The 2018 AFC Champions League qualifying play-offs were played from 16 to 30 January 2018.^[1] A total of 22 teams competed in the qualifying play-offs to decide eight of the 32 places in the group stage of the 2018 AFC Champions League.^[2]

Teams

The following 22 teams, split into two regions (West Region and East Region), entered the qualifying play-offs, consisting of three rounds:

• 4 teams entered in the preliminary round 1.
• 6 teams entered in the preliminary round 2.
• 12 teams entered in the play-off round.

Format

In the qualifying play-offs, each tie was played as a single match. Extra time and penalty shoot-out were used to decide the winner if necessary (Regulations Article 9.2). The eight winners of the play-off round advanced to the group stage to join the 24 direct entrants. All losers in each round from associations with only play-off slots entered the AFC Cup group stage.^[2]

Schedule

The schedule of each round was as follows.^[1]

Bracket

The bracket of the qualifying play-offs for each region was determined by the AFC based on the association ranking of each team, with the team from the higher-ranked association hosting the match. Teams from the same association could not be placed into the same play-off.^[3]

Play-off West 1

• Al-Ain advanced to Group D.

Preliminary round 1

Preliminary round 2

Play-off round

Al-Ain

2

Malkiya

0

Play-off West 2

• Zob Ahan advanced to Group B.

Preliminary round 1

Preliminary round 2

Play-off round

Zob Ahan

3

Aizawl

1

Play-off West 3

• Al-Gharafa advanced to Group A.

Preliminary round 1

Preliminary round 2

Play-off round

Al-Gharafa

2

Pakhtakor

1

Play-off West 4

• Nasaf Qarshi advanced to Group C.

Preliminary round 1

Preliminary round 2

Play-off round

Nasaf Qarshi

5

Al-Faisaly

1

Play-off East 1

• Suwon Samsung Bluewings advanced to Group H.

Preliminary round 1

Preliminary round 2

Play-off round

Suwon Samsung Bluewings

5

FLC Thanh Hóa

1

Eastern

2

FLC Thanh Hóa

4

Play-off East 2

• Kashiwa Reysol advanced to Group E.

Preliminary round 1

Preliminary round 2

Play-off round

Kashiwa Reysol

3

Muangthong United

0

Muangthong United

5

Johor Darul Ta'zim

2

Play-off East 3

• Shanghai SIPG advanced to Group F.

	Preliminary round 1					Preliminary round 2					Play-off round
											Shanghai SIPG		1
											Chiangrai United		0
						Chiangrai United (a.e.t.)		2
	Bali United		3			Bali United		1
	Tampines Rovers		1

Play-off East 4

• Tianjin Quanjian advanced to Group E.

	Preliminary round 1					Preliminary round 2					Play-off round
											Tianjin Quanjian		2
											Ceres–Negros		0
						Brisbane Roar		2
	Shan United		1 (3)			Ceres–Negros		3
	Ceres–Negros (p)		1 (4)

Preliminary round 1

Summary

A total of four teams played in the preliminary round 1.

East Region

Team 1	Score	Team 2
Bali United	3–1	Tampines Rovers
Shan United	1–1 (a.e.t.) (3–4 p)	Ceres–Negros

East Region

16 January 2018 (2018-01-16)

20:30 UTC+8^{[note 2]}

Bali United	3–1	Tampines Rovers
Fadil 17' Spasojević 62' Hanis 90+2'	Live Report Stats Report	Stephen 42'

Kapten I Wayan Dipta Stadium, Gianyar

Attendance: 19,237

Referee: Hiroyuki Kimura (Japan)

16 January 2018 (2018-01-16)

16:00 UTC+6:30

Shan United	1–1 (a.e.t.)	Ceres–Negros
Asare 99'	Live Report Stats Report	Nyakwe 94' (o.g.)
Penalties
Asare Chizoba Nay Lin Tun Win Min Htut Nyakwe	3–4	de Murga Schröck Ott Marañón

Thuwunna Stadium, Yangon

Attendance: 257

Referee: Ahmed Al-Ali (Jordan)

Preliminary round 2

Summary

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

East Region

Team 1	Score	Team 2
Eastern	2–4	FLC Thanh Hóa
Muangthong United	5–2	Johor Darul Ta'zim
Chiangrai United	2–1 (a.e.t.)	Bali United
Brisbane Roar	2–3	Ceres–Negros

East Region

23 January 2018 (2018-01-23)

20:00 UTC+8

Eastern	2–4	FLC Thanh Hóa
Lugo 25' Bleda 64' (pen.)	Live Report Stats Report	Omar 31' (pen.) Hoàng Đình Tùng 59', 60', 90+6'

