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2017 AFC Cup
2017 AFC Cup
2017 AFC Cup
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2017 AFC Cup
Tournament details
DatesQualifying round:
19–25 August 2016
Competition proper:
30 January – 4 November 2017
TeamsCompetition proper: 43
Total: 50 (from 29 associations)
Final positions
ChampionsIraq Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya (2nd title)
Runners-upTajikistan Istiklol
Tournament statistics
Matches played142
Goals scored407 (2.87 per match)
Attendance468,894 (3,302 per match)
Top scorerNorth Korea Kim Yu-song (9 goals)
Best playerTajikistan Manuchekhr Dzhalilov
Fair play awardPhilippines Ceres–Negros
← 2016
2018 →

The 2017 AFC Cup was the 14th edition of the AFC Cup, Asia's secondary club football tournament organized by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).[1]

Defending champions Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya defeated Istiklol in the final to win their second AFC Cup title.

Association team allocation

[edit]

The AFC Competitions Committee recommended a new format for the AFC Cup starting from 2017 which is played in the AFC's five zones: West Asia, Central Asia, South Asia, ASEAN, and East Asia, with the winner of the West Asia Zone and the winner of an inter-zone play-off among the other four zones playing in the final, hosted on a rotational basis at venues in the East and West.[2] The 46 AFC member associations (excluding the associate member Northern Mariana Islands) are ranked based on their national team's and clubs' performance over the last four years in AFC competitions, with the allocation of slots for the 2017 and 2018 editions of the AFC club competitions determined by the 2016 AFC rankings (Entry Manual Article 2.2):[3]

  • The associations are split into five zones:
  • All associations which do not receive direct slots in the AFC Champions League group stage are eligible to enter the AFC Cup.
  • In each zone, the number of groups in the group stage is determined based on the number of entries, with the number of slots filled through play-offs same as the number of groups:
    • In the West Asia Zone and the ASEAN Zone, there are three groups in the group stage, including a total of 9 direct slots, with the 3 remaining slots filled through play-offs.
    • In the Central Asia Zone, the South Asia Zone, and the East Asia Zone, there is one group in the group stage, including a total of 3 direct slots, with the 1 remaining slot filled through play-offs.
  • The top associations participating in the AFC Cup in each zone as per the AFC rankings get at least one direct slot in the group stage (including losers of the AFC Champions League qualifying play-offs), while the remaining associations get only play-off slots:
    • For the West Asia Zone and the ASEAN zone:
      • The associations ranked 1st to 3rd each get two direct slots.
      • The associations ranked 4th to 6th each get one direct slot and one play-off slot.
      • The associations ranked 7th or below each get one play-off slot.
    • For the Central Asia Zone, the South Asia Zone, and the East Asia zone:
      • The associations ranked 1st to 3rd each get one direct slot and one play-off slot.
      • The associations ranked 4th or below each get one play-off slot.
  • The maximum number of slots for each association is one-third of the total number of eligible teams in the top division.
  • If any association gives up its direct slots, they are redistributed to the highest eligible association, with each association limited to a maximum of two direct slots.
  • If any association gives up its play-off slots, they are annulled and not redistributed to any other association.
  • If the number of teams in the play-offs in any zone is fewer than twice the number of group stage slots filled through play-offs, the play-off teams of the highest eligible associations are given byes to the group stage.

For the 2017 AFC Cup, the associations were allocated slots according to their association ranking published on 30 November 2016,[4] which takes into account their performance in the AFC Champions League and the AFC Cup, as well as their national team's FIFA World Rankings, during the period between 2013 and 2016.[3][5]

The slot allocation was announced on 7 December 2016.[6] The final slot allocation, after unused slots were redistributed, was announced on 12 December 2016.[7][8]

Participation for 2017 AFC Cup
Participating in the competition proper only
(qualifying play-offs and/or group stage)
Participating in both the qualifying round
and the competition proper
Participating in the qualifying round,
but not in the competition proper
Not participating
Notes
  1. ^
    Bangladesh (BAN): Bangladesh submitted only one entry, despite being eligible to submit two (one direct slot and one play-off slot).
  2. ^
    Brunei (BRU): Brunei did not submit any entry.
  3. ^
    Cambodia (CAM): Cambodia were initially eligible to submit only one entry, but were given one additional play-off slot as per a decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sport.[8][9]
  4. ^
    Chinese Taipei (TPE): Chinese Taipei submitted two entries (one direct slot and one play-off slot). However, their two teams withdrew from the group stage and qualifying play-offs respectively after the draw.
  5. ^
    Guam (GUM): Guam submitted only one entry, despite being eligible to submit two (one direct slot and one play-off slot). However, their team withdrew from the group stage after the draw.
  6. ^
    Indonesia (IDN): Indonesia did not submit any entry.
  7. ^
    Iraq (IRQ): Iraq entered the AFC Cup instead of the AFC Champions League as they did not fulfill the AFC Champions League criteria.
  8. ^
    Kuwait (KUW): Kuwait could not enter due to FIFA's suspension of the Kuwait Football Association at the entry deadline.[10]
  9. ^
    Laos (LAO): Laos submitted two entries (one direct slot and one play-off slot). However, their first team withdrew from the group stage after the draw.
  10. ^
    Macau (MAC): Macau did not submit any entry.
  11. ^
    Nepal (NEP): Nepal did not submit any entry.
  12. ^
    Pakistan (PAK): Pakistan did not submit any entry.
  13. ^
    Timor-Leste (TLS): Timor-Leste did not submit any entry.
  14. ^
    Yemen (YEM): Yemen did not submit any entry.

Teams

[edit]

The following 47 teams from 27 associations entered the competition proper.[7] Only 43 teams from 25 associations competed after the withdrawal of four teams.

Notes
  1. ^
    AFC Champions League (ACL): Teams played in the AFC Champions League qualifying play-offs, but failed to advance to the AFC Champions League group stage. Had they advanced to the AFC Champions League group stage, they would not have played in the AFC Cup and would have been replaced in the AFC Cup group stage by the standby team from the same association if such team was available.
  2. ^
    ASEAN Zone (ASZ): Lanexang United (Laos) withdrew from the group stage after the draw (originally drawn in Group H), and were not replaced, and only 11 teams competed in the ASEAN Zone group stage.[11]
  3. ^
    East Asia Zone (EAZ): Rovers (Guam) and Taipower (Chinese Taipei) withdrew from the group stage after the draw (both originally drawn in Group I), and Tatung (Chinese Taipei) withdrew from the qualifying play-offs,[12] and thus Kigwancha (North Korea) and Erchim (Mongolia) advanced directly from the play-off round and preliminary round respectively to the group stage to replace them, and only three teams competed in the East Asia Zone group stage, and the East Asia Zone qualifying play-offs were not played.
  4. ^
    Cambodia (CAM): Phnom Penh Crown, the 2015 Cambodian League champions, were originally to compete in the 2017 AFC Cup qualifying round, but were refused entry by the AFC due to match-fixing claims. After an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, they were allowed to enter the 2017 AFC Cup, but by that time the qualifying round had already finished, so they were allowed to enter the qualifying play-offs as an additional entry.[9]
  5. ^
    Oman (OMA): Fanja, the 2015–16 Oman Professional League champions, did not enter the AFC Cup. As a result, Saham, the 2015–16 Sultan Qaboos Cup winners, entered the group stage instead of the qualifying play-offs, while Al-Suwaiq, the league runners-up, entered the qualifying play-offs.
  6. ^
    Singapore (SIN): Albirex Niigata Singapore, the 2016 S.League champions and 2016 Singapore Cup winners, is a satellite team of Japanese club Albirex Niigata and thus ineligible to represent Singapore in AFC club competitions. As a result, Tampines Rovers, the league runners-up, entered the group stage instead of the qualifying play-offs, while Home United, the league 4th place, entered the qualifying play-offs, since Brunei DPMM, the league 3rd place, is a team managed by the National Football Association of Brunei Darussalam and thus ineligible to represent Singapore in AFC club competitions.
  7. ^
    Sri Lanka (SRI): The 2016 Sri Lanka Football League was postponed and thus the 2015 Sri Lanka Football League champions, Colombo, entered the 2017 AFC Cup.[13]
class=notpageimage|
Location of teams of the 2017 AFC Cup competition proper.
West Asia Zone
Central Asia Zone
South Asia Zone
ASEAN Zone
East Asia Zone
(p) Qualifying play-off participants
Withdrawn teams

