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2024–25 AFC Champions League Two

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2024–25 AFC Champions League Two
Tournament details
DatesQualifying:
14 August 2024
Competition proper:
17 September 2024 – 17 May 2025
TeamsCompetition proper: 31 (from 22 associations)
Tournament statistics
Matches played60
Goals scored200 (3.33 per match)
Top scorer(s)Iran Amirhossein Hosseinzadeh
Japan Seia Kunori
(5 goals each)
← 2023–24 (AFC Cup)

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, the second-tier tournament was known as the AFC Cup, which had been in existence for 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 be given an indirect preliminary stage slot for the 2025–26 AFC Champions League Elite, if they have not already qualified through their 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 which does not allow teams to transfer from the AFC Champions League Elite league stage to the AFC Champions League Two.

Association team allocation

[edit]

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

Participation for 2024–25 AFC Champions League Two
Participating
Not participating
Notes
  1. ^
    AFC Licensing (AFC): Association did not have a licensed club.[7]

Teams

[edit]

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

Notes
  1. ^
    Iran (IRN): Fourth place Tractor qualifies, due to Sepahan (who were third place in the Pro League) winning the 2023–24 Hazfi Cup.
  2. ^
    Iraq (IRQ): Al-Shorta, the 2023–24 Iraq FA Cup winners, also won the league title. As a result, the 2023–24 Iraq Stars League runners-up, Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya, qualified for the Champions League Two.
  3. ^
    Malaysia (MAS): Johor Darul Ta'zim, the 2023 Malaysia FA Cup winners, also won the league title. As a result, the 2023 Malaysia Super League runners-up, Selangor, qualified for the Champions League Two.
  4. ^
    Philippines (PHI): Kaya–Iloilo, the 2023 Copa Paulino Alcantara winners, also won the league title. As a result, the 2024 Philippines Football League runners-up, DH Cebu, qualified for the Champions League Two.
  5. ^
    Qatar (QAT): Al-Sadd had already qualified for the Champions League Elite as the 2023-24 Qatar Stars League champions has also won the 2024 Emir of Qatar Cup. Thus, second-placed Al-Rayyan have also qualified for the Champions League Elite league stage, the third-placed Al-Gharafa qualified for the Champions League Elite qualifying play-off, the fourth-placed Al-Wakrah qualified for the Champions League Two group stage.
  6. ^
    Saudi Arabia (KSA): Al Hilal being the 2023–24 King Cup winners, have already qualified to 2024-25 AFC Champions League Elite as the 2023–24 Saudi Pro League champions, so Saudi Pro League fourth-placed team will qualify for the Champions League Two group stage.[8]
  7. ^
    Singapore (SGP): Albirex Niigata (S), the 2023 Singapore Premier League champions, are a team from Japan and thus ineligible to represent Singapore in AFC club competitions. As a result, Lion City Sailors, the Singapore Premier League runners-up, qualified for the Champions League Two group stage. Since Lion City Sailors also won the 2023 Singapore Cup, Tampines Rovers FC, also qualified for the group stage as the third placed team in the 2023 Singapore Premier League.
  8. ^
    South Korea (KOR): Pohang Steelers had already qualified for the Champions League Elite as the 2023 K League 1 runners-up when they won the 2023 Korean FA Cup. Thus, third-placed Gwangju FC qualified for the Champions League Elite qualifying play-off, while the fourth-placed Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors qualified for the Champions League Two group stage.
  9. ^
    Tajikistan (TJK): Istiklol won both the 2023 Tajikistan Higher League and 2023 Tajikistan Cup. Ravshan Kulob, as the league runners-up, also entered the group stage.
  10. ^
    Thailand (THA): Bangkok United, the 2023–24 Thai League 1 runners-up had qualified for the Champions League Elite qualifying play-off as the 2023–24 Thai FA Cup winner. Thus, third-placed Port qualified for the Champions League Two group stage. Fifth place Muangthong United also qualified for the Champions League Two group stage due to Thanh Hóa's withdrawal from the competition and BG Pathum United's decision not to participate.[9]
  11. ^
    Turkmenistan (TKM): Arkadag, the 2023 Ýokary Liga and 2023 Turkmenistan Cup champions only have AFC Challenge League license. So Altyn Asyr, the regular season runners-up replaced Arkadag in AFC Champions League Two qualifying play-offs.[7]
  12. ^
    United Arab Emirates (UAE): Al-Wasl, who has already qualified to Champions League Elite as 2023–24 UAE President's Cup winners, also won the 2023–24 UAE Pro League and Al Ain, the UAE Pro League third-placed team was assured a place in the 2024–25 AFC Champions League Elite league stage by winning the 2023–24 AFC Champions League, so UAE Pro League fourth-placed team, Sharjah, qualified for the Champions League Two group stage.

