The 2017 AFC Cup qualifying play-offs were played from 30 January to 28 February 2017. A total of 14 teams competed in the qualifying play-offs to decide five of the 34 places in the group stage of the 2017 AFC Cup.
Teams The following 14 teams, split into five zones (West Asia Zone, Central Asia Zone, South Asia Zone, ASEAN Zone, East Asia Zone), entered the qualifying play-offs, consisting of two rounds: 8 teams entered in the preliminary round. 6 teams entered in the play-off round.
Originally 17 teams entered the qualifying play-offs (10 entered in the preliminary round, 7 entered in the play-off round) before the withdrawal of teams in the East Asia Zone.
ZoneTeams entering in play-off roundTeams entering in preliminary roundWest Asia Zone Al-Suwaiq Shabab Al-KhalilCentral Asia Zone Khosilot Balkan Dordoi Shaheen AsmayeeSouth Asia Zone Mohun Bagan Club Valencia Thimphu City ColomboASEAN Zone Home United Lao Toyota Boeung Ket Angkor Phnom Penh CrownEast Asia Zone Kigwancha Tatung Erchim
Format
In the qualifying play-offs, each tie was played on a home-and-away two-legged basis. The away goals rule, extra time (away goals would not apply in extra time) and penalty shoot-out were used to decide the winner if necessary (Regulations Article 9.3). The five winners of the play-off round advanced to the group stage to join the 29 direct entrants.
Schedule The schedule of each round was as follows (W: West Asia Zone; C: Central Asia Zone; S: South Asia Zone; A: ASEAN Zone).
RoundW, AC, SFirst legSecond legFirst legSecond legPreliminary roundNot played31 January 20177 February 2017Play-off round30–31 January 20176–7 February 201721 February 201728 February 2017
Bracket
The bracket of the qualifying play-offs for each zone was determined by the AFC based on the association ranking of each team, with the team from the higher-ranked association hosting the second leg. Teams from the same association in the ASEAN Zone could not be placed into the same play-off.
Play-off West Asia Al-Suwaiq advanced to Group A.
Play-off Central Asia Dordoi advanced to Group D.
Play-off South Asia Mohun Bagan advanced to Group E.
Play-off ASEAN 1 Home United advanced to Group H.
Play-off ASEAN 2 Boeung Ket Angkor advanced to Group F.
Play-off East Asia The East Asia Zone qualifying play-offs were not played due to the withdrawal of teams. Kigwancha advanced directly to Group I after Rovers (Guam) withdrew from the group stage. Erchim advanced directly to Group I after Taipower and Tatung (both Chinese Taipei) withdrew from the group stage and qualifying play-offs respectively.
Preliminary round A total of 8 teams played in the preliminary round.
|+Central Asia Zone
|+South Asia Zone
Central Asia Zone
Khosilot won 1–0 on aggregate.
Dordoi won 3–2 on aggregate.
South Asia Zone
Mohun Bagan won 4–2 on aggregate.
Club Valencia won 3–0 on aggregate.
Play-off round A total of 10 teams played in the play-off round: 6 teams which entered in this round, and 4 winners of the preliminary round.
|+West Asia Zone
|+Central Asia Zone
|+South Asia Zone
|+ASEAN Zone
West Asia Zone
Al-Suwaiq won 4–3 on aggregate.
Central Asia Zone
Dordoi won 2–1 on aggregate.
South Asia Zone
Mohun Bagan won 5–2 on aggregate.
ASEAN Zone
Home United won 7–3 on aggregate.
Boeung Ket Angkor won 2–1 on aggregate.
Notes
References
External links , the-AFC.com AFC Cup 2017, stats.the-AFC.com