Schedule

[edit]

The schedule of the competition was as follows (W: West Asia Zone; C: Central Asia Zone; S: South Asia Zone; A: ASEAN Zone; E: East Asia Zone).[14] Starting from 2017, matches in the West Asia Zone were played on Mondays and Tuesdays instead of Tuesdays and Wednesdays.[15]

Stage Round Draw date First leg Second leg
Qualifying stage Qualifying round 17 June 2016 19–25 August 2016
Preliminary stage Preliminary round No draw 31 January 2017 (C, S) 7 February 2017 (C, S)
Play-off stage Play-off round 30–31 January 2017 (W, A),
21 February 2017 (C, S) 		6–7 February 2017 (W, A),
28 February 2017 (C, S)
Group stage Matchday 1 13 December 2016 20–22 February 2017 (W, A), 14 March 2017 (C, S, E)
Matchday 2 6–8 March 2017 (W, A), 4 April 2017 (C, S, E)
Matchday 3 13–15 March 2017 (W, A), 18–19 April 2017 (C, S, E)
Matchday 4 3–5 April 2017 (W, A), 3 May 2017 (C, S, E)
Matchday 5 17–19 April 2017 (W, A), 17 May 2017 (C, S, E)
Matchday 6 1–3 May 2017 (W, A), 31 May 2017 (C, S, E)
Knockout stage Zonal semi-finals 16–17, 22 May 2017 (W, A) 29–31 May 2017 (W, A)
Zonal finals 6 June 2017 2 August 2017 (A),
12 September 2017 (W) 		9 August 2017 (A),
26 September 2017 (W)
Inter-zone play-off semi-finals 22–23 August 2017 12–13 September 2017
Inter-zone play-off final 27 September 2017 18 October 2017
Final 4 November 2017

Qualifying round

[edit]
Main article: 2017 AFC Cup qualifying round

The following nine teams from nine associations entered the qualifying round.[16] Teams were not split into zones for the qualifying round.

In the following table, the number of appearances and last appearance count all those since the 2004 season (including both competition proper and qualifying rounds).

Association Team Qualifying method App Last App
Bangladesh Bangladesh Sheikh Russel 2015 Bangladesh Football Premier League runners-up 2nd 2015
Bhutan Bhutan Tertons 2015 Bhutan National League champions 1st none
Cambodia Cambodia Nagaworld 2015 Cambodian League runners-up 1st none
Chinese Taipei Chinese Taipei Tatung 2015–16 Intercity Football League runners-up 1st none
Guam Guam Rovers 2015–16 Guam Soccer League champions 1st none
Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan Dordoi 2015 Kyrgyzstan League runners-up 2nd 2015
Macau Macau Benfica de Macau 2016 Campeonato da 1ª Divisão do Futebol champions 2nd 2016
Mongolia Mongolia Erchim 2015 Mongolian Premier League champions 1st none
Nepal Nepal Three Star Club 2015 Nepal National League champions 1st none

The draw for the qualifying round was held on 17 June 2016, 11:00 MYT (UTC+8), at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.[17] The nine teams were drawn into three groups of three.[18]

In the qualifying round, each group was played on a single round-robin basis at the pre-selected hosts. The winners of each group advanced to the qualifying play-offs.

Group A

[edit]
Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification DOR BEN ROV
1 Kyrgyzstan Dordoi (H) 2 2 0 0 4 1 +3 6 Qualifying play-offs — 2–1 —
2 Macau Benfica de Macau 2 1 0 1 5 4 +1 3 — — 4–2
3 Guam Rovers 2 0 0 2 2 6 −4 0 0–2 — —
Source: AFC
(H) Hosts

Group B

[edit]
Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification TSC ERC NAG
1 Nepal Three Star Club 2 1 1 0 3 1 +2 4 Qualifying play-offs[a] — 2–0 —
2 Mongolia Erchim (H) 2 1 0 1 1 2 −1 3 — — 1–0
3 Cambodia Nagaworld 2 0 1 1 1 2 −1 1 1–1 — —
Source: AFC
(H) Hosts
Notes:
  1. ^ The All Nepal Football Association failed to register Three Star Club by the competition deadline for the qualifying play-offs.[19]

Group C

[edit]
Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification TER TAT SHR
1 Bhutan Tertons (H) 2 1 1 0 4 3 +1 4 Qualifying play-offs[a] — — 4–3
2 Chinese Taipei Tatung 2 0 2 0 1 1 0 2 0–0 — —
3 Bangladesh Sheikh Russel 2 0 1 1 4 5 −1 1 — 1–1 —
Source: AFC
(H) Hosts
Notes:
  1. ^ The Bhutan Football Federation registered Thimphu City, instead of Tertons, as their representative for the qualifying play-offs.

Qualifying play-offs

[edit]
Main article: 2017 AFC Cup qualifying play-offs

In the qualifying play-offs, each tie was played on a home-and-away two-legged basis. The away goals rule, extra time (away goals would not apply in extra time) and penalty shoot-out were used to decide the winner if necessary (Regulations Article 9.3). The five winners of the play-off round advanced to the group stage to join the 29 direct entrants.[20]

The bracket of the qualifying play-offs for each zone was determined by the AFC based on the association ranking of each team, with the team from the higher-ranked association hosting the second leg. Teams from the same association in the ASEAN Zone could not be placed into the same play-off.[8]

Preliminary round

[edit]
Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Central Asia Zone
Shaheen Asmayee Afghanistan 0–1 Tajikistan Khosilot 0–1 0–0
Dordoi Kyrgyzstan 3–2 Turkmenistan Balkan 1–1 2–1
Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
South Asia Zone
Colombo Sri Lanka 2–4 India Mohun Bagan 1–2 1–2
Thimphu City Bhutan 0–3 Maldives Club Valencia 0–0 0–3

Play-off round

[edit]
Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
West Asia Zone
Shabab Al-Khalil Palestine 3–4 Oman Al-Suwaiq 2–1 1–3
Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Central Asia Zone
Dordoi Kyrgyzstan 2–1 Tajikistan Khosilot 1–0 1–1
Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
South Asia Zone
Club Valencia Maldives 2–5 India Mohun Bagan 1–1 1–4
Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
ASEAN Zone
Phnom Penh Crown Cambodia 3–7 Singapore Home United 3–4 0–3
Boeung Ket Angkor Cambodia 2–1 Laos Lao Toyota 1–1 1–0

Group stage

[edit]
Main article: 2017 AFC Cup group stage

The draw for the group stage was held on 13 December 2016, 14:30 MYT (UTC+8), at the Hilton Petaling Jaya in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.[7][21][22] The 36 teams were drawn into nine groups of four: three groups each in the West Asia Zone (Groups A–C) and the ASEAN Zone (Groups F–H), and one group each in the Central Asia Zone (Group D), the South Asia Zone (Group E), and the East Asia Zone (Group I). Teams from the same association in the West Asia Zone and ASEAN Zone could not be drawn into the same group.[8]

Due to the withdrawal of teams in the ASEAN Zone and the East Asia Zone after the draw, only 34 teams competed in the group stage, with Groups H and I having only three teams. In the group stage, each group was played on a home-and-away round-robin basis. The following teams advanced to the knockout stage:

  • The winners of each group and the best runners-up in the West Asia Zone and the ASEAN Zone advanced to the Zonal semi-finals.
  • The winners of each group in the Central Asia Zone, the South Asia Zone, and the East Asia Zone advanced to the Inter-zone play-off semi-finals.

