The 2021 AFC Cup qualifying play-offs were played from 7 April to 15 August 2021. A total of seven teams competed in the qualifying play-offs to decide three of the 38 places in the group stage of the 2021 AFC Cup.
Teams The following 7 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 three rounds: 4 teams entered in the preliminary round 1. 3 teams entered in the preliminary round 2.
ZoneTeams entering in play-off roundTeams entering in preliminary round 2Teams entering in preliminary round 1West Asia Zone Markaz Shabab Al-Am'ari Al-KuwaitSouth Asia Zone Bengaluru Abahani Limited Dhaka Eagles Nepal Army Club Sri Lanka Police Thimphu CityCentral Asia ZoneASEAN Zone Hanthawady United Persipura Jayapura Visakha Chanthabouly Kasuka Lalenok United East Asia Zone
Format
In the qualifying play-offs, each tie was played as a single match. Extra time and penalty shoot-out were used to decide the winner if necessary.
Schedule The schedule of each round was as follows.
RoundWest Asia ZoneSouth Asia ZoneASEAN ZonePreliminary round 1Not played7 April 2021Not playedPreliminary round 2Not played14 April 2021CancelledPlay-off roundCancelled15 August 2021Cancelled
Bracket
The bracket of the qualifying play-offs for each zone was determined based on each team's association ranking, with the team from the higher-ranked association hosting the match. The one winner of preliminary round 2 (from ASEAN Zone) and one winner of the play-off round (from South Zone) advanced to the group stage to join the 35 direct entrants.
Play-off West Asia Both teams advanced to Group C.
Play-off South Asia Bengaluru advanced to Group D.
Play-off ASEAN 1 Winners of Preliminary round 2 would have advanced to Group G.
Play-off ASEAN 2 Persipura Jayapura advanced to Group H, while Visakha and Lalenok United advanced to Group I.
Preliminary round 1 Summary A total of four teams played in the preliminary round 1.
|+South Asia Zone
South Asia Zone
Preliminary round 2 Summary A total of eight teams played in the preliminary round 2: six teams which entered in this round, and two winners of the preliminary round 1.
|+South Asia Zone
|+ASEAN Zone
South Asia Zone
ASEAN Zone
Play-off round Summary A total of eight teams played in the play-off round: four teams which entered in this round, and four winners of the preliminary round 2.
|+West Asia Zone
|+South Asia Zone
|+ASEAN Zone
West Asia Zone
South Asia Zone
ASEAN Zone
Notes
References
External links
AFC Cup 2021 , stats.the-AFC.com