Schedule

[edit]

The schedule of the competition is as follows.[10] All matches will be played on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, apart from the final which takes place on Saturday.

Stage Round Draw date West region East region
Preliminary stage Preliminary stage No draw[a] 14 August 2024
Group stage Matchday 1 16 August 2024 17–18 September 2024 18–19 September 2024
Matchday 2 1–2 October 2024 2–3 October 2024
Matchday 3 22–23 October 2024 23–24 October 2024
Matchday 4 5–6 November 2024 6–7 November 2024
Matchday 5 26–27 November 2024 27–28 November 2024
Matchday 6 3–4 December 2024 4–5 December 2024
Knockout stage Round of 16[b] 12 December 2024 11–12 and 18–19 February 2025 12–13 and 19–20 February 2025
Quarter-finals[b] 4–5 and 11–12 March 2025 5–6 and 12–13 March 2025
Semi-finals[b] 8 and 15 April 2025 9 and 16 April 2025
Final[c] 17 May 2025
  1. ^ pre-determined format
  2. ^ a b c two-legged ties
  3. ^ neutral venues

Qualifying play-offs

[edit]

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.

Team 1ScoreTeam 2
East Bengal India2–3Turkmenistan Altyn Asyr
Al-Ahli Bahrain0–1Kuwait Al-Kuwait
East Bengal India2–3Turkmenistan Altyn Asyr
 Report
Attendance: 27,892
Referee: Alex King (Australia)
Al-Ahli Bahrain0–1Kuwait Al-Kuwait
Report
Attendance: 1,396
Referee: Qasim Matar Al-Hatmi (Oman)

Group stage

[edit]
Main article: 2024–25 AFC Champions League Two group stage

The draw for the group stage took place on 16 August at the InterContinental Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.[11] The 32 teams were drawn into eight groups of four: four groups each in the West Region (Groups A–D) and the East Region (Groups E–H).[12] For each region, teams were seeded into four pots and drawn into the relevant positions within each group, based on their association ranking and their seeding within their association. Teams from the same association could not be drawn into the same group.

class=notpageimage|
Location of the 2024–25 AFC Champions League Two group stage teams
Brown: Group A; Cyan: Group B; Orange: Group C; Yellow: Group D; Pink: Group E;
Green: Group F; Blue: Group G; Red: Group H

West Region

[edit]

Group A

[edit]
Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification TRA WAK RAV MBSG
1 Iran Tractor (A) 3 3 0 0 13 1 +12 9 Advance to round of 16 — 27 Nov 7–0 2 Oct
2 Qatar Al-Wakrah 2 1 0 1 1 3 −2 3 0–3 — 4 Dec 6 Nov
3 Tajikistan Ravshan Kulob 3 0 0 3 1 11 −10 0 1–3 0–1 — 27 Nov
4 India Mohun Bagan SG 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Withdrawn[a] 4 Dec 23 Oct 0–0 —
Updated to match(es) played on 6 November 2024. Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
(A) Advance to a further round
Notes:
  1. ^ On 7 October 2024, AFC announced that Mohun Bagan SG were considered to have withdrawn from the AFC Champions League Two after they failed to appear for their fixture against Tractor in Tabriz. Their single match was voided.[13]