Group A

[edit]

Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification ZAW JAI AHL SUW
1 Iraq Al-Zawraa 6 3 3 0 9 3 +6 12 Zonal semi-finals — 3–1 1–1 0–0
2 Syria Al-Jaish 6 3 0 3 6 9 −3 9 0–3 — 1–0 1–2
3 Jordan Al-Ahli 6 1 3 2 5 6 −1 6 1–1 1–2 — 2–1
4 Oman Al-Suwaiq 6 1 2 3 3 5 −2 5 0–1 0–1 0–0 —
Source: AFC

Group B

[edit]

Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification QUW WAH HID SAF
1 Iraq Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya 6 3 3 0 6 2 +4 12 Zonal semi-finals — 1–1 2–1 2–0
2 Syria Al-Wahda 6 3 2 1 10 3 +7 11 0–0 — 0–2 2–0
3 Bahrain Al-Hidd 6 3 0 3 8 5 +3 9 0–1 0–1 — 3–1
4 Lebanon Safa 6 0 1 5 1 15 −14 1 0–0 0–6 0–2 —
Source: AFC

Group C

[edit]

Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification WEH MUH SAH NEJ
1 Jordan Al-Wehdat 6 3 3 0 9 6 +3 12 Zonal semi-finals — 3–2 2–1 1–0
2 Bahrain Al-Muharraq 6 3 1 2 9 8 +1 10 1–1 — 1–0 1–0
3 Oman Saham 6 2 1 3 9 9 0 7 1–1 3–2 — 3–1
4 Lebanon Nejmeh 6 1 1 4 5 9 −4 4 1–1 1–2 2–1 —
Source: AFC

Group D

[edit]

Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification IST ALT DOR ALA
1 Tajikistan Istiklol 6 5 1 0 15 4 +11 16 Inter-zone play-off semi-finals — 1–0 2–0 3–1
2 Turkmenistan Altyn Asyr 6 4 1 1 12 4 +8 13 1–1 — 3–0 4–1
3 Kyrgyzstan Dordoi 6 1 0 5 6 16 −10 3[a] 1–4 0–2 — 1–0
4 Kyrgyzstan Alay Osh 6 1 0 5 9 18 −9 3[a] 1–4 1–2 5–4 —
Source: AFC
Notes:
  1. ^ a b Head-to-head results: Dordoi 1–0 Alay Osh, Alay Osh 5–4 Dordoi (Dordoi won on away goals).

Group E

[edit]

Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification BFC MAZ MOH ABD
1 India Bengaluru 6 4 0 2 7 6 +1 12[a] Inter-zone play-off semi-finals — 1–0 2–1 2–0
2 Maldives Maziya 6 4 0 2 10 4 +6 12[a] 0–1 — 5–2 2–0
3 India Mohun Bagan 6 2 1 3 10 11 −1 7 3–1 0–1 — 3–1
4 Bangladesh Abahani Limited Dhaka 6 1 1 4 4 10 −6 4 2–0 0–2 1–1 —
Source: AFC
Notes:
  1. ^ a b Head-to-head results: Maziya 0–1 Bengaluru, Bengaluru 1–0 Maziya.

Group F

[edit]

Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification GLO JDT BKA MAG
1 Philippines Global Cebu 6 5 0 1 13 9 +4 15 Zonal semi-finals — 3–2 3–1 1−0
2 Malaysia Johor Darul Ta'zim 6 4 1 1 16 5 +11 13 4–0 — 3–0 3–1
3 Cambodia Boeung Ket Angkor 6 1 1 4 3 12 −9 4 0–2 0–3 — 1–0
4 Myanmar Magwe 6 0 2 4 5 11 −6 2 2–4 1–1 1–1 —
Source: AFC

Group G

[edit]

Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification CER HAN TAM FEL
1 Philippines Ceres–Negros 6 3 2 1 16 8 +8 11[a] Zonal semi-finals — 6–2 5–0 0–0
2 Vietnam Hà Nội 6 3 2 1 14 10 +4 11[a] 1–1 — 4–0 4–1
3 Singapore Tampines Rovers 6 2 0 4 8 17 −9 6 2–4 1–2 — 2–1
4 Malaysia FELDA United 6 1 2 3 7 10 −3 5 3–0 1–1 1–3 —
Source: AFC
Notes:
  1. ^ a b Head-to-head results: Hà Nội 1–1 Ceres–Negros, Ceres–Negros 6–2 Hà Nội.

Group H

[edit]

Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification HOM TQN YAD
1 Singapore Home United 4 3 0 1 12 8 +4 9 Zonal semi-finals — 3–2 4–1
2 Vietnam Than Quảng Ninh 4 1 1 2 10 9 +1 4[a] 4–5 — 1–1
3 Myanmar Yadanarbon 4 1 1 2 3 8 −5 4[a] 1–0 0–3 —
Source: AFC
Notes:
  1. ^ a b Head-to-head results: Than Quảng Ninh 1–1 Yadanarbon, Yadanarbon 0–3 Than Quảng Ninh.

Group I

[edit]

Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification APR KIG ERC
1 North Korea April 25 4 2 2 0 14 3 +11 8[a] Inter-zone play-off semi-finals — 1–1 6–0
2 North Korea Kigwancha 4 2 2 0 13 3 +10 8[a] 2–2 — 7–0
3 Mongolia Erchim 4 0 0 4 0 21 −21 0 0–5 0–3 —
Source: AFC
Notes:
  1. ^ a b Head-to-head results: April 25 1–1 Kigwancha, Kigwancha 2–2 April 25 (April 25 won on away goals).

Ranking of second-placed teams

[edit]

West Asia Zone

[edit]

Pos Grp Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 B Syria Al-Wahda 6 3 2 1 10 3 +7 11 Zonal semi-finals
2 C Bahrain Al-Muharraq 6 3 1 2 9 8 +1 10
3 A Syria Al-Jaish 6 3 0 3 6 9 −3 9
Source: AFC

ASEAN Zone

[edit]

Pos Grp Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 F Malaysia Johor Darul Ta'zim 4 3 0 1 12 3 +9 9 Zonal semi-finals
2 G Vietnam Hà Nội 4 2 1 1 9 8 +1 7
3 H Vietnam Than Quảng Ninh 4 1 1 2 10 9 +1 4
Source: AFC
Note: Due to Group H having only three teams, the results against the fourth-placed teams in Groups F and G are not considered for this ranking.

Knockout stage

[edit]
Main article: 2017 AFC Cup knockout stage

In the knockout stage, the 11 teams played a single-elimination tournament, with the teams split into the five zones until the Inter-zone play-off semi-finals. Each tie was played on a home-and-away two-legged basis, except the final which was played as a single match. The away goals rule (for two-legged ties), extra time (away goals would not apply in extra time) and penalty shoot-out were used to decide the winner if necessary (Regulations Article 11.3).[20]

Bracket

[edit]

The bracket was decided after the draw for the knockout stage, which was held on 6 June 2017, 15:00 MYT (UTC+8), at the JW Marriott Hotel Kuala Lumpur in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.[8][23][24][25]

Zonal semi-finalsZonal finalsInter-zone play-off semi-finalsInter-zone play-off finalsFinal
Philippines Global Cebu224
Tajikistan Istiklol415
Singapore Home United235
Singapore Home United202Philippines Ceres–Negros011
Tajikistan Istiklol123
Philippines Ceres–Negros123
Malaysia Johor Darul Ta'zim314India Bengaluru022
India Bengaluru303
Philippines Ceres–Negros (a)224
North Korea April 25000
Tajikistan Istiklol0
Iraq Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya1
Syria Al-Wahda404
Jordan Al-Wehdat112
Syria Al-Wahda202
Iraq Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya (a)112
Iraq Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya112
Iraq Al-Zawraa101

