2019 AFC Cup

The 2019 AFC Cup was the 16th edition of the AFC Cup, Asia's secondary club football tournament organized by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

Al-Ahed from Lebanon won the title for the first time, defeating April 25 from North Korea in the final. Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya were the title holders, having won the previous three editions of the tournament. However, they were unable to defend the title as Iraqi teams played in the AFC Champions League instead of the AFC Cup in the 2019 edition.

Association team allocation The 46 AFC member associations (excluding the associate member Northern Mariana Islands) are 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 2019 and 2020 editions of the AFC club competitions determined by the 2017 AFC rankings (Entry Manual Article 2.3): The associations are 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 is 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 get 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 get two direct slots. The associations ranked 4th to 6th each get one direct slot and one play-off slot. The associations ranked 7th or below each get 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 get one direct slot and one play-off slot. The associations ranked 4th or below each get one play-off slot. The maximum number of slots for each association is one-third of the total number of eligible teams in the top division. If any association gives up its direct slots, they are 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 are annulled and not redistributed to any other association. If the number of teams in the play-offs in any zone is fewer than twice the number of group stage slots filled through play-offs, the play-off teams of the highest eligible associations are given byes to the group stage.

Association ranking For the 2019 AFC Cup, the associations are allocated slots according to their association ranking which was published on 15 December 2017, which takes into account their performance in the AFC Champions League and the AFC Cup, as well as their national team's FIFA World Rankings, between 2014 and 2017.

Participation for 2019 AFC CupParticipatingNot participating

+West Asia ZoneRankMemberAssociationPointsSlotsGroupstagePlay-off 11628.983200 21825.649200 31924.798200 42024.337200 52221.367200 62713.921110 72910.552010 —34 3.358000Total1120213 +Central Asia ZoneRankMemberAssociationPointsSlotsGroupstagePlay-off 11230.725110 22614.163101 331 5.680101 —37 2.454000Total31236 +South Asia ZoneRankMemberAssociationPointsSlotsGroupstagePlay-off 11529.291110 —2811.970000 233 3.365100 338 1.228100 439 0.875001 544 0.325001 —46 0.188000Total31236

+ASEAN ZoneRankMemberAssociationPointsSlotsGroupstagePlay-off 11727.426200 22121.405200 32317.084200 42416.871200 52514.753200 632 3.439100 735 3.312100 —41 0.564000 —43 0.401000Total1200012 +East Asia ZoneRankMemberAssociationPointsSlotsGroupstagePlay-off 11429.300110 230 7.797101 336 2.769100 —40 0.815000 —42 0.539000 445 0.213001Total31236

Notes

Teams The following 43 teams from 26 associations entered the competition.

+West Asia Zone+Group stage direct entrants (Groups A–C)TeamQualifying methodApp Al-Jaish2017–18 Syrian Premier League champions and 2018 Syrian Cup winners9th Al-Ittihad2017–18 Syrian Premier League runners-up4th Al-Wehdat2017–18 Jordanian Pro League champions11th Al-Jazeera2017–18 Jordan FA Cup winners2017–18 Jordanian Pro League runners-up3rd Al-Kuwait2017–18 Kuwaiti Premier League champions and 2017–18 Kuwait Emir Cup winners8th Al-Qadsia2017–18 Kuwaiti Premier League runners-up7th Al-Najma2017–18 Bahraini Premier League runners-up2017–18 Bahraini King's Cup winners2nd Malkiya2017–18 Bahraini Premier League 4th place2nd Al-Ahed2017–18 Lebanese Premier League champions and 2017–18 Lebanese FA Cup winners9th Nejmeh2017–18 Lebanese Premier League runners-up9th Al-Suwaiq2017–18 Oman Professional League champions7th +Qualifying play-off participants: Entering in play-off roundTeamQualifying methodApp Al-Nasr2017–18 Sultan Qaboos Cup winners2nd Hilal Al-Quds2017–18 West Bank Premier League champions3rd

+Central Asia Zone+Group stage direct entrants (Group D)TeamQualifying methodApp Istiklol2018 Tajik League champions and 2018 Tajik Cup winners5th Altyn Asyr2018 Ýokary Liga champions5th Dordoi2018 Kyrgyzstan League champions and 2018 Kyrgyzstan Cup winners4th +Qualifying play-off participants: Entering in play-off roundTeamQualifying methodApp Khujand2018 Tajik League runners-up3rd +Qualifying play-off participants: Entering in preliminary roundTeamQualifying methodApp Ahal2018 Ýokary Liga runners-up3rd Alay2018 Kyrgyzstan League runners-up5th

