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 were not able to defend the title as they instead participated in the AFC Champions League Elite league stage.
The associations were 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
Saudi Arabia (KSA): Because Al Hilal (already qualified for the Champions League Elite as the 2023–24 Saudi Pro League champion) also won the 2023–24 King Cup winners, therefore the fourth-placed team Al-Taawoun qualified for the Group stage.[8]
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 Group stage. Fifth place Muangthong United also qualified for the Group stage due to Thanh Hóa's withdrawal from the competition and BG Pathum United's decision not to participate.[9]
India (IND): On 7 October 2024, AFC announced that Mohun Bagan SG were considered to have withdrawn from the competition after they failed to appear for their fixture against Tractor in Tabriz. Their single match was voided
The schedule of the competition is as follows.[10] All matches are being played on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, apart from the final which takes place on Saturday.
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 entered the group stage of the 2024–25 AFC Challenge League.
The draw for the group stage took place on 16 August at the InterContinentalKuala 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.
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
Source: AFC Rules for classification: Tiebreakers Notes:
^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]
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) will be determined at the draw, except for the final. The final venue was pre-determined on a rotation basis, with the match hosted by the team from the East Region. The draw for the knockout stage was held on 12 December 2024.