Zonal semi-finals

[edit]

In the Zonal semi-finals, the four qualified teams from the West Asia Zone (Groups A–C) played in two ties, and the four qualified teams from the ASEAN Zone (Groups F–H) played in two ties, with the matchups and order of legs determined by the group stage draw and identity of the best runner-up.[8]

Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
West Asia Zone
Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya Iraq 2–1 Iraq Al-Zawraa 1–1 1–0
Al-Wahda Syria 4–2 Jordan Al-Wehdat 4–1 0–1
Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
ASEAN Zone
Global Cebu Philippines 4–5 Singapore Home United 2–2 2–3
Johor Darul Ta'zim Malaysia 4–4 (a) Philippines Ceres–Negros 3–2 1–2

Zonal finals

[edit]

The draw for the Zonal finals was held on 6 June 2017. In the Zonal finals, the two winners of West Asia Zonal semi-finals played each other, and the two winners of ASEAN Zonal semi-finals played each other, with the order of legs decided by draw.[23][24][25] The winner of the West Asia Zonal final advanced to the final, while the winner of the ASEAN Zonal final advanced to the Inter-zone play-off semi-finals.

Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
West Asia Zone
Al-Wahda Syria 2–2 (a) Iraq Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya 2–1 0–1
Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
ASEAN Zone
Home United Singapore 2–3 Philippines Ceres–Negros 2–1 0–2

Inter-zone play-off semi-finals

[edit]

The draw for the Inter-zone play-off semi-finals was held on 6 June 2017. In the Inter-zone play-off semi-finals, the four zonal winners other than the West Asia Zone played in two ties, i.e., the winner of the Central Asia Zone (Group D), the winner of the South Asia Zone (Group E), the winner of the East Asia Zone (Group I), and the winner of the ASEAN Zonal final (whose identity was not known at the time of the draw), with the matchups and order of legs decided by draw, without any seeding.[23][24][25]

Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Istiklol Tajikistan 5–1 Philippines Ceres–Negros 4–0 1–1
Bengaluru India 3–0 North Korea April 25 3–0 0–0

Inter-zone play-off final

[edit]

In the Inter-zone play-off final, the two winners of the Inter-zone play-off semi-finals played each other, with the order of legs determined by the Inter-zone play-off semi-final draw.[23] The winner of the Inter-zone play-off final advanced to the final.

Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Istiklol Tajikistan 3–2 India Bengaluru 1–0 2–2

Final

[edit]
Main article: 2017 AFC Cup Final

The draw for the final was held on 6 June 2017. In the final, the winner of the West Asia Zonal final and the winner of the Inter-zone play-off final played each other, with the host team decided by draw.[23][24][25]

Istiklol Tajikistan0–1Iraq Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya
Report
  • Mohsin 68'
Attendance: 20,000

Awards

[edit]
Award Player Team
Most Valuable Player[26] Tajikistan Manuchekhr Dzhalilov Tajikistan Istiklol
Top Goalscorer[27] North Korea Kim Yu-song North Korea April 25
Fair Play Award[28] — Philippines Ceres–Negros

Top scorers

[edit]
  Team eliminated / inactive for this round.
Rank Player Team MD1 MD2 MD3 MD4 MD5 MD6 ZSF1 ZSF2 ZF1 ZF2 ISF1 ISF2 IF1 IF2 F Total
1 North Korea Kim Yu-song North Korea April 25 5 1 3 9
2 Argentina Gabriel Guerra Malaysia Johor Darul Ta'zim 1 2 1 3 1 8
Spain Bienvenido Marañón Philippines Ceres–Negros 1 2 2 2 1
Croatia Stipe Plazibat Singapore Home United 4 1 2 1
5 Tajikistan Manuchekhr Dzhalilov Tajikistan Istiklol 2 3 2 7
6 Oman Mohammed Al-Ghassani Oman Saham 1 1 1 3 6
7 Vietnam Nguyễn Văn Quyết Vietnam Hà Nội 1 1 1 2 5
North Korea Rim Kwang-hyok North Korea Kigwancha 1 4
Spain Fernando Rodríguez Philippines Ceres–Negros 1 1 1 1 1
Turkmenistan Myrat Ýagşyýew Turkmenistan Altyn Asyr 1 4

Note: Goals scored in the qualifying round and qualifying play-offs are not counted when determining top scorer (Regulations Article 64.4).[1]

Source: AFC[29]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

2017 AFC Cup

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The 2017 AFC Cup was Asia's premier secondary annual international club football competition, organized by the (AFC) as the continent's second-tier tournament after the AFC Champions League. Featuring a record entry of 43 teams from 25 member associations, it introduced a new format that crowned five separate zonal champions before an inter-zonal knockout stage to determine the overall winner. The tournament began with a qualifying playoff round in February and March, followed by group stages across five zones: (12 teams), (12 teams), (6 teams), (4 teams), and (2 teams). The zonal champions were Air Force Club from (), FC Istiklol from (), Bengaluru FC from (), Ceres–Negros FC from the (), and 4.25 SC from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (). These winners advanced to the inter-zonal semi-finals and play-off in September and October, with the and champions progressing to the final. The final took place on 4 November 2017 at Hisor Central Stadium in Hisor, , where defending champions Air Force Club defeated FC Istiklol 1–0, with Emad Mohsin scoring the decisive goal in the 68th minute. This victory marked Air Force Club's second consecutive AFC Cup title and their second overall, highlighting Iraq's growing prominence in Asian club football. The expanded format and increased participation underscored the AFC's efforts to broaden the competition's reach across diverse regions of .

Overview

Competition format

The 2017 AFC Cup was the 14th edition of Asia's premier secondary club football competition, organized by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and positioned as the continent's second-tier tournament below the AFC Champions League. It featured a revamped format introduced that year to align with the AFC's five regional zones, replacing the previous East-West division used from 2004 to 2016 and aiming to enhance regional competitiveness while minimizing travel burdens. This structure incorporated adjustments for overlaps with the AFC Champions League schedule and accounted for participant withdrawals, which reduced some group sizes. The tournament was divided into five zones: (groups A, B, C), (groups F, G, H), (group D), (group E), and (group I), comprising nine groups in total. Originally planned for 36 teams, the competition featured 34 teams after withdrawals, including a reduction in the zone to three teams; groups in and consisted of four teams each, while the single-group zones had four teams except for . The group stage operated on a home-and-away round-robin basis, with each team playing six matches (three home, three away) over double match weeks—Monday/Tuesday for and Tuesday/Wednesday for other zones—to optimize scheduling. Advancement from the group stage followed zone-specific rules to determine zonal representatives. In and , the three group winners and the best second-placed team (ranked by points, , and other tiebreakers) progressed to the zonal semifinals, played as two-legged ties; the semifinal winners then contested a two-legged zonal final to crown the zone champion. For the single-group zones (, , ), the group winner advanced directly as zonal champion. The five zonal champions advanced to the inter-zonal knockout stage consisting of semifinals, a play-off final, and a single-legged final match to determine the overall winner. Additionally, the second-placed teams from and (beyond the best qualifier for zonal stages) were ranked across both zones and served primarily as reserves in this edition. Prior to the group stage, a qualifying phase filled slots via two-legged preliminary and play-off rounds, with winners integrating into the groups; this ensured balanced representation while accommodating the format's zonal focus and withdrawal impacts, such as the reduction. Overall, the 2017 changes emphasized regional integrity and streamlined progression, with most knockout ties (except interzonal play-offs and final) conducted as two-legged home-and-away matches to promote fairness.

