The 2023–24 AFC Cup was the 20th edition of the AFC Cup, Asia's secondary club football tournament organized by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and the final edition under the AFC Cup title, as the competition was revamped under the name AFC Champions League Two starting in 2024–25. This was the first AFC Cup season to have a two-year (autumn-to-spring) schedule, unlike the previous all-year-round (spring-to-autumn) schedule.
As the title holders, Al-Seeb qualified for the 2023–24 AFC Champions League playoff stage. So they were unable to defend their title.
Central Coast Mariners won the competition for the first time, defeating Al Ahed 1–0 in the final. Central Coast Mariners' victory meant that Australia became the first nation to have had clubs winning both the AFC Champions League and AFC Cup, following Western Sydney Wanderers' victory in the 2014 AFC Champions League.
Association team allocation The 47 AFC member associations are ranked based on their club's performance over the last four years in AFC competitions (their national team's FIFA World Rankings are no longer considered). The slots are allocated by the following criteria according to the Entry Manual: The associations are split into five zones (Article 5.1): West Asia Zone consists of the 12 associations from the West Asian Football Federation (WAFF). South Asia Zone consists of the 7 associations from the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF). Central Asia Zone consists of the 6 associations from Central Asian Football Association (CAFA). ASEAN Zone consists of the 12 associations from the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF). East Asia Zone consists 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 Reallocation of Regions Excluding the top five associations in each region for AFC Champions League slot allocation, all other associations are eligible to enter the AFC Cup. The teams from associations ranked 6th, 11th and 12th which are eliminated in the AFC Champions League qualifying play-offs enter the AFC Cup group stage (Article 3.2). The following rules are 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, are not ranked in each zone for AFC Cup slot allocation (Article 5.3). If they advance to the AFC Champions League group stage, the AFC Cup group stage slot is filled by the standby team from their association if such team are available (Article 5.12). The rules above do not apply to the AFC Champions League title holders and AFC Cup title holders which are allocated AFC Champions League play-off slots should they 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 are each allocated two direct slots. The associations ranked 4th to 6th are each allocated one direct slot and one play-off slot. The associations ranked 7th or below are each allocated one play-off slot. If any zone has an association ranked 6th for AFC Champions League slot allocation, which is allocated one direct slot in the AFC Cup group stage, there are 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 is one 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 are distributed as follows: The associations ranked 1st to 3rd are each allocated one direct slot and one play-off slot. The associations ranked 4th or below are each allocated one play-off slot. If any zone has an association ranked 6th for AFC Champions League slot allocation, which is allocated one direct slot in the AFC Cup group stage, there are 4 direct slots, and to ensure equal opportunity in each zone, another group is 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 has at least 7 play-off slots, to ensure equal opportunity in each zone, another group is 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 do not fulfill any one of the AFC Cup criteria, they have all their direct slots converted into play-off slots. The direct slots given up are 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 is two (Articles 3.4 and 3.5). If any association is allocated one additional direct slot, one play-off slot is annulled and not redistributed. If any association with only play-off slot(s), including those mentioned above, do not fulfill the minimum AFC Cup criteria, the play-off slot(s) are annulled and not redistributed (Articles 5.10 and 5.11). For each association, the maximum number of total slots is one-third of the total number of eligible teams (excluding foreign teams) in the top division (Article 5.6). If this rule is applied, any direct slots given up are redistributed by the same criteria as mentioned above, and play-off slots are annulled and not redistributed (Article 9.10). All participating teams must 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 does not have enough teams which satisfy these criteria, any direct slots given up are redistributed by the same criteria as mentioned above, and play-off slots are annulled and not redistributed (Article 9.9). If any team granted a license refuses to participate, their slot, either direct or play-off, is annulled and not redistributed (Article 9.11).
Association ranking For the 2023–24 AFC Cup, the associations are allocated slots according to the November 2021 AFC club competitions ranking, which takes into account their performance in the AFC Champions League and the AFC Cup during the period between 2018 and 2021.
