2024–25 AFC Champions League Two explained

Tourney Name:AFC Champions League Two
Year:2024–25
Num Teams:Competition proper: 32
Associations:23
Prevseason:2023–24 (AFC Cup)
Nextseason:2025–26

The 2024–25 AFC Champions League Two is the 21st edition of the Asia's second-tier club football tournament, organized by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

Previously known as the AFC Cup, which had been in existence for the previous 20 seasons, this is the first season using a revised format and the new name of AFC Champions League Two.[1] [2] It will feature 32 teams in the group stage.[3] The winner will enter the league stage of the 2025–26 AFC Champions League Elite, if they have not already qualified through domestic performance.

Central Coast Mariners were the reigning champions, as the AFC Cup records and statistics are carried forward to the ACL Two.[4] They will not be able to defend the title as they will automatically participate in the AFC Champions League Elite league stage as AFC Cup winners which does not allow teams to transfer from the AFC Champions League Elite league stage to the AFC Champions League Two.

Association team allocation

The associations are allocated slots according to their club competitions ranking,[5] which was published after the 2022 competitions were completed.[6]

bgcolor=#f7f8ff colspan=2Participation for 2024–25 AFC Champions League Two
bgcolor=#90ee77 width=20Participating
bgcolor=#ffcccc width=20Not participating
+West Region (4 groups)
RankMember
association		PointsSlots
Group
stage		Play-off
——2024–25 AFC Champions League Elite qualifying round losers—20
1193.79510
2479.95010
3572.01810
4664.12910
5945.00610
61036.90110
71230.16120
81623.97620
91723.63911
101820.68111
111920.06901
122019.46401
TotalParticipating associations: 12144
5-->
18
+East Region (4 groups)
RankMember
association		PointsSlots
Group
stage		Play-off
——2024–25 AFC Champions League Elite qualifying round losers—10
1291.82110
2388.29510
3757.63010
4849.470(1) 20
51133.83010
61329.95110
71429.469(2) 10
81527.45020
92118.42820
102416.82420
112516.11700
122615.08310
TotalParticipating associations: 11160
16
Notes

Teams

The number of appearances and last appearance include the AFC Cup as the predecessor of the AFC Champions League Two.

+Group stage direct entrants
width=25%Teamwidth=60%Qualifying methodwidth=15%
Shabab Al-Ahli2024–25 AFC Champions League Elite qualifying round losers1st
Sepahan1st
Al-Taawoun2023–24 Saudi Pro League fourth place1st
Al-Wakrah2023–24 Qatar Stars League fourth place1st
Tractor2023–24 Persian Gulf Pro League fourth place1st
Sharjah2023–24 UAE Pro League fourth place 1st
Nasaf2023 Uzbekistan Cup winners
2023 Uzbekistan Super League runners-up		4th
Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya2023–24 Iraq Stars League runners-up4th
Al-Hussein Irbid2023–24 Jordanian Pro League champions2nd
Al-Wehdat2023–24 Jordan FA Cup winners 13th
Istiklol2023 Tajikistan Higher League champions
2023 Tajikistan Cup winners		7th
Ravshan Kulob2023 Tajikistan Higher League runners-up5th
Mohun Bagan SG2023–24 Indian Super League champions8th
Al-Khaldiya2023–24 Bahraini Premier League champions2nd
Qualifying play-off participants
width=25%Teamwidth=60%Qualifying methodwidth=15%
East Bengal2024 Super Cup winners9th
Al-Ahli2023–24 Bahraini King's Cup winners1st
Al-Kuwait2023–24 Kuwaiti Premier League champions13th
Altyn Asyr2023 Ýokary Liga runners-up 10th
+Group stage direct entrants
width=25%Teamwidth=60%Qualifying methodwidth=15%
Bangkok United2024–25 AFC Champions League Elite qualifying round losers1st
Sanfrecce Hiroshima2023 J1 League third place1st
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors2023 K League 1 fourth place1st
Zhejiang2023 Chinese Super League third place1st
Port2023–24 Thai League 1 third place2nd
Muangthong United2023–24 Thai League 1 fifth place3rd
Sydney FC2023 Australia Cup winners1st
Selangor2023 Malaysia Super League runners-up6th
Thep Xanh Nam Định2023–24 V.League 1 champions1st
Lee Man2023–24 Hong Kong Premier League champions3rd
Eastern2023–24 Hong Kong FA Cup winners4th
Kaya–Iloilo2024 Philippines Football League champions
2023 Copa Paulino Alcantara winners		5th
DH Cebu2024 Philippines Football League runners-up2nd
Lion City Sailors2023 Singapore Premier League runners-up
2023 Singapore Cup winners		11th
Tampines Rovers2023 Singapore Premier League third place15th
Persib2023–24 Liga 1 champions2nd
Withdrawn teams
width=25%Teamwidth=60%Qualifying methodwidth=15%
2023–24 Vietnamese Cup winners2nd
Notes

Schedule

The schedule of the competition is as follows.[7] All matches will be played on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, apart from the final which takes place on Saturday.

StageRoundDraw dateWest regionEast region
Preliminary stage Preliminary stageNo draw14 August 2024
Group stageMatchday 116 August 202417–18 September 202418–19 September 2024
Matchday 21–2 October 20242–3 October 2024
Matchday 322–23 October 202423–24 October 2024
Matchday 45–6 November 20246–7 November 2024
Matchday 526–27 November 202427–28 November 2024
Matchday 63–4 December 20244–5 December 2024
Knockout stageRound of 1612 December 202411–12 and 18–19 February 202512–13 and 19–20 February 2025
Quarter-finals4–5 and 11–12 March 20255–6 and 12–13 March 2025
Semi-finals8 and 15 April 20259 and 16 April 2025
Final17 May 2025

Qualifying play-offs

The bracket of the qualifying play-offs for each region was determined based on each team's association ranking and their seeding within their association, with the team from the higher-ranked association hosting the match. Teams from the same association could not be placed into the same tie. The two winners of the play-off round (two from West Region) advanced to the group stage to join the 30 direct entrants, while losers of the qualifying play-offs will enter the group stage of the 2024–25 AFC Challenge League.

----

Group stage

See main article: 2024–25 AFC Champions League Two group stage.

Group H

Knockout stage

See main article: 2024–25 AFC Champions League Two knockout stage.

Final

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Asian Champions League to relaunch with fewer teams and more prize money in 2024-25 season. August 14, 2023. AP News.
  2. Web site: History beckons for AFC Cup 2023/24 contenders as final edition of popular competition kicks off. 21 September 2023. 15 September 2023. the-AFC.com. Asian Football Confederation. en.
  3. Web site: AFC Executive Committee approves biggest prize purse in Asian club football history from 2024/25; announces AFC Women’s Champions League. the-AFC.
  4. Web site: Pivotal reforms approved by AFC Competitions Committee . 24 May 2024. 24 May 2024. AFC.
  5. Web site: AFC Club Competitions 2024/25 Slot Allocation. fas.org.sg. Football Association of Singapore. 10 May 2023. 22 August 2023.
  6. Web site: AFC Club Competitions Ranking. the-afc.com. Asian Football Confederation. 24 November 2021. 24 November 2021. 7 January 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220107182849/https://www.the-afc.com/en/more/afc_ranking.html/. live.
  7. Web site: 1 July 2023 . AFC Competitions Committee approves key decisions on reformatted competitions . AFC.

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