2022 AFC Champions League

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2022 AFC Champions League
Tournament details
DatesQualifying:
1 March – 20 April 2022
Competition proper:
15 April – 29 October 2022
TeamsCompetition proper: 40
Total (maximum): 55 (from 25 associations)
← 2021
2023 →

The 2022 AFC Champions League will be the 41st edition of Asia's premier club football tournament organized by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and the 20th under the current AFC Champions League title.

The winners of the tournament will automatically qualify for the 2023 AFC Champions League, entering the qualifying play-offs, if they have not qualified through their domestic performance.[1]

Al-Hilal of Saudi Arabia are the defending champions after they defeated Korean club Pohang Steelers in the 2021 AFC Champions League Final.

Association team allocation[]

The 47 AFC member associations are ranked based on their clubs' performance over the last four years in AFC competitions (their national team's FIFA World Rankings no longer considered).[2] The slots are allocated by the following criteria according to the Entry Manual:[3]

  • The associations are split into two regions (Article 3.1):
  • The top 12 associations in each region are eligible to enter the AFC Champions League.
  • In each region, there are five groups in the group stage, including 16 direct slots, with the 4 remaining slots filled through qualifying play-offs (Article 3.2). The slots in each region are distributed as follows:[4][5]
    • The associations ranked 1st and 2nd are each allocated three direct slots and one play-off slot.
    • The associations ranked 3rd and 4th are each allocated two direct slots and two play-off slots.
    • The associations ranked 5th are each allocated one direct slot and two play-off slots.
    • The associations ranked 6th are each allocated one direct slot and one play-off slot.
    • The associations ranked 7th to 10th are each allocated one direct slot.
    • The associations ranked 11th and 12th are each allocated one play-off slot.
  • The AFC Champions League title holders and AFC Cup title holders are each allocated one play-off slot should they not qualify for the tournament through domestic performance (Article 3.6). The following rules are applied:
    • If the AFC Champions League title holders or AFC Cup title holders are from associations ranked 1st to 6th, their association is allocated the same number of play-off slots, and they replace the lowest-seeded team from their association. Otherwise, their association is allocated one additional play-off slot, and they do not replace any team from their association (Articles 3.8, 3.9 and 3.10).
    • If both the AFC Champions League title holders and AFC Cup title holders are from the same association which is allocated only one play-off slot, their association is allocated one additional play-off slot, and only the lowest-seeded team from their association is replaced as a result (Article 3.11).
    • The AFC Champions League title holders and AFC Cup title holders are the lowest-seeded teams in the qualifying play-offs if they do not replace any team from their association (Article 3.12).
  • If any association ranked 1st to 6th do not fulfill any one of the AFC Champions League 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 3.13 and 3.14):
    • For each association, the maximum number of total slots is four and the maximum number of direct slots is three (Articles 3.4 and 3.5).
    • If any association ranked 3rd to 6th is allocated one additional direct slot, one play-off slot is annulled and not redistributed.
    • If any association ranked 5th to 6th is allocated two additional direct slots, one play-off slot is annulled and not redistributed.
  • If any association ranked 7th to 10th do not fulfill any one of the AFC Champions League criteria, they have their direct slot converted into play-off slot. The direct slot given up is redistributed to the next association ranked 11th or 12th, whose play-off slot is annulled and not redistributed, or if neither are eligible, the highest eligible association by the same criteria as mentioned above (Articles 3.16 and 3.17).
  • If any association with only play-off slot(s), including any association ranked 11th to 12th or those mentioned above, do not fulfill the minimum AFC Champions League criteria, the play-off slot(s) are annulled and not redistributed (Articles 3.19 and 3.20).
  • 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 3.4). 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 license, and apart from cup winners, finish in the top half of their top division (Articles 7.1 and 9.5). If any association do not have enough teams which satisfy this 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 2022 AFC Champions League, the associations are allocated slots according to their association ranking which was published on 29 November 2019,[6][7] which takes into account their performance in the AFC Champions League and the AFC Cup during the period between 2016 and 2019.

Participation for 2022 AFC Champions League
Participating
Not participating
Notes
  1. ^
    Lebanon (LBN): Lebanon did not implement the club licensing system.[8]
  2. ^
    North Korea (PRK): North Korea did not implement the club licensing system.[8]

Teams[]

In the following table, the number of appearances and last appearance count only those since the 2002–03 season (including qualifying rounds), when the competition was rebranded as the AFC Champions League.

Note: Only teams assured of a place are displayed.[a]