Qualification and zones

The qualification for the 2017 AFC Cup was determined by the , which assessed the performance of clubs from each member association (MA) in continental club competitions over the four preceding seasons (2012–13 to 2015–16). This ranking, finalized and published by the AFC on 30 November 2016, allocated slots to MAs based on their zonal standings, ensuring representation from across while prioritizing higher-performing associations. Lower-ranked MAs, such as , received no direct slots and were limited to preliminary qualifying opportunities, whereas top associations like and the in secured multiple entries. The AFC divided the 47 initially entered teams from 27 MAs into five distinct zones to reflect geographical and competitive balance: (encompassing higher-ranked Middle Eastern countries like , , and ), (including , , , and ), (featuring , , , and others), (covering , , , and ), and (Southeast Asian nations such as , , , and the ). Zonal assignments prevented cross-zone matches in the group stage, except in inter-zonal , and slots were distributed according to each zone's internal MA rankings. For instance, in , the top three MAs (, , and ) were allocated two direct group stage slots each, while in , even the highest-ranked MA () received only preliminary access. Slot breakdowns varied by zone to accommodate competitive depth. The Zone featured 12 teams (nine direct group stage entries and three from play-offs), drawn from MAs ranked 6th to 12th in the overall West ranking after top MAs qualified for the AFC Champions League. The Zone was allocated 12 slots initially (nine direct and three play-offs), but reduced to 11 teams following the withdrawal of Lanexang United FC from due to financial and operational issues. and each had four slots filled entirely through qualifying rounds (no direct entries), with one team advancing to the group stage per zone. The Zone planned for four teams via qualifying but ended with three after Rovers FC from withdrew, allowing Kigwancha SC from to advance directly without a play-off. Additionally, teams eliminated from the qualifying rounds could cascade into the AFC Cup, either directly to the group stage (if they were champions or cup winners from eligible MAs) or to the play-off round, providing a secondary pathway for higher-ranked clubs. This mechanism ensured a total of 34 teams reached the group stage, emphasizing the tournament's role as Asia's premier secondary club competition. Preliminary qualifiers played a key role in lower zones, where associations like and in competed in a single-elimination format from August 2016 to secure their zone's lone group stage berth.

Participating teams

Allocation by association

The allocation of slots to member associations for the 2017 AFC Cup was determined using the AFC club competition rankings over the previous four years, as outlined in the AFC's entry regulations for club competitions. These rankings assessed associations' performances in continental club events to assign direct entries to the group stage or qualifying rounds within their designated zones (, , , , and ). Higher-ranked associations received more slots, with the top three in and typically allocated two direct group stage slots each, while smaller zones like , , and allocated one slot per top association, supplemented by qualifying entries. The planned total number of teams across zones was (12), (4), (4), (12), and (4). However, due to withdrawals in the and zones with no replacements allocated, the actual totals were adjusted to 11 teams in and 3 in . The following table details the slots allocated to each association:
AssociationZoneSlotsNotes
2Direct to group stage
2Direct to group stage
2Direct to group stage
1Direct to group stage
21 direct to group stage, 1 entry in play-off round
21 direct to group stage, 1 entry in play-off round
21 direct to group stage, 1 entry in play-off round
2Entry in play-off round
2Direct to group stage
2Direct to group stage
2Direct to group stage
21 direct to group stage, 1 entry in play-off round
21 direct to group stage, 1 entry in play-off round
21 direct to group stage, 1 entry in play-off round (withdrew)
2Entry in play-off round
21 direct to group stage, 1 entry in play-off round
21 direct to group stage, 1 entry in play-off round
21 direct to group stage, 1 entry in play-off round
1Entry in play-off round
21 direct to group stage, 1 entry in play-off round
21 direct to group stage, 1 entry in play-off round
1Direct to group stage
DPR Korea21 direct to group stage, 1 entry in play-off round
21 direct to group stage, 1 entry in play-off round (did not enter)
1Direct to group stage (withdrew; no replacement)
1Entry in qualifying round
Slots were finalized after accounting for teams qualifying from domestic leagues and any spillover from the AFC Champions League, ensuring compliance with participation criteria such as licensing and infrastructure requirements.

West Asia Zone

The West Asia Zone featured 12 teams divided into three groups of four, comprising champions and cup winners from associations including , , , , the , , , and (via play-off).
  • Al-Zawraa (Iraq): Qualified as 2015–16 Iraqi Premier League champions; advanced through play-off if applicable.
  • Al-Jaish (Syria): Entered as 2015–16 Syrian Premier League cup winners.
  • Al-Ahli (Jordan): Represented as 2015–16 Jordan FA Cup winners.
  • Al-Suwaiq (Oman): Qualified via 2015–16 Oman FA Cup; advanced through play-off round vs. Shabab Al-Khalil (Palestine).
  • Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya (Iraq): Defending AFC Cup champions and 2015–16 Iraq FA Cup winners.
  • Al-Wahda (United Arab Emirates): 2015–16 UAE President's Cup winners.
  • Al-Hidd (Bahrain): 2015–16 Bahraini King's Cup winners.
  • Safa (Lebanon): 2015–16 Lebanese FA Cup winners.
  • Al-Wehdat (): 2015–16 Jordan Premier League champions.
  • Al-Muharraq (): 2015–16 champions.
  • Saham (): 2015–16 runners-up.
  • Al Ahed (): 2015–16 champions.

Central Asia Zone

The Central Asia Zone consisted of four teams in a single group, drawn from , , and , primarily league champions and play-off qualifiers.
  • Istiklol (): 2016 Tajik League champions and 2015 runners-up.
  • Dordoi (): Qualified through play-offs as 2016 Kyrgyz League runners-up.
  • (): 2016 Kyrgyz Cup winners.
  • Altyn Asyr (): 2016 Ýokary Liga champions.

South Asia Zone

Four teams competed in the South Asia Zone group, representing India, Bangladesh, and Maldives, with entries based on league and cup successes.
  • Bengaluru (India): 2015–16 I-League champions.
  • Mohun Bagan (India): Qualified via play-offs as 2015–16 Federation Cup runners-up; advanced through play-off round vs. Club Valencia (Maldives).
  • Abahani Limited (Bangladesh): 2015–16 Bangladesh Football Premier League champions.
  • Maziya (Maldives): 2016 Dhivehi Premier League champions.

East Asia Zone

The East Asia Zone group included three teams due to limited entries, from and , focusing on domestic champions.
  • 4.25 SC (): 2016 DPR Korea Premier Football League champions.
  • Kigwancha (): 2016 DPR Korea Multi-National Football Tournament winners.
  • Erchim (): Qualified through play-offs as 2016 Mongolian Premier League runners-up; advanced through play-off round.

ASEAN Zone

The Zone had 11 teams across three groups (two with four teams and one with three), following the withdrawal of the Lao team, with participants from the , , , , , , and no representation from . Group F: Group G: Group H:
  • Home United (Singapore): 2016 S.League champions; advanced through play-off round vs. Phnom Penh Crown ().
  • Than Quang Ninh (): 2016 Vietnamese Cup winners.
  • Yadanarbon (): 2016 Myanmar National League runners-up.

Schedule and draws

Key dates and venues

The 2017 AFC Cup commenced with the qualifying round held from 19 to 25 August 2016, where nine teams were divided into three groups of three teams each for a single round-robin format hosted by the Pot 1 team, with the winners advancing to the play-off round. The play-off round followed from 30 January to 28 February 2017, featuring 10 teams in five two-legged ties across the , , , , and zones, with the five winners advancing to the group stage. The group stage ran from 20 February to 31 May 2017, with matches primarily scheduled on Tuesdays and Wednesdays to accommodate club calendars, involving 34 teams divided into 10 groups of three or four, played on a home-and-away format at each team's home venue. The knockout stage, including zonal semi-finals, zonal finals, and inter-zonal play-offs, took place from 16 May to 18 October 2017, also utilizing home-and-away legs across participating countries, with scheduling adjusted to minimize disruptions from the period in late May and June. The final was contested on a single neutral-venue match on 4 November 2017 at Hisor Central Stadium in Hisor, , selected as the home ground of one finalist but serving as the official neutral site for the decisive game. Overall, the extended from August 2016 to November 2017, reflecting the AFC's extended calendar to integrate with domestic leagues across .

