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.
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.
Association team allocation 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). The slots were allocated according to the following criteria according to the Entry Manual: 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). 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: 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, which takes into account their performance in the AFC Champions League and the AFC Cup during the period between 2016 and 2019.
Participation for 2022 AFC Cup Participating Not participating (N) Number of teams/associations originally entered, before withdrawal of teams from the competition after the draw
+West Asia Zone (3 groups)RankMemberAssociationPointsSlotsGroupstagePlay-off 11233.8520000 22124.7462000 32222.5052000 42417.7492000 529 8.5312000 630 7.2972000 734 4.7112000 842 0.0000000TotalParticipating associations: 612000012 +Central Asia Zone (2 groups)RankMemberAssociationPointsSlotsGroupstagePlay-off 11045.5621000 21728.3612000 32026.5322000 433 5.4662000 541 0.2060000TotalParticipating associations: 4700007 +South Asia Zone (1 group)RankMemberAssociationPointsSlotsGroupstagePlay-off 11523.8881010 22516.69011 (0)0 (1)0 32614.7981001 436 1.1480001 537 0.7740001 638 0.6880001 742 0.0000000TotalParticipating associations: 6311469
+ASEAN Zone (3 groups)RankMemberAssociationPointsSlotsGroupstagePlay-off 11332.1301000 21628.5711000 31826.9602000 41926.6072000 52712.7560 (2)000 62812.5502000 731 6.7702 (1)0 (1)00 835 2.2411 (0)0 (1)00 942 0.00000001042 0.0000000TotalParticipating associations: 7 (8)110 (2)000 (2)11 (13) +East Asia Zone (1 group)RankMemberAssociationPointsSlotsGroupstagePlay-off 11430.1000000 22319.9451100 332 5.4890(1)000 439 0.4571000 540 0.2740100 642 0.0000000 742 0.0000000TotalParticipating associations: 42(3)20024(5)
Notes
Teams
+West Asia Zone+Group stage direct entrants (Groups A–C)TeamQualifying method Al-Ansar2020–21 Lebanese Premier League champions and 2020–21 Lebanese FA Cup winners8th Nejmeh2020–21 Lebanese Premier League runners-up10th Tishreen2020–21 Syrian Premier League champions2nd Jableh2020–21 Syrian Cup winners1st Al-Riffa2020–21 Bahraini Premier League champions and 2020–21 Bahraini King's Cup winners6th East Riffa2020–21 Bahraini Premier League runners-up1st Al-Seeb2019–20 Oman Professional League champions1st Dhofar2020–21 Sultan Qaboos Cup winners6th Shabab Al-Khalil2020–21 West Bank Premier League champions2nd Hilal Al-Quds2020–21 West Bank Premier League third place5th Al-Arabi2020–21 Kuwaiti Premier League champions2nd Al-Kuwait2020–21 Kuwait Emir Cup winners11th +South Asia Zone+Group stage direct entrants (Group D)TeamQualifying method Gokulam Kerala2020–21 I-League champions1st Bashundhara Kings2021 Bangladesh Premier League champions and 2020–21 Bangladesh Federation Cup winners3rd Maziya2020–21 Dhivehi Premier League champions8th +Qualifying play-off participants: Entering in play-off roundTeamQualifying methodApp Dhaka Abahani 2021 Bangladesh Premier League third place5th +Qualifying play-off participants: Entering in preliminary round 2TeamQualifying method ATK Mohun Bagan2020–21 Indian Super League regular season runners-up6th +Qualifying play-off participants: Entering in preliminary round 1TeamQualifying method Valencia2020–21 Dhivehi Premier League runners-up5th Machhindra2021 Martyr's Memorial A-Division League Matchday 7 leaders1st Blue Star2021 Sri Lanka Super League champions1st Paro2021 Bhutan Premier League champions2nd +Central Asia Zone+Group stage direct entrants (Groups E–F)TeamQualifying method Sogdiana Jizzakh2021 Uzbekistan Super League runners-up1st Khujand2021 Tajikistan Cup winners6th CSKA Pamir Dushanbe2021 Tajikistan Higher League third place1st Altyn Asyr2021 Ýokary Liga champions8th Köpetdag Aşgabat2021 Ýokary Liga fourth place1st Dordoi Bishkek2021 Kyrgyz Premier League champions7th Neftchi Kochkor-Ata2021 Kyrgyzstan Cup winners2nd
+ASEAN Zone+Group stage direct entrants (Groups G–I)TeamQualifying method Kaya F.C.–Iloilo2021 Copa Paulino Alcantara winners4th Viettel2021 V.League 1 second place 1st Kuala Lumpur City2021 Malaysia Cup winners1st Kedah Darul Aman2021 Malaysia Super League runners-up4th Hougang United2021 Singapore Premier League third place2nd Tampines Rovers2021 Singapore Premier League fourth place13th Bali United2019 Liga 1 champions4th PSM Makassar2018–19 Piala Indonesia winners3rd Phnom Penh Crown2021 C-League champions2nd Visakha FC2021 Hun Sen Cup winners2nd Young Elephants2020 Lao Premier League third place1st +Withdrawn teamsTeamQualifying methodApp. Shan United2020 Myanmar National League champions4th Hantharwady United2020 Myanmar National League runners-up1st +East Asia Zone+Group stage direct entrants (Group J)TeamQualifying method Eastern2020–21 Hong Kong Premier League runners-up3rd Tainan City2021 Taiwan Premier League champions2nd +Qualifying play-off participantsTeamQualifying method Lee Man2020–21 Hong Kong Premier League third place2nd Athletic 2202021 Mongolian Premier League champions2nd +Withdrawn teamsTeamQualifying methodApp. MUST CPK2021 Liga de Elite champions and 2021 Taça de Macau winners2nd
Notes
Schedule The tournament ran from April to October 2022, so as not to clash with the World Cup.
The final schedule of the competition was as follows:
StageRoundDraw datesMatch datesPreliminary stagePreliminary round 117 January 20225 April 2022 (S)Preliminary round 212 April 2022 (S)Play-off stagePlay-off round19 April 2022 (S, E)Group stageMatchday 118 May 2022 (W, S), 24 June 2022 (C, A, E)Matchday 221 May 2022 (W, S), 27 June 2022 (C, A, E)Matchday 324 May 2022 (W, S), 30 June 2022 (C, A, E)Knockout stageZonal semi-finals9–10 August 2022 (A), 5–6 September 2022 (W)Zonal finals14 July 202217 August 2022 (C)24 August 2022 (A), 4 October 2022 (W)Inter-zone play-off semi-finals6–7 September 2022Inter-zone play-off final5 October 2022Final22 October 2022 at Bukit Jalil National Stadium, Kuala Lumpur Notes W: West Asia Zone S: South Asia Zone C: Central Asia Zone A: ASEAN Zone E: East Asia Zone
Qualifying play-offs
Preliminary round 1
Preliminary round 2