Group B

[edit]
Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification TAA KHA AFC ALT
1 Saudi Arabia Al-Taawoun 4 3 0 1 10 5 +5 9 Advance to round of 16 — 27 Nov 1–2 2–1
2 Bahrain Al-Khaldiya 4 3 0 1 9 5 +4 9 2–3 — 4–1 4 Dec
3 Iraq Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya 4 2 0 2 6 8 −2 6 4 Dec 1–2 — 2–1
4 Turkmenistan Altyn Asyr (E) 4 0 0 4 2 9 −7 0 0–4 0–1 27 Nov —
Updated to match(es) played on 6 November 2024. Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
(E) Eliminated

Group C

[edit]
Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification WHD SHJ SEP IST
1 Jordan Al-Wehdat 4 3 1 0 6 3 +3 10 Advance to round of 16 — 3 Dec 2–1 1–0
2 United Arab Emirates Sharjah 4 2 1 1 7 6 +1 7 2–2 — 3–1 26 Nov
3 Iran Sepahan 4 2 0 2 9 6 +3 6 26 Nov 3–1 — 4–0
4 Tajikistan Istiklol (E) 4 0 0 4 0 7 −7 0 0–1 0–1 3 Dec —
Updated to match(es) played on 5 November 2024. Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
(E) Eliminated

Group D

[edit]
Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification HUS SAH NAS KSC
1 Jordan Al-Hussein Irbid 4 3 0 1 7 6 +1 9 Advance to round of 16 — 27 Nov 2–1 2–1
2 United Arab Emirates Shabab Al-Ahli 4 2 1 1 11 7 +4 7 3–1 — 4 Dec 4–1
3 Uzbekistan Nasaf Qarshi 4 1 1 2 4 5 −1 4 1–2 2–1 — 27 Nov
4 Kuwait Al-Kuwait 4 0 2 2 5 9 −4 2 4 Dec 3–3 0–0 —
Updated to match(es) played on 6 November 2024. Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers

East Region

[edit]

Group E

[edit]
Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification SFR SYD EAS KAY
1 Japan Sanfrecce Hiroshima (A) 4 4 0 0 9 3 +6 12 Advance to round of 16 — 2–1 5 Dec 3–0
2 Australia Sydney FC 4 2 0 2 10 4 +6 6 0–1 — 5–0 5 Dec
3 Hong Kong Eastern 4 1 0 3 5 11 −6 3 2–3 28 Nov — 1–2
4 Philippines Kaya–Iloilo 4 1 0 3 4 10 −6 3 28 Nov 1–4 1–2 —
Updated to match(es) played on 7 November 2024. Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
(A) Advance to a further round

Group F

[edit]
Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification POR LCS PSB ZHP
1 Thailand Port 4 3 0 1 5 4 +1 9 Advance to round of 16 — 1–3 28 Nov 1–0
2 Singapore Lion City Sailors 4 2 1 1 8 5 +3 7 5 Dec — 2–3 2–0
3 Indonesia Persib 4 1 1 2 4 5 −1 4 0–1 1–1 — 5 Dec
4 China Zhejiang 4 1 0 3 2 5 −3 3 1–2 28 Nov 1–0 —
Updated to match(es) played on 7 November 2024. Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers

Group G

[edit]
Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification BKU NDI TAM LMC
1 Thailand Bangkok United 4 3 1 0 9 3 +6 10 Advance to round of 16 — 4 Dec 4–2 4–1
2 Vietnam Nam Định 4 2 2 0 8 5 +3 8 0–0 — 3–2 27 Nov
3 Singapore Tampines Rovers 4 1 1 2 10 11 −1 4 27 Nov 3–3 — 3–1
4 Hong Kong Lee Man (E) 4 0 0 4 2 10 −8 0 0–1 0–2 4 Dec —
Updated to match(es) played on 6 November 2024. Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
(E) Eliminated

Group H

[edit]
Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification JBH SEL MTU DHC
1 South Korea Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 4 3 0 1 12 3 +9 9 Advance to round of 16 — 1–0 4–1 28 Nov
2 Malaysia Selangor 4 2 1 1 4 3 +1 7 2–1 — 28 Nov 2–0
3 Thailand Muangthong United 4 1 2 1 13 9 +4 5 5 Dec 1–1 — 2–2
4 Philippines DH Cebu (E) 4 0 1 3 4 18 −14 1 0–6 5 Dec 2–9 —
Updated to match(es) played on 7 November 2024. Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
(E) Eliminated

Knockout stage

[edit]
Main article: 2024–25 AFC Champions League Two knockout stage

In the knockout stage, the 16 teams will play a single-elimination tournament. Each tie will be played on a home-and-away two-legged basis, except the final which will be played as a single match. Extra time and penalty shoot-out will be used to decide the winners if necessary (Regulations Article 10). The order of matches (home vs away) was determined at the draw, except for the final. The final was pre-determined on a rotation basis, with the match hosted by the team from the East Region. The draw for the knockout stage will be held on 12 December 2024.