Notes
  1. ^ If the AFC Champions league winners are from top associations and have not qualified through their domestic performance, they will replace the lowest-seeded team from their association.
  1. ^
    Australia (AUS): The third-placed team (Central Coast Mariners) will qualify only if Melbourne City, Sydney FC, Wellington Phoenix or a lower-level NPL team wins the 2021 FFA Cup.
  2. ^
    China (CHN): The fourth-placed team will qualify only if one of the top three teams also wins the 2021 Chinese FA Cup.
  3. ^
    Iraq (IRQ): Al-Najaf, the 2020–21 Iraqi Premier League third place, failed to obtain an AFC license.[9] As a result, Al-Shorta, the league's fourth placed team, entered the qualifying play-offs.
  4. ^
    Jordan (JOR): The 2021 Jordanian Pro League champions Al-Ramtha were not granted an AFC Champions League license.[8]
  5. ^
    Saudi Arabia (KSA): Al-Ittihad, the 2020–21 Saudi Professional League third place, failed to obtain an AFC license.[10] As a result, Al-Taawoun, the league's fourth placed team, entered the qualifying play-offs.[11]
  6. ^
    Myanmar (MYA): Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Myanmar plus the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état and protests, the 2021 Myanmar National League was not held by the Myanmar Football Federation.
  7. ^
    Philippines (PHI): Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines, the 2021 Philippines Football League was cancelled. The Philippine Football Federation has nominated United City, the 2020 Philippines Football League champions, to participate.[12]
  8. ^
    Syria (SYR): The 2020–21 Syrian Premier League champions Tisreen were not granted an AFC Champions League license, and will play in the 2022 AFC Cup instead.[8][13]
  9. ^
    Turkmenistan (TKM): Only Ahal were granted an AFC Champions League license, so the Ýokary Liga champions Altyn Asyr were only eligible for the 2022 AFC Cup.[8][13]
  10. ^
    Vietnam (VIE): Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Vietnam, the 2021 V.League 1 and 2021 Vietnamese Cup were both abandoned by the Vietnam Football Federation.

Schedule[]

The schedule of the competition is as follows.[14][15]

Stage Round Draw date Match date
Preliminary stage Preliminary round 1 No draw 1 March 2022 (E), 15 March 2022 (W)
Preliminary round 2 8 March 2022 (E), 5 April 2022 (W)
Play-off stage Play-off round 15 March 2022 (E), 20 April 2022 (W)
Group stage Matchday 1 17 January 2022 15–16 April 2022 (E), 10–11 May 2022 (W)
Matchday 2 18–19 April 2022 (E), 13–14 May 2022 (W)
Matchday 3 21–22 April 2022 (E), 16–17 May 2022 (W)
Matchday 4 24–25 April 2022 (E), 19–20 May 2022 (W)
Matchday 5 27–28 April 2022 (E), 22–23 May 2022 (W)
Matchday 6 30 April – 1 May 2022 (E), 25–26 May 2022 (W)
Knockout stage Round of 16 29–31 August 2022
Quarter-finals TBD 12–14 September 2022
Semi-finals 11–12 October 2022
Final 29 October 2022
Notes
  • E: East Asia Zone
  • W: West Asia Zone

The original schedule of the competition, as planned before the pandemic, was as follows.

Original schedule for 2022 AFC Champions League
Stage Round Draw date First leg Second leg
Preliminary stage Preliminary round 1 No draw 4 January 2022
Preliminary round 2 11 January 2022
Play-off stage Play-off round 18 January 2022
Group stage Matchday 1 TBD 7–9 February 2022
Matchday 2 14–16 February 2022
Matchday 3 28 February – 2 March 2022
Matchday 4 14–16 March 2022
Matchday 5 4–6 April 2022
Matchday 6 18–20 April 2022
Knockout stage Round of 16 9–11 May 2022 23–25 May 2022
Quarter-finals TBD 15–17 August 2022 29–31 August 2022
Semi-finals 13–14 September 2022 4–5 October 2022
Final 22 October 2022 29 October 2022

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "More Member Associations to benefit from inclusive AFC Champions League". the-afc.com. Asian Football Confederation. 23 November 2019. Retrieved 14 January 2020.
  2. ^ "AFC Club Competitions Ranking Mechanics". the-afc.com. Asian Football Confederation.
  3. ^ "Entry Manual for AFC Club Competitions (2021 Edition)". the-afc.com. Asian Football Confederation.
  4. ^ "More Member Associations to benefit from inclusive AFC Champions League". the-afc.com. Asian Football Confederation. 23 November 2019.
  5. ^ "Four Thailand clubs in AFC Champions League 2021; Philippines, Vietnam, Singapore also get group stage entry – Reports". Fox Sports Asia. 4 December 2019.
  6. ^ a b c "AFC Club Competitions Ranking". the-afc.com. Asian Football Confederation.
  7. ^ "AFC Country Ranking 2019". FootyRankings. 24 November 2019. Archived from the original on 9 June 2019. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  8. ^ a b c d e "List of Licensed Clubs for the 2022 AFC Champions League" (PDF). the-afc.com. Asian Football Confederation.
  9. ^ "إتحاد القدم: ثلاث أندية تحصلوا على الرخصة للمشاركة في دوري أبطال آسيا".
  10. ^ "رسمياً.. عدم منح الاتحاد والنصر الرخصة الآسيوية".
  11. ^ "الهلال والشباب والفيصلي والتعاون لأبطال آسيا".
  12. ^ Terrado, Jonas (31 October 2021). "United City to skip Copa Paulino Alcantara". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  13. ^ a b "List of Licensed Clubs for the 2022 AFC Cup" (PDF). the-afc.com. Asian Football Confederation.
  14. ^ "AFC Competitions Calendar 2022". the-afc.com. Asian Football Confederation. 29 November 2019.
  15. ^ "Latest update on the AFC Club Competitions in 2021 and 2022". the-afc.com. Asian Football Confederation. 5 July 2021.

External links[]

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