The 2024–25 AFC Challenge League will be the eleventh edition of the Asia's third-tier 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]
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Teams | Competition proper: 18 (from 16–18 associations) |
Association team allocation
editThe associations are allocated slots according to their club competitions ranking,[3] which was published after the 2022 competitions were completed.[4]
| Participation for 2024–25 AFC Challenge League | |
|---|---|
| Participating | |
| Not participating | |
NOTE: The following slot allocation is provisional. The final number of slots allocated to each association will be based on the AFC Challenge League criteria in the Entry Manual and confirmed by the AFC. |
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- Notes
Teams
editNOTE 1: The following list of participating teams is provisional. The final list of participating teams will be confirmed by the AFC, based on the final slot allocation for each association and the list of teams passing the club licensing requirements. NOTE 2: Only teams assured of a place are displayed. |
Location of the 2024–25 AFC Challenge League group stage teams
Orange: East Region; 
Blue: West Region
Orange: East Region; 
Blue: West RegionThe number of appearances and last appearance include the AFC President's Cup as the predecessor of the AFC Challenge League.
- Notes
- ^ Palestine (PLE): Due to the Israel–Hamas war, the 2023–24 West Bank Premier League was cancelled and not organized by the Palestinian Football Association. The teams from Palestine playing in the 2022 AFC Cup are determined only by the results of the 2022–23 West Bank Premier League. Jabal Al-Mukaber, the 2022–23 West Bank Premier League champions, failed to obtain an AFC license. Instead, the runners-up Hilal Al-Quds will participate in the AFC Challenge League group stage.[5]
- ^ Turkmenistan (TKM): Arkadag, the 2023 Turkmenistan Cup winners, also won the league title and qualified for the AFC Challenge League group stage as they lacked an AFC Champions League Two license. They were replaced by Altyn Asyr, the 2023 Ýokary Liga runners-up in AFC Champions League Two qualifying play-offs.[5]
Schedule
editThe schedule of the competition is as follows.[6]
| Stage | Round | Draw date | First leg | Second leg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preliminary stage | Preliminary stage | No draw[a] | 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 | No draw[a] | 5–6 March 2025 | 12–13 March 2025 |
| Semi-finals | 9–10 April 2025 | 16–17 April 2025 | ||
| Final | 10 May 2025 | |||
Qualifying play-offs
edit| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
|---|---|---|
Abdysh-Ata Kant 
|
West 1 (13 Aug) |  Attack Energy
|
Church Boys United 
|
West 2 (13 Aug) |  Paro
|
| Abdysh-Ata Kant | v | Attack Energy |
|---|---|---|
Kormanbek Stadium, Jalal-Abad
Group stage
editSee also
editNotes
editReferences
edit- ^ "Asian Champions League to relaunch with fewer teams and more prize money in 2024–25 season". AP News. 14 August 2023.
- ^ "AFC Executive Committee approves biggest prize purse in Asian club football history from 2024/25; announces AFC Women's Champions League". the-AFC.
- ^ a b c "AFC Club Competitions 2024/25 Slot Allocation" (PDF). fas.org.sg. Football Association of Singapore. 10 May 2023. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
- ^ a b c "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.
- ^ a b c "List of Licensed Clubs - AFC Club Competitions 2024/25" (PDF). 14 June 2024. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
- ^ "AFC Competitions Committee approves key decisions on reformatted competitions". AFC. 1 July 2023.