Participation for 2023–24 AFC Cup Participating Not participating
+West Asia Zone (3 groups)RankMemberassociationPointsSlotsGroupstagePlay-off –1046.13110 11335.22320 21823.61820 32218.30720 42516.81211 52712.06111 631 6.89411 734 5.26401 841 0.00000TotalParticipating associations: 810414 +Central Asia Zone (1 group)RankMemberassociationPointsSlotsGroupstagePlay-off 11237.32311 21627.87111 332 5.96211 441 0.00000TotalParticipating associations: 3336 +South Asia Zone (1 group)RankMemberassociationPointsSlotsGroupstagePlay-off 11725.29011 22119.45211 329 7.85311 436 1.51301 538 0.78500 639 0.61101 741 0.00000TotalParticipating associations: 5358
+ASEAN Zone (3 groups)RankMemberassociationPointsSlotsGroupstagePlay-off –14 34.93710 11923.08020 22021.08720 32317.27720 42417.01611 52615.96011 6289.88111 733 5.67201 837 0.84301 941 0.00001 1041 0.00000TotalParticipating associations: 1010616 +East Asia Zone (1 group)RankMemberassociationPointsSlotsGroupstagePlay-off 11532.28600 230 6.98111 335 4.07211 440 0.34910 541 0.00000 641 0.00000TotalParticipating associations: 3325
Notes
Teams
+West Asia Zone Group stage direct entrantsTeamQualifying method Al-Wehdat2022 Jordan FA Cup winners2022 Jordanian Pro League runners-up12th Al-Zawraa2022–23 Iraqi Premier League third place5th Al-Kahrabaa2022–23 Iraqi Premier League fifth place1st Al-Ahed2022–23 Lebanese Premier League champions12th Nejmeh2022–23 Lebanese Premier League runners-up11th Al-Kuwait2021–22 Kuwaiti Premier League champions and 2022–23 Kuwaiti Premier League champions12th Al-Arabi2022–23 Kuwaiti Premier League runners-up3rd Al-Riffa2021–22 Bahraini Premier League champions7th Al-Fotuwa2022–23 Syrian Premier League champions1st Jabal Al-Mukaber2022–23 West Bank Premier League champions1st +Qualifying play-off participantsTeamQualifying method Al-Khaldiya2021–22 Bahraini King's Cup champions1st Al-Ittihad2021–22 Syrian Cup champions5th Shabab Al-Khalil2022–23 West Bank Premier League third place3rd Al-Nahda2022–23 Oman Professional League champions 4th +South Asia Zone Group stage direct entrantsTeamQualifying method OdishaWinners of additional playoff between 2021–22 I-League champions and 2023 Super Cup champions1st Bashundhara Kings2021–22 Bangladesh Premier League champions4th Maziya2022 Dhivehi Premier League champions2022 Maldives FA Cup winners9th +Qualifying play-off participantsTeamQualifying method Mohun Bagan SGWinners of additional playoff between 2021–22 and 2022–23 Indian Super League playoffs winners7th Dhaka Abahani2021–22 Bangladesh Premier League runners-up6th Club Eagles2022 Dhivehi Premier League runners-up2nd Machhindra2023 Martyr's Memorial A-Division League runners-up2nd Paro2022 Bhutan Premier League champions3rd +Central Asia Zone Group stage direct entrantsTeamQualifying method Ravshan Kulob2022 Tajikistan Higher League runners-up4th Altyn Asyr2022 Ýokary Liga runners-up9th Abdysh-Ata Kant2022 Kyrgyz Premier League champions and 2022 Kyrgyzstan Cup winners1st +Qualifying play-off participantsTeamQualifying method Khujand2022 Tajikistan Higher League third place7th Merw Mary2022 Ýokary Liga third place2nd Alay Osh2022 Kyrgyz Premier League runners-up7th
+ASEAN Zone (including Australia) Group stage direct entrantsTeamQualifying method Haiphong2022 V.League 1 runners-up1st DH Cebu2022–23 Philippines Football League runners-up1st Stallion Laguna2022–23 Philippines Football League third place1st Terengganu2022 Malaysia Super League runners-up3rd Sabah2022 Malaysia Super League third place1st Macarthur FC2022 Australia Cup winners1st Central Coast Mariners2022–23 A-League Men runners-up1st Hougang United2022 Singapore Cup winners3rd Bali UnitedWinner of additional playoff between 2021–22 and 2022–23 Liga 1 champion5th Shan United2022 Myanmar National League champions4th +Qualifying play-off participantsTeamQualifying method Tampines Rovers2022 Singapore Premier League third place14th PSM MakassarLoser of additional playoff between 2021–22 and 2022–23 Liga 1 champion4th Yangon United2022 Myanmar National League runners-up8th Phnom Penh Crown2022 Cambodian Premier League champions3rd Young Elephants2022 Lao League 1 champions2nd DPMM2022 Brunei FA Cup winners1st +East Asia Zone Group stage direct entrantsTeamQualifying method Chao Pak Kei2022 Liga de Elite champions and 2022 Taça de Macau winners2nd Taiwan Steel2022 Taiwan Premier League champions3rd FC Ulaanbaatar2022–23 Mongolian National Premier League champions1st +Qualifying play-off participantsTeamQualifying method Monte Carlo2022 Liga de Elite runners-up1st Taichung Futuro2022 Taiwan Premier League runners-up1st
Notes
Schedule The schedule of the competition is as follows.
StageRoundDraw dateFirst legSecond legPreliminary stagePreliminary round 1No draw8 August 2023Preliminary round 215–16 August 2023Play-off stagePlay-off round22–23 August 2023Group stageMatchday 124 August 202318–21 September 2023Matchday 22–5 October 2023Matchday 323–26 October 2023Matchday 46–9 November 2023Matchday 527–30 November 2023Matchday 611–14 December 2023Knockout stageZonal semi-finals28 December 202312–13 February 2024 (A)12–13 February 2024 (W)19–20 February 2024 (W)Zonal finals22 February 2024 (A)16 April 2024 (W)23 April 2024 (W)Inter-zone play-off semi-finals6–7 March 202413–14 March 2024Inter-zone play-off final17 April 202424 April 2024Final5 May 2024 at Sultan Qaboos Stadium, Muscat Notes A = ASEAN C = Central Asia E = East Asia S = South Asia W = West Asia
Qualifying play-offs
Preliminary round 1