The 2020 AFC Cup was an abandoned season of the AFC Cup which was the 17th edition of the competition, Asia's secondary club football tournament organized by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
The competition was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic after group stage matches on 11 March 2020, and was originally to resume on 23 September 2020. However, the season was eventually cancelled by the AFC on 10 September 2020 on account of the continuing pandemic.
Al-Ahed of Lebanon were the defending champions.
Association team allocation 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 2019 and 2020 editions of the AFC club competitions determined by the 2017 AFC rankings (Entry Manual Article 2.3): The associations were split into five zones: West Asia Zone consisted of the associations from the West Asian Football Federation (WAFF). Central Asia Zone consisted of the associations from Central Asian Football Association (CAFA). South Asia Zone consisted of the associations from the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF). ASEAN Zone consisted of the associations from the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF). East Asia Zone consisted of the associations from the East Asian Football Federation (EAFF). All associations which did not receive direct slots in the AFC Champions League group stage were eligible to enter the AFC Cup. In each zone, the number of groups in the group stage was 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 were 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 received 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 received two direct slots. The associations ranked 4th to 6th each received one direct slot and one play-off slot. The associations ranked 7th or below each received 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 received one direct slot and one play-off slot. The associations ranked 4th or below each received 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 did not use its direct slots, they would be redistributed to the highest eligible association, with each association limited to a maximum of two direct slots. If any association did not use 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 was fewer than twice the number of group stage slots filled through play-offs, the play-off teams of the highest eligible associations would be given byes to the group stage.
Association ranking For the 2020 AFC Cup, the associations were allocated slots according to their association ranking as at 15 December 2017. This took into account their performance in the AFC Champions League and the AFC Cup, as well as their national team's FIFA World Rankings, during the period between 2014 and 2017.
Participation for 2020 AFC CupParticipatingNot participating
+West Asia Zone (3 groups)RankMemberAssociationPointsSlotsGroupstagePlay-off 11628.9832000 21825.6492000 31924.7982000 42024.3372000 52221.3672000 62713.9211100 72910.5520100 834 3.3580000TotalParticipating associations: 711200213 +Central Asia Zone (1 group)RankMemberAssociationPointsSlotsGroupstagePlay-off 11230.7251100 22614.1631010 331 5.6801010 437 2.4540000TotalParticipating associations: 3312036 +South Asia Zone (1 group)RankMemberAssociationPointsSlotsGroupstagePlay-off 11529.2911010 22811.9701010 333 3.3651010 438 1.2280000 539 0.8750001 644 0.3250001 746 0.1880000TotalParticipating associations: 5303258
+ASEAN Zone (3 groups)RankMemberAssociationPointsSlotsGroupstagePlay-off 11727.4262000 22121.4052000 32317.0842000 42416.8711100 52514.7531100 632 3.4391100 735 3.3120100 841 0.5640100 943 0.4010100TotalParticipating associations: 99600615 +East Asia Zone (1 group)RankMemberAssociationPointsSlotsGroupstagePlay-off 11429.3001100 230 7.7970000 336 2.7691010 440 0.8151000 542 0.5390000 645 0.2130010TotalParticipating associations: 4312036
Notes
Teams The following 48 teams from 28 associations entered the competition. Teams from Brunei and Timor-Leste entered the AFC Cup for the first time.
+West Asia Zone+Group stage direct entrants (Groups A–C)TeamQualifying methodApp Al-Jaish2018–19 Syrian Premier League champions10th Al-Wathba2018–19 Syrian Cup winners1st Al-Faisaly2018–19 Jordanian Pro League champions and 2018–19 Jordan FA Cup winners10th Al-Jazeera2018–19 Jordanian Pro League runners-up4th Al-Kuwait2018–19 Kuwaiti Premier League champions and 2018–19 Kuwait Emir Cup winners9th Al-Qadsia2018–19 Kuwaiti Premier League runners-up8th Al-Riffa2018–19 Bahraini Premier League champions and 2018–19 Bahraini King's Cup winners5th Manama2018–19 Bahraini Premier League runners-up2nd Al-Ahed2018–19 Lebanese Premier League champions2018–19 Lebanese FA Cup winners10th Al-Ansar2018–19 Lebanese Premier League runners-up6th Dhofar2018–19 Oman Professional League champions5th +Qualifying play-off participants: Entering in play-off roundTeamQualifying methodApp Sur2018–19 Sultan Qaboos Cup winners2nd Hilal Al-Quds2018–19 West Bank Premier League champions4th