Draw procedures

The draw for the qualifying round of the 2017 AFC Cup took place on 17 2016 at the AFC House in , . Nine teams from lower-ranked member associations were divided into three pots according to their associations' four-year AFC club competition rankings, with Pot 1 featuring the three highest-ranked teams serving as hosts for the single round-robin groups of three teams each. The draw ensured that teams from the same association were not placed in the same group, and the three group winners advanced to the play-off round to face direct entrants for group stage spots. The group stage draw was conducted on 13 December 2016 at 14:30 local time at the Hilton Petaling Jaya in , , immediately preceding the AFC Champions League draw. Participating teams were seeded based on their associations' continental rankings over the previous four years, with direct qualifiers and slots for play-off winners allocated to specific positions to balance competition. Draws were held separately for the zone (Groups A, B, and C) and the zone (Groups F, G, and H), using a pot system limited to one pot per zone to prioritize country protection rules that prevented teams from the same association from being drawn into the same group where possible; league champions were drawn first into position 1 of each group, followed by cup winners and play-off qualifiers into remaining positions. Single-group zones ( for Group D, for Group E, and for Group I) required no full draw, as teams were pre-assigned based on seeding, though the group was later adjusted due to the withdrawal of Lanexang United FC from in January 2017, reducing it to three teams without a redraw and modifying the format to each play the others home and away.

Qualifying phase

Qualifying round

The qualifying round of the 2017 AFC Cup featured nine s from lower-ranked member associations, divided into three groups of three, contested as single round-robin mini-tournaments from 19 to 25 2016. Each group was hosted centrally by a pre-selected in its home country, with the top two finishers from each initially set to advance to the play-off round to determine final group stage entrants. The participating clubs represented associations from Central, South, and , including , , , , , , , , and . Due to disqualifications and withdrawals, adjustments were made to the advancers.

Group A

Held in , , and hosted by Dordoi Bishkek, Group A included Dordoi Bishkek (), Benfica de Macau (), and Rovers FC (). The matches were:
  • 19 August: Rovers FC 0–2 Dordoi Bishkek
  • 21 August: Benfica de Macau 4–2 Rovers FC
  • 23 August: Dordoi Bishkek 2–1 Benfica de Macau
PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPts
1220041+36
2210154+13
3Rovers FC200226−40
advanced to the play-off round. finished second but did not participate further due to zone adjustments and withdrawals in . A key moment was Rovers FC's late rally in their 2–4 loss to , scoring twice in the final 15 minutes but unable to overturn the deficit.

Group B

Hosted by Khaan Khuns-Erchim in , , Group B comprised (), Khaan Khuns-Erchim (), and Nagaworld (). The matches were:
  • 21 August: 2–0 Khaan Khuns-Erchim
  • 23 August: Khaan Khuns-Erchim 1–0 Nagaworld
  • 25 August: Nagaworld 1–1
PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPts
1Three Star Club211031+24
2Khaan Khuns-Erchim210112−13
3Nagaworld201112−11
Khaan Khuns-Erchim (Erchim) advanced directly to the group stage due to withdrawals in the East Asia zone. Three Star Club, the group winner, was disqualified from further participation due to a registration failure by the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA). The group saw a surprise as Nagaworld, from a higher-ranked association, finished last after a narrow 1–0 defeat to the hosts on the final day.

Group C

Taking place in Thimphu, Bhutan, and hosted by FC Tertons, Group C featured FC Tertons (Bhutan), Taipei City Tatung (Chinese Taipei), and Sheikh Russel (Bangladesh). The matches were:
  • 21 August: Taipei City Tatung 0–0 FC Tertons
  • 23 August: Sheikh Russel 1–1 Taipei City Tatung
  • 25 August: FC Tertons 4–3 Sheikh Russel
PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPts
1FC Tertons211043+14
2 City Tatung20201102
3201145−11
Thimphu City (replacing group winner FC Tertons, per decision) advanced to the play-off round. City Tatung finished second but did not advance further due to withdrawal or ineligibility. Highlights included the high-scoring finale where FC Tertons secured top spot with a 4–3 victory, marked by an intense second half with multiple goals.

Play-off round

The play-off round of the 2017 AFC Cup qualifying phase consisted of two-legged ties held between 30 and 28 2017 across the , , , and zones, determining five teams to join the 29 direct entrants in the group stage (with two additional direct advancements in due to withdrawals). These matches followed the , with the higher-ranked team hosting the second leg in case of a tie on aggregate. The winners advanced to the group stage, where their seeding was based on the zone and in the qualifying phase. Central Asia and South Asia featured a preliminary round (two ties each) followed by a play-off tie between the winners.

ASEAN zone

In the ASEAN zone, two direct ties were played.
DateFirst legAgg.Second legDate
30 Jan 3–4 Home United3–7Home United 3–0 6 Feb
30 JanBoeung Ket 1–1 Lao Toyota2–1Lao Toyota 0–1 Boeung Ket 6 Feb
Home United advanced with a 7–3 aggregate victory over Crown, winning the first leg 4–3 away before a 3–0 home win, highlighted by goals from , Stipe Plazibat, and . Boeung Ket Angkor progressed 2–1 on aggregate against Lao Toyota, drawing 1–1 at home before a 1–0 away win via a Tomoki Mera goal.

West Asia zone

In the zone, Oman's Al-Suwaiq secured progression with a 4–3 aggregate triumph over Palestine's Shabab Al-Khalil.
DateFirst legAgg.Second legDate
30 JanShabab Al-Khalil 2–1 Al-Suwaiq3–4Al-Suwaiq 3–1 Shabab Al-Khalil6 Feb
Al-Suwaiq lost the first leg 1–2 away but staged a comeback with a 3–1 home win, goals from Said Al-Ruzaiqi (two) and Mohammed Al-Masoudi decisive.

Central Asia zone

The zone featured a preliminary round followed by a play-off round. Preliminary round
DateFirst legAgg.Second legDate
31 JanDordoi 1–1 Balkan2–2 (aet, Dordoi won 5–4 on pens)Balkan 1–1 Dordoi7 Feb
Dordoi advanced after a 2–2 aggregate draw with Balkan (), winning on penalties. Play-off round
DateFirst legAgg.Second legDate
21 FebDordoi 1–0 Khosilot Farkhor2–1Khosilot Farkhor 1–1 Dordoi28 Feb
Dordoi advanced 2–1 on aggregate over Khosilot Farkhor (Tajikistan), with a 1–0 home win (Alisher Azizov) and 1–1 away draw.

South Asia zone

The South Asia zone featured two preliminary round ties, with winners advancing to the play-off round. Preliminary round
DateFirst legAgg.Second legDate
31 JanColombo 1–2 Mohun Bagan2–4Mohun Bagan 2–1 Colombo7 Feb
31 JanThimphu City 0–0 Club Valencia0–3Club Valencia 3–0 Thimphu City7 Feb
Mohun Bagan advanced with a 4–2 aggregate win over (). Club Valencia advanced 3–0 on aggregate over Thimphu City. Play-off round
DateFirst legAgg.Second legDate
21 FebClub Valencia 1–1 Mohun Bagan2–5Mohun Bagan 4–1 Club Valencia28 Feb
India's Mohun Bagan qualified with a 5–2 aggregate win against Club Valencia, drawing 1–1 away (Darryl Duffy goal) before a 4–1 home win ( ).

East Asia zone

No play-off ties were held due to withdrawals. Kigwancha () and Erchim () advanced directly to the group stage. No penalties were required in the final play-off ties, and the advancing teams—Home United, Boeung Ket Angkor, Dordoi, Mohun Bagan, and Al-Suwaiq—were seeded into their respective zonal groups for the main competition starting in March, alongside the direct qualifiers Kigwancha and Erchim.