Final

[edit]
Main article: 2025 AFC Champions League Two final


Top scorers

[edit]
As of 7 November 2024
  Team eliminated for this round.
  Player is not in the team but the team is still active for this round.
Rank Player Team MD1 MD2 MD3 MD4 MD5 MD6 MD7 MD8 R16-1 R16-2 QF1 QF2 SF1 SF2 F1 F2 Total
1 Iran Amirhossein Hosseinzadeh Iran Tractor 1 2 2 5
Japan Seia Kunori Singapore Tampines Rovers 2 1 1 1
3 The Gambia Musa Barrow Saudi Arabia Al Taawoun 2 2 4
Senegal Ousseynou Gueye Jordan Al-Wehdat 1 2 1
Bahrain Kamil Al-Aswad Bahrain Al-Riffa 1 3
6 Jordan Aref Al-Haj Jordan Al-Hussein Irbid 1 2 3
Brazil Mateusão United Arab Emirates Shabab Al-Ahli 1 1 1
South Korea Moon Seon-min South Korea Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 1 2
Iran Javad Aghaeipour Iran Sepahan 2 1
Oman Muhsen Al-Ghassani Thailand Bangkok United 2 1
Thailand Poramet Arjvirai Thailand Muangthong United 3
Singapore Shawal Anuar Singapore Lion City Sailors 2 1
Costa Rica Felicio Brown Forbes Thailand Muangthong United 1 2
Albania Sokol Cikalleshi Iran Tractor 3
Curaçao Richairo Živković Thailand Bangkok United 1 2
Note
  • Goals scored in the qualifying play-offs and matches voided by AFC are not counted when determining top scorer (Regulations Article 64.4)


See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Asian Champions League to relaunch with fewer teams and more prize money in 2024-25 season". AP News. 14 August 2023.
  2. ^ "History beckons for AFC Cup 2023/24 contenders as final edition of popular competition kicks off". the-AFC.com. Asian Football Confederation. 15 September 2023. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  3. ^ "AFC Executive Committee approves biggest prize purse in Asian club football history from 2024/25; announces AFC Women's Champions League". the-AFC.
  4. ^ "Pivotal reforms approved by AFC Competitions Committee". AFC. 24 May 2024. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
  5. ^ "AFC Club Competitions 2024/25 Slot Allocation" (PDF). fas.org.sg. Football Association of Singapore. 10 May 2023. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  6. ^ "AFC Club Competitions Ranking". the-afc.com. Asian Football Confederation. 24 November 2021. Archived from the original on 7 January 2022. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
  7. ^ a b "List of Licensed Clubs - AFC Club Competitions 2024/25" (PDF). 14 June 2024. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
  8. ^ Sportstar, Team (1 May 2024). "Al Nassr vs Al Khaleej Highlights, King's Cup Semifinal: Ronaldo scores twice to help Al Nassr beat Al Khaleej 3–1". Sportstar. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
  9. ^ ดำหริ, วิสูตร (30 July 2024). "เมืองทองส้มหล่น ได้ไป ACL2 เหตุ บีจี ไม่ขอรับโควตา". thinkcurve (in Thai). Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  10. ^ "AFC Competitions Committee approves key decisions on reformatted competitions". AFC. 1 July 2023.
  11. ^ "AFC Champions League Two: #ACLTwo contenders to discover Group Stage fate". the-AFC. 12 August 2024.
  12. ^ "#ACLTwo group stage draw finalised". Asian Football Confederation. 16 August 2024. Retrieved 17 August 2024.
  13. ^ "Latest update on AFC Champions League Two™". Asian Football Confederation. 7 October 2024.
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