+Central Asia Zone+Group stage direct entrants (Group D)TeamQualifying methodApp Istiklol2019 Tajikistan Higher League champions and 2019 Tajikistan Cup winners6th Altyn Asyr2019 Ýokary Liga champions2019 Turkmenistan Cup winners6th Dordoi2019 Kyrgyz Premier League champions5th +Qualifying play-off participants: Entering in play-off roundTeamQualifying methodApp Khujand2019 Tajikistan Higher League runners-up4th +Qualifying play-off participants: Entering in preliminary round 2TeamQualifying methodApp Neftchi2019 Kyrgyzstan Cup winners1st +Withdrawn teamsTeamQualifying methodApp. to be Ahal2019 Ýokary Liga runners-up4th
+South Asia Zone+Group stage direct entrants (Group E)TeamQualifying methodApp Chennai City2018–19 I-League champions1st TC Sports2018 Dhivehi Premier League champions2nd Bashundhara Kings2018–19 Bangladesh Premier League champions1st +Qualifying play-off participants: Entering in preliminary round 2TeamQualifying methodApp Bengaluru2018–19 Indian Super League champions5th Maziya2018 Dhivehi Premier League runners-up6th Abahani Limited Dhaka2018–19 Bangladesh Premier League runners-up4th +Qualifying play-off participants: Entering in preliminary round 1TeamQualifying methodApp Paro2019 Bhutan Premier League champions1st Defenders2018–19 Sri Lanka Champions League champions1st
+ASEAN Zone+Group stage direct entrants (Groups F–H)TeamQualifying methodApp Hồ Chí Minh City2019 V.League 1 runners-up1st Than Quảng Ninh2019 V.League 1 3rd place2nd Ceres–Negros2019 Philippines Football League champions and 2019 Copa Paulino Alcantara winners6th Kaya–Iloilo2019 Philippines Football League runners-up3rd Tampines Rovers2019 Singapore Premier League runners-up2019 Singapore Cup winners12th Hougang United2019 Singapore Premier League 3rd place1st Bali United2019 Liga 1 champions2nd Shan United2019 Myanmar National League champions3rd Lao Toyota2019 Lao Premier League champions2019 Lao FF Cup winners6th +Qualifying play-off participants: Entering in play-off roundTeamQualifying methodApp PSM Makassar2018–19 Piala Indonesia winners2nd Yangon United2019 General Aung San Shield winners7th Master 72019 Lao Premier League runners-up1st Svay Rieng2019 C-League champions1st Indera2018–19 Brunei Super League 4th place1st Lalenok United2019 LFA Primeira champions1st
+East Asia Zone+Group stage direct entrants (Group I)TeamQualifying methodApp Kitchee2018–19 Hong Kong FA Cup winners8th Tatung2019 Taiwan Premier League champions2nd MUST CPK2019 Liga de Elite champions1st +Qualifying play-off participants: Entering in play-off roundTeamQualifying methodApp Taipower2019 Taiwan Premier League runners-up1st Ulaanbaatar City2019 Mongolian Premier League champions1st +Withdrawn teamsTeamQualifying methodApp Tai Po2018–19 Hong Kong Premier League champions3rd
Notes
Schedule The schedule of the competition is as follows. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, only some of the group stage matches on matchdays 1–3 in February and March were played as scheduled, and all matches in the East Asia Zone, on matchdays 2–6 in the Central Asia Zone and the South Asia Zone, and on matchdays 4–6 in the West Asia Zone and the ASEAN Zone, were postponed until further notice. The West Asia Zonal semi-finals were also initially moved to 24–25 August and 14–15 September.
The AFC announced the calendar of the remaining matches on 9 July 2020, with all group stage matches played at centralised venues, and all knockout ties played as a single match. The AFC announced the cancellation of the remainder of the competition on 10 September 2020, due to logistics in coordinating the five zones.
Notes: W: West Asia Zone C: Central Asia Zone S: South Asia Zone A: ASEAN Zone E: East Asia Zone Italics: planned new dates after restart, before the cancellation of the tournament
StageRoundDraw dateMatch datesFirst legSecond legPreliminary stagePreliminary round 1No draw22 January 2020 (S)29 January 2020 (S)Preliminary round 25 February 2020 (C, S)12 February 2020 (C, S)Play-off stagePlay-off round21–22 January 2020 (W, A),19 February 2020 (C, S)28–29 January 2020 (W, A),26 February 2020 (C, S)16 October 2020 (E)Group stageMatchday 110 December 201910–12 February 2020 (W, A), 11 March 2020 (C, S), 20 October 2020 (C, E)Matchday 224–26 February 2020 (W, A), 23 October 2020 (W, C, S, E)Matchday 39–11 March 2020 (A), 26 October 2020 (W, C, S, E)Matchday 423 September 2020 (A), 29 October 2020 (W, C, S, E)Matchday 526 September 2020 (A), 1 November 2020 (W, C, S, E)Matchday 629 September 2020 (A), 4 November 2020 (W, C, S, E)Knockout stageZonal semi-finals20–21 October 2020 (A), 23–24 November 2020 (W)Zonal finalsCancelled4 November 2020 (A), 1 December 2020 (W)Inter-zone play-off semi-finals24–25 November 2020Inter-zone play-off final2 December 2020Final12 December 2020
The original schedule of the competition, as planned before the pandemic, was as follows.