo draw23 January 2018 (C, S)30 January 2018 (C, S)Play-off stagePlay-off round22 January 2018 (W),29 January 2018 (A),13 February 2018 (C, S, E)29 January 2018 (W),2 February 2018 (A),20 February 2018 (C, S, E)Group stageMatchday 16 December 201710 & 12–14 February 2018 (W, A), 7 March & 5 April 2018(C, S, E)Matchday 226–28 February 2018 (W, A), 13–14 March 2018 (C, S, E)Matchday 35–7 March & 16 April 2018 (W, A), 10–11 April 2018 (C, S, E)Matchday 412–14 March & 17 April 2018 (W, A), 25 April 2018 (C, S, E)Matchday 59–11 April 2018 (W, A), 1–2 May 2018 (C, S, E)Matchday 623–25 April 2018 (W, A), 16 May 2018 (C, S, E)Knockout stageZonal semi-finals7–9 May 2018 (W, A)14–16 May 2018 (W, A)Zonal finals23 May 20181 August 2018 (A),18 September 2018 (W)8 August 2018 (A),2 October 2018 (W)Inter-zone play-off semi-finals21–22 August 201828–29 August 2018Inter-zone play-off final19 September 20183 October 2018Final27 October 2018 at Basra International Stadium, Basra

Qualifying play-offs

Preliminary round

Play-off round

Group stage

Tiebreakers

Group A

Group B

Group C

Group D

Group E

Group F

Group G

Group H

Group I

Ranking of second-placed teams West Asia Zone

ASEAN Zone

Knockout stage

Bracket

Zonal semi-finals

Zonal finals

Inter-zone play-off semi-finals

Inter-zone play-off final

Final

Awards AwardPlayerTeamMost Valuable Player Hammadi Ahmad Al-Quwa Al-JawiyaTop Goalscorer An Il-bom April 25

Top scorers

RankPlayerTeam Total1 An Il-bom April 2512221 121 122 Bienvenido Marañón Ceres–Negros2 113 21 10 Sekou Sylla Yangon United2 2 12214 Marko Šimić Persija Jakarta 3 41 19 Song Ui-young Home United1 111111 1 16 Altymyrat Annadurdyýew Altyn Asyr31 2 11 8 Hammadi Ahmad Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya1 1 1112 18 Ahmad Zreik Al-Ahed 11211 17 Carlos Leonel Benfica de Macau22 310 Ali Ashfaq New Radiant 3 12 6 Amjad Radhi Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya 21 21 Kim Yu-song April 25 4 1 1 Musa Al-Taamari Al-Jazeera111 111

See also 2018 AFC Champions League

References

External links , the-AFC.com AFC Cup 2018, stats.the-AFC.com