Mong Kok Stadium, Hong Kong

Attendance: 3,305

Referee: Kim Hee-gon (South Korea)

23 January 2018 (2018-01-23)

19:30 UTC+7

Muangthong United	5–2	Johor Darul Ta'zim
Sarach 7' Tristan 21' Heberty 29' (pen.), 63' Theerathon 56'	Live Report Stats Report	Díaz 90+2', 90+5'

Supachalasai National Stadium, Bangkok

Attendance: 7,949

Referee: Aziz Asimov (Uzbekistan)

23 January 2018 (2018-01-23)

19:00 UTC+7

Chiangrai United	2–1 (a.e.t.)	Bali United
Akarawin 94' Pathompol 105'	Live Report Stats Report	Spasojević 116'

Singha Stadium, Chiang Rai

Attendance: 5,960

Referee: Rowan Arumughan (India)

23 January 2018 (2018-01-23)

19:00 UTC+10

Brisbane Roar	2–3	Ceres–Negros
Maccarone 35' Bauthéac 86'	Live Report Stats Report	Bienve 43', 65' Nazari 75'

Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre, Brisbane

Attendance: 1,279

Referee: Yudai Yamamoto (Japan)

Play-off round

Summary

A total of 16 teams played in the play-off round: twelve teams which entered in this round, and four winners of the preliminary round 2.

West Region

Team 1	Score	Team 2
Al-Ain	2–0	Malkiya
Zob Ahan	3–1	Aizawl
Al-Gharafa	2–1	Pakhtakor
Nasaf Qarshi	5–1	Al-Faisaly

East Region

Team 1	Score	Team 2
Suwon Samsung Bluewings	5–1	FLC Thanh Hóa
Kashiwa Reysol	3–0	Muangthong United
Shanghai SIPG	1–0	Chiangrai United
Tianjin Quanjian	2–0	Ceres–Negros

West Region

30 January 2018 (2018-01-30)

18:15 UTC+4

Al-Ain	2–0	Malkiya
Berg 53' Caio 61'	Live Report Stats Report

Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, Al Ain

Attendance: 5,063

Referee: Mohd Amirul Izwan Yaacob (Malaysia)

30 January 2018 (2018-01-30)

17:00 UTC+3:30

Zob Ahan	3–1	Aizawl
Rajabzadeh 3' (pen.) Tabrizi 83', 90+3'	Live Report Stats Report	Ionescu 21'

Foolad Shahr Stadium, Isfahan

Attendance: 3,000

Referee: Nivon Robesh Gamini (Sri Lanka)

30 January 2018 (2018-01-30)

20:00 UTC+3

Al-Gharafa	2–1	Pakhtakor
Sneijder 21' (pen.) Amado 28'	Live Report Stats Report	Khakimov 90+3'

Thani bin Jassim Stadium, Al Rayyan

Attendance: 2,936

Referee: Mohanad Qassim (Iraq)

30 January 2018 (2018-01-30)

16:00 UTC+5

Nasaf Qarshi	5–1	Al-Faisaly
Golban 12' Abdixolikov 49' Ganiev 52' Ćeran 61' (pen.) Ya. Al-Rawashdeh 87' (o.g.)	Live Report Stats Report	Meha 90+4'

Qarshi Markaziy Stadium, Qarshi

Attendance: 12,843

Referee: Hiroyuki Kimura (Japan)

East Region

30 January 2018 (2018-01-30)

19:30 UTC+9

Suwon Samsung Bluewings	5–1	FLC Thanh Hóa
Waguininho 44', 49' Lim Sang-hyub 45+2' Lee Ki-je 57' Damjanović 86'	Live Report Stats Report	Omar 90'

Suwon World Cup Stadium, Suwon

Attendance: 4,790

Referee: Khamis Al-Marri (Qatar)

30 January 2018 (2018-01-30)

19:00 UTC+9

Kashiwa Reysol	3–0	Muangthong United
Cristiano 51', 62' Ito 89'	Live Report Stats Report

Kashiwa Soccer Stadium, Kashiwa

Attendance: 6,598

Referee: Ammar Al-Jeneibi (United Arab Emirates)

30 January 2018 (2018-01-30)

19:35 UTC+8

Shanghai SIPG	1–0	Chiangrai United
Yu Hai 48'	Live Report Stats Report

Shanghai Stadium, Shanghai

Attendance: 17,300

Referee: Ali Abdulnabi (Bahrain)

30 January 2018 (2018-01-30)

15:30 UTC+8

Tianjin Quanjian	2–0	Ceres–Negros
Modeste 18', 57'	Live Report Stats Report

Tianjin Olympic Center Stadium, Tianjin

Attendance: 23,310

Referee: Masoud Tufayelieh (Syria)