2024–25 AFC Challenge League

2024–25 AFC Challenge League
Tournament details
TeamsCompetition proper: 20 (from 19 or 20 associations)
← 2014 (AFC President's Cup)
2025–26 →
International football competition

The 2024–25 AFC Challenge League will be the eleventh edition of the Asia's third-level continental club football competition, organized by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). It will be the first edition since 2014, with the tournament being re-introduced under a new name (AFC Challenge League) and revamped format.[1] It will feature 20 teams.[2]

Association team allocation

Association ranking

Participation for 2024–25 AFC Challenge League
Participating
Not participating
West Zone (3 groups)
Rank Member
Association 		Points[3] Slots[4]
Group
stage 		Play-off
Zone AFC
— — 2024–25 AFC Champions League Two qualifying round losers — 2 0
11 19  Kuwait 20.069 1 0
12 20  Turkmenistan 19.464 1 0
13 22  Lebanon 17.761 1 0
14 23  Syria 17.613 0 1
15 27  Bangladesh 14.121 0 1
16 28  Oman 12.453 0 1
17 29  Maldives 9.467 0 1
18 31  Palestine 5.760 0 1
19 33  Kyrgyzstan 4.308 0 1
20 37    Nepal 0.813 0 1
21 38  Sri Lanka 0.630 0 1
22 39  Bhutan 0.465 0 1
23 41  Afghanistan 0.090 0 1
24 42  Pakistan 0.000 0 1
24 42  Yemen 0.000 0 1
Total Participating associations: 15 5 12
17
East Zone (2 groups)
Rank Member
Association 		Points[3] Slots[4]
Group
stage 		Play-off
Zone AFC
— — 2024–25 AFC Champions League Two qualifying round losers — 1 0
11 25  North Korea 16.117 0 1
12 26  Indonesia 15.083 0 1
13 30  Myanmar 8.287 0 1
14 32  Cambodia 5.455 0 1
15 34  Macau 2.800 0 1
16 35  Chinese Taipei 2.067 0 1
17 36  Laos 1.362 0 1
18 40  Mongolia 0.250 0 1
19 42  Brunei 0.000 0 1
19 42  Guam 0.000 0 1
19 42  Northern Mariana Islands 0.000 0 1
19 42  East Timor 0.000 0 1
Total Participating associations: 12 1 12
13

Teams

The number of appearances and last appearance are including the AFC President's Cup as the predecessor of the AFC Challenge League.

West Zone Group stage direct entrants
Team Qualifying method App. (last)
2024–25 AFC Champions League Two qualifying round loser
2024–25 AFC Champions League Two qualifying round loser
Kuwait Al-Arabi 2023–24 Kuwaiti Premier League runners-up 1st
Turkmenistan Ahal 2023 Turkmenistan Cup runners-up[Note TKM] 1st
Lebanon 2023–24 Lebanese Premier League champions
Qualifying play-off participants
Team Qualifying method App. (last)
Syria Al-Fotuwa 2023–24 Syrian Premier League champions 1st
Bangladesh Bashundhara Kings 2023–24 Bangladesh Premier League champions 1st
Oman Al-Seeb 2023–24 Oman Professional League champions 1st
Maldives Maziya 2023 Dhivehi Premier League champions 1st
Kyrgyzstan Abdysh-Ata Kant 2023 Kyrgyz Premier League champions 1st
State of Palestine TBA
Nepal Church Boys United 2023 Martyr Memorial A-Division League champions 1st
Sri Lanka 2024 Sri Lanka Premier League champions
Bhutan Paro 2023 Bhutan Premier League champions 1st
Afghanistan Attack Energy 2024 Afghanistan Champions League champions 1st
Pakistan TBA
Yemen Al-Ahli 2023–24 Yemeni League champions
East Zone Group stage direct entrants
Team Qualifying method App. (last)
2024–25 AFC Champions League Two qualifying round loser
Qualifying play-off participants
Team Qualifying method App. (last)
North Korea 2023–24 Hwaebul Cup winners
Indonesia 2023–24 Liga 1 championship series runners-up
Myanmar Shan United 2023 Myanmar National League champions 3rd (2009)
Cambodia Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng 2023–24 Cambodian Premier League champions 2nd (2014)
Macau Chao Pak Kei 2023 Liga de Elite champions 1st
Chinese Taipei Taiwan Steel 2023 Taiwan Football Premier League champions 1st
Laos Young Elephants 2023 Lao League 1 champions 1st
Mongolia SP Falcons 2023–24 Mongolian National Premier League champions 1st
Brunei Kasuka 2023 Brunei Super League champions 1st
Guam Wings Budweiser Soccer League 2023 champions 1st
Northern Mariana Islands 2024 Marianas Soccer League Spring champions 1st
East Timor Karketu Dili 2023 LFA Primeira Divisão champions 1st

Notes
  1. ^
    Turkmenistan (TKM): Arkadag, the 2023 Turkmenistan Cup winners, also won the league title and qualified for the Champions League Two. As a result, the 2023 Turkmenistan Cup runners-up, Ahal, qualified for the Challenge League group stage.

Schedule

The schedule of the competition is as follows.[5]

Stage Round Draw date First leg Second leg
Preliminary stage Preliminary round 1 TBA 30 July 2024
Preliminary round 2 6 August 2024
Preliminary round 3 13 August 2024
Group stage Matchday 1 22 August 2024 26–27 October 2024
Matchday 2 29–30 October 2024
Matchday 3 1–2 November 2024
Knockout stage Quarter-finals TBA 5–6 March 2025 12–13 March 2025
Semi-finals 9–10 April 2025 16–17 April 2025
Final 4 May 2025

See also

References

  1. ^ "Asian Champions League to relaunch with fewer teams and more prize money in 2024–25 season". AP News. August 14, 2023.
  2. ^ "AFC Executive Committee approves biggest prize purse in Asian club football history from 2024/25; announces AFC Women's Champions League". the-AFC.
  3. ^ a b "AFC Club Competitions Ranking". the-afc.com. Asian Football Confederation. 24 November 2021. Archived from the original on 7 January 2022. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
  4. ^ a b "AFC Club Competitions 2024/25 Slot Allocation" (PDF). fas.org.sg. Football Association of Singapore. 10 May 2023. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  5. ^ "AFC Competitions Committee approves key decisions on reformatted competitions". AFC. 1 July 2023.
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