+South Asia Zone+Group stage direct entrants (Group E)TeamQualifying methodApp Minerva Punjab2017–18 I-League champions1st Abahani Limited Dhaka2018 Bangladesh Federation Cup winners3rd Manang Marshyangdi Club2018–19 Martyr's Memorial A-Division League champions1st +Qualifying play-off participants: Entering in play-off roundTeamQualifying methodApp Chennaiyin2017–18 Indian Super League champions1st +Qualifying play-off participants: Entering in preliminary roundTeamQualifying methodApp Transport United2018 Bhutan National League champions2nd Colombo2017–18 Sri Lanka Champions League champions2nd

+ASEAN Zone+Group stage direct entrants (Groups F–H)TeamQualifying methodApp Hà Nội2018 V.League 1 champions4th Becamex Bình Dương2018 Vietnamese Cup winners3rd Ceres–Negros2018 Philippines Football League champions5th Kaya–Iloilo2018 Copa Paulino Alcantara winners2nd Home United2018 Singapore Premier League runners-up10th Tampines Rovers2018 Singapore Premier League 4th place11th Persija Jakarta2018 Liga 1 champions2nd PSM Makassar2018 Liga 1 runners-up1st Yangon United2018 Myanmar National League champions and 2018 General Aung San Shield winners6th Shan United2018 Myanmar National League runners-up2nd Lao Toyota2018 Lao Premier League champions5th Nagaworld2018 Cambodian League champions2nd

+East Asia Zone+Group stage direct entrants (Group I)TeamQualifying methodApp Kitchee2017–18 Hong Kong Premier League champions and 2017–18 Hong Kong FA Cup winners7th April 252017–18 DPR Korea Premier League champions3rd Hang Yuen2018 Taiwan Football Premier League 3rd place2nd +Qualifying play-off participants: Entering in play-off roundTeamQualifying methodApp Tai Po2017–18 Hong Kong Premier League runners-up2nd +Qualifying play-off participants: Entering in preliminary roundTeamQualifying methodApp Ryomyong2018 Hwaebul Cup winners1st Erchim2018 Mongolian Premier League champions3rd

Notes

Schedule The schedule of the competition is 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 draw20 February 2019 (C, S, E)27 February 2019 (C, S, E)Play-off stagePlay-off round5 February 2019 (W),6 March 2019 (C, S, E)12 February 2019 (W),13 March 2019 (C, S, E)Group stageMatchday 122 November 201825–27 February 2019 (W, A), 3 April 2019 (C, S, E)Matchday 211–13 March 2019 (W, A), 17 April 2019 (C, S, E)Matchday 31–3 April & 3 May 2019 (W, A), 30 April – 1 May 2019 (C, S, E)Matchday 415–17 & 23 April & 6 May 2019 (W, A), 15 May 2019 (C, S, E)Matchday 529 April – 1 May 2019 (W, A), 19 June 2019 (C, S, E)Matchday 613–15 May 2019 (W, A), 26 June 2019 (C, S, E)Knockout stageZonal semi-finals17–19 June 2019 (W, A)24–26 June 2019 (W, A)Zonal finals2 July 201931 July 2019 (A),24 September 2019 (W)7 August 2019 (A),1 October 2019 (W)Inter-zone play-off semi-finals20–21 August 201927–28 August 2019Inter-zone play-off final25 September 20192 October 2019Final2 November 2019 at Kuala Lumpur Stadium, Kuala Lumpur

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 Mehdi Khalil Al-AhedTop Goalscorer Bienvenido Marañón Ceres–NegrosFair Play Award— Al-Ahed

Top scorers

RankPlayerTeamTotal1 Bienvenido Marañón Ceres–Negros13113 1 102 Ganiyu Oseni Hà Nội4 221 9 Kim Yu-song April 251122 21 4 Pape Omar Faye Hà Nội 1 31 11 1 85 Bruno Matos Persija Jakarta 2 1137 Nguyễn Văn Quyết Hà Nội1 11 121 7 Baha' Faisal Al-Wehdat 4 11 6 Fernando Kitchee1 11219 Khairul Amri Tampines Rovers1 13 5 Mohamad Kdouh Al-Ahed 31 1 Wander Luiz Becamex Bình Dương 11 11 1 Eero Markkanen PSM Makassar1211 Bassel Moustafa Al-Jaish 1 1 12

See also 2019 AFC Champions League

References

External links , the-AFC.com AFC Cup 2019, stats.the-AFC.com