The 2022 AFC Cup knockout stage will be played from 9 August to 22 October 2022.[1] A total of 12 teams will compete in the knockout stage to decide the champions of the 2022 AFC Cup.[2]
Qualified teams
The following teams will advance from the group stage:
The winners of each of the three groups and the best runners-up in the West Asia Zone (Groups A–C) and the ASEAN Zone (Groups G–I) will advance to the Zonal semi-finals.
The winners of each group in the South Asia Zone (Group D), and the East Asia Zone (Group J) will advance to the Inter-zone play-off semi-finals.
The winners of each group in the Central Asia Zone (Groups E–F) will advance to the Zonal finals.
In the knockout stage, the 12 teams will play a single-elimination tournament. Each tie will be played as a single match. The extra time and penalty shoot-out will be used to decide the winners if necessary (Regulations Article 9.3 and 10.1).
Schedule
The schedule of each round is as follows.[1] Matches in the West Asia Zone will be played on Mondays and Tuesdays, while matches in the Central Zone, ASEAN Zone and the Inter-zone play-offs will be played on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Round
West Asia
South Asia
Central Asia
ASEAN
East Asia
Zonal semi-finals
5–6 September 2022
Not played
9–10 August 2022
Not played
Zonal finals
4 October 2022
Not played
17 August 2022
24 August 2022
Not played
Inter-zone play-off semi-finals
Not played
6–7 September 2022
Inter-zone play-off final
5 October 2022
Final
22 October 2022
Bracket
The draw for the Zonal finals and the Inter-zone play-off semi-finals was held on 14 July 2022.
The bracket of the knockout stage was determined as follows:
The Zonal semi-finals will be played over one leg, with the home team determined by the following tables based on which group runners-up qualify. If a group winner plays a group runner-up, the group winner hosts the match. If two group winners play each other, one of the group winner (whose group runner-up qualify) hosts the match.
The Zonal finals will be played over one leg, with the home team decided by draw. The winners of the West Asia Zonal final advanced to the final, while the winners of the Central Asia Zonal final and ASEAN Zonal final advanced to the Inter-zone play-off semi-finals.
In the Inter-zone play-off semi-finals, the four zonal winners other than the West Asia Zone play in two ties, i.e., the winners of the South Asia Zone (Group D), the winners of the East Asia Zone (Group J), the winners of the Central Zonal final, and the winners of the ASEAN Zonal final, with the matchups and home team decided by draw, without any seeding.
In the Inter-zone play-off final, the two winners of the Inter-zone play-off semi-finals play each other, with the home team determined by the Inter-zone play-off semi-final draw. The winners of the Inter-zone play-off final advance to the final.
The final will be played over one leg, between the winners of the West Asia Zonal final and the winners of the Inter-zone play-off final.
Winners of Inter-zone play-off Final
v
Winners of West Asia Final
Notes
^ abATK Mohan Bagan was disqualified from this tournament, due to bans laid on AIFF by FIFA.
"As a consequence, and in accordance with article 13 of the FIFA Statutes, AIFF loses all its membership rights as of 14 August 2022until further notice. AIFF
representative and club teams are therefore no longer entitled to take part in international competitions until the suspension is lifted," Neither AIFF nor its members can avail of any FIFA benefit or training till the ban is lifted.[4]
Al-Seeb
Al-Arabi
Al-Riffa
ATK Mohun Bagan
Sogdiana Jizzakh
Khujand
Kedah Darul Aman
PSM Makassar
Viettel
Eastern