Group stage

Format and seeding

The group stage of the 2017 AFC Cup featured nine groups divided across five zones: Groups A, B, and C for ; Group D for ; Group E for ; Group F for ; and Groups G, H, and I for the zone. Each group consisted of three or four teams, with all matches played in a home-and-away round-robin format, resulting in six matches per team. This zonal structure aimed to balance regional representation while ensuring competitive integrity across Asia's diverse football landscapes. Teams were seeded into pots based on the AFC club competitions rankings, which evaluated member associations' performances in continental club tournaments over the previous four seasons. For multi-team zones like West Asia and ASEAN, the highest-ranked associations received priority slots, with league champions and cup winners placed in Pot 1, followed by other qualifiers in subsequent pots to avoid same-association matchups early. The draw, conducted on 12 December 2016 in Kuala Lumpur, assigned teams to groups while reserving positions for playoff winners and ensuring geographical balance within zones; single-group zones (Central, South, East) had fixed compositions determined by rankings without a draw. Advancement from the group stage saw all nine group winners progress directly to the respective zonal semi-finals, where they competed in home-and-away ties against another zonal winner. In the and zones, the three second-placed teams were ranked by points, , and other criteria to select the best runner-up for an additional spot in the zonal semi-finals; runners-up from single-group zones did not advance but could qualify for interzonal play-offs if ranked highly among seconds overall. This system ensured nine teams entered the phase, with zonal champions later contesting interzonal semi-finals. Tiebreakers for teams level on points were applied in the following order: points obtained in head-to-head matches among tied teams; in those head-to-head matches; goals scored in head-to-head matches; away goals scored in head-to-head matches; overall ; overall goals scored; disciplinary points (yellow cards worth minus one point, red cards minus three or more); and, as a last resort, drawing of lots by the AFC. These rules promoted fair resolution while prioritizing direct confrontations. Matches were scheduled on midweek dates, typically Mondays or Tuesdays for West Asia groups and Tuesdays or Wednesdays for other zones, using a double-matchday system to minimize travel burdens. Home-and-away fixtures were set to avoid conflicts for clubs sharing stadiums, with neutral venues mandated if security or logistical issues arose, as determined by the AFC.

Group A

Group A of the 2017 AFC Cup consisted of Al-Zawra'a from , Al-Jaish from , Al-Ahli from , and Al-Suwaiq from , all representing the zone. The group was competitive, with Al-Zawra'a securing the top spot and qualification to the zonal semi-finals through an unbeaten run, highlighted by key victories over rivals Al-Jaish. Al-Jaish finished second but failed to advance directly, while Al-Ahli and Al-Suwaiq were eliminated after mid-table and bottom finishes, respectively. The final standings were as follows:
PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Al-Zawra'a (H)633093+612Zonal semi-finals
2Al-Jaish630369−39
3Al-Ahli613256−16
4Al-Suwaiq612335−25
Source: The group stage matches unfolded across several matchdays in early 2017, with Al-Zawra'a demonstrating defensive solidity by conceding just three goals overall.
  • On 20 February 2017, Al-Ahli hosted Al-Suwaiq and played out a goalless draw (0–0).
  • Also on 20 February 2017, Al-Suwaiq hosted Al-Zawra'a, ending in another 0–0 stalemate.
  • On 6 March 2017, Al-Jaish defeated Al-Ahli 1–0 away.
  • On 6 March 2017, Al-Suwaiq lost 0–1 at home to Al-Jaish.
  • On 13 March 2017, Al-Zawra'a beat Al-Jaish 3–1 at home, with goals from Mustafa Karim and others securing a crucial early win.
  • On 4 April 2017, Al-Ahli won 2–1 against Al-Suwaiq at home.
  • On 18 April 2017, Al-Jaish edged Al-Ahli 2–1 at home.
  • On 18 April 2017, Al-Zawra'a defeated Al-Suwaiq 1–0 at home.
  • On 2 May 2017, Al-Jaish fell 1–2 to Al-Suwaiq at home.
  • On 2 May 2017, Al-Zawra'a drew 1–1 with Al-Ahli away.
  • On 4 April 2017, Al-Zawra'a recorded a 3–0 away victory over Al-Jaish in , further solidifying their lead.
Al-Zawra'a's unbeaten record, including clean sheets in four matches, was pivotal in their group dominance and progression.

Group B

Group B of the 2017 AFC Cup featured four teams from the zone: of , the defending champions; Al-Wahda of ; Al-Hidd of ; and Safa of . The group stage ran from 20 February to 2 May 2017, with matches played on Tuesdays and Mondays. finished atop the standings with an unbeaten record, securing direct qualification to the round of 16 as group winners. Al-Wahda, despite a superior , placed second and advanced as one of the top two runners-up across West Asian groups. The competition was marked by tight results between the top three teams, including three draws among them, while Safa struggled throughout, managing just one goal and one point.

Standings

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1 (H)633062+412Advance to round of 16
2Al-Wahda6321103+711Advance to round of 16 (best runners-up)
3Al-Hidd630385+39
4Safa6015115−141
Source: AFC official standings
(H) Hosts

Results

The following table lists all matches in Group B, with results and key scorers where notable. All times are local (UTC+3).
DateHomeScoreAwayScorers (Home; Away)
20 FebSafa0–0None
20 FebAl-Hidd0–1Al-Wahda; Anas Bani Mustafa 80'
6 Mar2–1Al-HiddHammadi Ahmar 68', Amjad Radhi 84' ; Ifedayo Olusegun 53'
6 MarAl-Wahda2–0SafaFeras Al-Bakhit 28', Kelven Fares 66' ; None
14 MarAl-Wahda0–0None
14 MarAl-Hidd3–1SafaSayed Mohamed Adnan 45+1', 60', Hisham Al-Rawi 79' ; Ali Merkabaoui 90+3'
3 AprSafa0–2Al-Hidd; Sayed Mohamed Adnan 45', 78'
4 Apr1–1Al-WahdaAli Sami 90+4' ; Ahmad Al-Salih 45+2'
18 Apr2–0SafaYounis Khalaf 18', Mustafa Al-Qaysi 45+1' ; None (Safa down to 10 men)
18 AprAl-Wahda0–2Al-Hidd; Mohammad Al Daoud 59', 76'
2 MayAl-Hidd0–1; Hamid Yussef 62'
2 MaySafa0–6Al-WahdaNone ; Antonin Koutoupot 10', 45+1', 57', Maher Malkawi 37', 68', 90+2'
Source: AFC match reports Key narratives included Al-Wahda's dominant 6–0 victory over Safa on the final day, which confirmed their qualification via among runners-up, highlighted by Antonin Koutoupot's . Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya's solid defense conceded just two goals, underpinning their unbeaten run and setting up a zonal semi-final clash. The group saw 24 goals in total, with Al-Hidd's three wins providing late drama but falling short on points.

