2021 AFC Cup qualifying play-offs

The 2021 AFC Cup qualifying play-offs will be played from 7 April to 19 May 2021.[1] A total of 14 teams will compete in the qualifying play-offs to decide four of the 39 places in the group stage of the 2021 AFC Cup.[2]

Teams

The following 14 teams, split into five zones (West Asia Zone, Central Asia Zone, South Asia Zone, ASEAN Zone, East Asia Zone), will enter the qualifying play-offs, consisting of three rounds:

  • 4 teams enter in the preliminary round 1.
  • 6 teams enter in the preliminary round 2.
  • 4 teams enter in the play-off round.
Zone Teams entering in play-off round Teams entering in preliminary round 2 Teams entering in preliminary round 1
West Asia Zone
South Asia Zone
Central Asia Zone
None
ASEAN Zone
East Asia Zone
None

Format

In the qualifying play-offs, each tie will be played as a single match. Extra time and penalty shoot-out will be used to decide the winner if necessary.[2]

Schedule

The schedule of each round is as follows.[1][3][4]

Round West Asia Zone South Asia Zone ASEAN Zone
Preliminary round 1 Not played 7 April 2021 Not played
Preliminary round 2 Not played 14 April 2021 28 April 2021
Play-off round 20 April 2021 21 April 2021 19 May 2021

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 four winners of the play-off round (one each from West Asia Zone and South Asia Zone, and two from ASEAN Zone) will advance to the group stage to join the 35 direct entrants.[5]

Play-off West Asia
 
Play-off round
 
  
 
20 April
 
 
 Markaz Shabab Al-Am'ari
 
 
 Al-Kuwait
 

Play-off South Asia
 
Preliminary round 1Preliminary round 2Play-off round
 
          
 
 
 
 
14 April
 
 
 Bengaluru
 
7 April
 
 Winners of South Asia 1.1
 
 Nepal Army Club
 
21 April
 
 Sri Lanka Police
 
 Winners of South Asia 2.1[†]
 
 
 Winners of South Asia 2.2[†]
 
 
14 April
 
 
 Abahani Limited Dhaka
 
7 April
 
 Winners of South Asia 1.2
 
 Eagles
 
 
 Thimphu City
 
  1. † Home team to be decided, with the team from the higher-ranked association hosting the match.

Play-off ASEAN 1
 
Preliminary round 2Play-off round
 
      
 
 
 
 
19 May
 
 
 Persipura Jayapura
 
28 April
 
 Winners of ASEAN 2.1
 
 Visakha
 
 
 Lalenok United
 

Play-off ASEAN 2
 
Preliminary round 2Play-off round
 
      
 
 
 
 
19 May
 
 
 Hanthawady United
 
28 April
 
 Winners of ASEAN 2.2
 
 Lao Toyota
 
 
 Kasuka
 

Preliminary round 1

Summary

A total of four teams will play in the preliminary round 1.

Team 1  Score  Team 2
South Asia Zone
Nepal Army Club 7 Apr (South Asia 1.1) Sri Lanka Police
Eagles 7 Apr (South Asia 1.2) Thimphu City

South Asia Zone
Nepal Army Club v Sri Lanka Police
Eagles v Thimphu City

Preliminary round 2

Summary

A total of eight teams will play in the preliminary round 2: six teams which enter in this round, and two winners of the preliminary round 1.

Team 1  Score  Team 2
South Asia Zone
Bengaluru 14 Apr (South Asia 2.1) Winners of South Asia 1.1
Abahani Limited Dhaka 14 Apr (South Asia 2.2) Winners of South Asia 1.2
Team 1  Score  Team 2
ASEAN Zone
Lao Toyota 28 Apr (ASEAN 2.1) Kasuka
Visakha 28 Apr (ASEAN 2.2) Lalenok United

South Asia Zone
Bengaluru v Winners of South Asia 1.1
Abahani Limited Dhaka v Winners of South Asia 1.2

ASEAN Zone
Lao Toyota v Kasuka
Visakha v Lalenok United

Play-off round

Summary

A total of eight teams will play in the play-off round: four teams which enter in this round, and four winners of the preliminary round 2.

Team 1  Score  Team 2
West Asia Zone
Markaz Shabab Al-Am'ari 20 Apr (West Asia 3.1) Al-Kuwait
Team 1  Score  Team 2
South Asia Zone
Winners of South Asia 2.1 21 Apr (South Asia 3.1)[†] Winners of South Asia 2.2
Team 1  Score  Team 2
ASEAN Zone
Hanthawady United 19 May (ASEAN 3.1) Winners of ASEAN 2.1
Persipura Jayapura 19 May (ASEAN 3.2) Winners of ASEAN 2.2
  1. † Home team to be decided, with the team from the higher-ranked association hosting the match.

West Asia Zone
Markaz Shabab Al-Am'ari v Al-Kuwait

South Asia Zone
Winners of South Asia 2.1 v Winners of South Asia 2.2

ASEAN Zone
Hanthawady United v Winners of ASEAN 2.1
Persipura Jayapura v Winners of ASEAN 2.2

Notes

    References
    1. "AFC Competitions Calendar 2021". the-afc.com. Asian Football Confederation. 5 December 2019.
    2. "AFC Cup 2021 Competition Regulations" (PDF). Asian Football Confederation.
    3. "AFC Club Competitions' Group Stages to be played in centralised venues". the-afc.com. Asian Football Confederation. 25 January 2021.
    4. "2021 AFC Cup Preliminary & Playoff Stage match schedule". AFC.
    5. "AFC CUP 2021 Draw Mechanism". youtube.com. AFC. 26 January 2021.
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