Group C

Group C consisted of from , from , from , and Saham SC from , all representing the zone. The group was tightly contested, with home teams leveraging strong support to secure key results, ultimately seeing Al-Wehdat advance as winners to the zonal semi-finals while Al-Muharraq qualified for the ranking of second-placed teams. The final standings were as follows:
PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1633096+312Zonal semi-finals
2631298+110Ranking of second-placed teams
362139907
4603359−43
Source: Compiled from official match reports. The group stage began on 21 February 2017 with Al-Wehdat defeating Nejmeh 1–0 at King Abdullah II Stadium in , thanks to a first-half goal from Saeed Al-Orouq, setting a strong tone for the Jordanians at home. In the other fixture, Saham edged Al-Muharraq 3–2 in , where Mohammed Al-Ghassani's late strike proved decisive despite Bahrain's comeback attempt. Matchday 2 on 7 March saw Al-Muharraq hold Al-Wehdat to a 1–1 draw in Manama, with both sides trading goals in a balanced encounter that highlighted the Bahrainis' resilience. Nejmeh, meanwhile, claimed their first points with a 2–1 home win over Saham in Beirut, capitalizing on set-piece opportunities to overcome the Omani side. By Matchday 3 on 13–14 March, Al-Wehdat solidified their lead with a 2–1 victory against Saham in Amman, where Mohammad Mustafa's winner underscored their home dominance. Nejmeh fell 1–2 to Al-Muharraq in Saida, as the Bahrainis' counter-attacking efficiency, led by a penalty from Abdulla Al-Khalasi, propelled them up the table. (Score per report details.) On 4 April for Matchday 4, Saham and Al-Wehdat shared spoils in a 1–1 draw in Muscat, with Baha Faisal equalizing late for the visitors, maintaining the Jordanian unbeaten run. Al-Muharraq strengthened their position with a 1–0 win over Nejmeh at Bahrain National Stadium, Jamal Rashed's dramatic stoppage-time goal securing vital points. Matchday 5 on 18 April featured Nejmeh drawing 1–1 with Al-Wehdat in Saida, where Abdelrazak Al-Hussein’s late equalizer denied the leaders a win and kept the Lebanese side's hopes alive. Al-Muharraq continued their push with a 1–0 defeat of Saham in , a narrow result that positioned them just behind Al-Wehdat heading into the final round. The group concluded on 1–2 May, with Al-Wehdat clinching top spot via a thrilling 3–2 home victory over Al-Muharraq, Baha Faisal's decisive goal in a high-scoring affair confirming their zonal progression amid fervent home support. Saham ended on a high, beating Nejmeh 3–1 in to finish third, with goals from Mohammed Al-Ghassani and others sealing Nejmeh's elimination.

Group D

Group D served as the sole group for the zone in the 2017 AFC Cup group stage, featuring four teams: from , Altyn Asyr from , and the Kyrgyz duo of FC Alay and Dordoi . The group operated on a round-robin format, with each team playing six matches between March and May 2017. demonstrated clear dominance, securing advancement to the zonal semi-finals as group winners with an unbeaten record and a superior . Altyn Asyr mounted a competitive challenge but ultimately finished second after a decisive loss in their final fixture. The Kyrgyz teams struggled, managing only a single victory each in their head-to-head encounters, which had no bearing on qualification.
PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Istiklol (TJK)6510154+1116Advance to zonal semi-finals
2Altyn Asyr (TKM)6411124+813
3Alay Osh (KGZ)6105918-93
4 (KGZ)6105616-103
Source: Match results compiled from official AFC reports. The group stage commenced on 14 March 2017 with Istiklol defeating Dordoi Bishkek 2–0 at Pamir Stadium in Dushanbe, courtesy of first-half goals from David Mawutor and Jahongir Aliev. In the other opener, Altyn Asyr edged Alay Osh 2–1 away in Osh, with goals from Altymyrat Annadurdyev and Myrat Annayev sealing the win despite a late reply from Alay's Azamat Esenaliev. On 4 April, Altyn Asyr and Istiklol played out a 1–1 draw in , with Istiklol's Manuchehr Dzhalilov equalizing after Elman Tagayev's opener for the hosts. Dordoi claimed their sole victory of the campaign, beating 1–0 at home through a second-half penalty by Ulan Konurbaev. Matchday three on 18 April saw Istiklol strengthen their position with a 3–1 home win over , where Dzhalilov scored twice and Alisher Dzhalilov added one, with Alay's response coming from Mirlan Musabekov. Altyn Asyr extended their unbeaten run with a 2–0 victory at Dordoi, thanks to strikes from Murat Yakshiyev and Annadurdyev. On 3 May, Istiklol thrashed 4–1 away, with a brace from Fatkhullo Fatkhuloev, plus goals from Dzhalilov and Mawutor; Azamat Bayseitov scored for . Altyn Asyr kept pace with a 3–0 home win over Dordoi, where Yakshiyev, Annadurdyev, and Söýünov found the net. Matchday five on 17 May featured Istiklol's 4–1 rout of Dordoi in , powered by Dzhalilov's and a goal from Nozim Babajanov; Mirlan Dubanov replied for Dordoi. Altyn Asyr stayed in contention by defeating 4–1 at home, with Yakshiyev netting all four in a remarkable individual display, matched by Alay's Ermek Orolbaev. The final matchday on 31 May concluded with Istiklol clinching top spot via a 1–0 home victory over Altyn Asyr, decided by a second-half strike from substitute Sohib Usmonov. In a thrilling , Alay overcame Dordoi 5–4 at home, with Iliaz Alimov's injury-time winner capping goals from Ulan Tokbaev (two), Orolbaev, and Nursali Hazratkulov; Dordoi's four came via Boigon Mamazhanov (two), Konurbaev, and Dubanov. Istiklol's consistent performance, highlighted by their 15 goals scored, underscored their superiority and propelled them into the knockout phase.

Group E

Group E of the 2017 AFC Cup featured four teams from the zone: from , Mohun from , from , and from the . The group operated as a single round-robin format, with each team playing the others across six matchdays from March to May 2017. The group winner advanced to the zonal semi-finals of the knockout phase. The standings were determined by points, with tiebreakers applied based on . and both finished with 12 points, but Bengaluru topped the group on head-to-head results (two 1–0 wins), securing qualification for the zonal semi-finals. Mohun placed third with 7 points, while finished last with 4 points.
PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1 (IND)640276+112Advance to zonal semi-finals
2 (MDV)6402104+612
3Mohun Bagan (IND)62131011–17
4Abahani Limited (BAN)6114410–64
Source: AFC official records; Transfermarkt standings The group stage matches unfolded as follows:
  • 14 March 2017: Bengaluru FC 2–1 Mohun Bagan at Sree Kanteerava Stadium, Bengaluru. Goals: Sunil Chhetri (45+1', pen.), Eugeneson Lyngdoh (90+3') for Bengaluru; Jeje Lalpekhlua (32') for Mohun Bagan.
  • 14 March 2017: Abahani Limited Dhaka 0–2 Maziya S&RC at Bangabandhu National Stadium, Dhaka. Goals: Mohamed Umair (45+2'), Ali Umar (68') for Maziya.
  • 4 April 2017: Maziya S&RC 0–1 Bengaluru FC at National Football Stadium, Malé. Goal: John Johnson (89') for Bengaluru.
  • 4 April 2017: Mohun Bagan 3–1 Abahani Limited Dhaka at Rabindra Sarobar Stadium, Kolkata. Goals: Sony Norde (18'), Balwant Singh (45+1'), Arnab Mondal (90+2') for Mohun Bagan; Mohammad Ibrahim (9') for Abahani.
  • 18 April 2017: Bengaluru FC 2–0 Abahani Limited Dhaka at Sree Kanteerava Stadium, Bengaluru. Goals: Sunil Chhetri (45+1'), C.K. Vineeth (68') for Bengaluru.
  • 19 April 2017: Mohun Bagan 0–1 Maziya S&RC at Rabindra Sarobar Stadium, Kolkata. Goal: Mohamed Umair (90+3') for Maziya.
  • 3 May 2017: Abahani Limited Dhaka 2–0 Bengaluru FC at Bangabandhu National Stadium, Dhaka. Goals: Zahid Hasan Emu (87'), Cornelius James (90+4') for Abahani.
  • 3 May 2017: Maziya S&RC 5–2 Mohun Bagan at National Football Stadium, Malé. Goals: Abdulla Asadhulla (13'), Mohamed Umair (27'), Elvis Rakić (45', 90+2'), Mohamed Arif (60') for Maziya; Balwant Singh (55'), Sony Norde (75') for Mohun Bagan.
  • 17 May 2017: Mohun Bagan 3–1 Bengaluru FC at Rabindra Sarobar Stadium, Kolkata. Goals: Jeje Lalpekhlua (3'), Sony Norde (84'), Balwant Singh (90+4') for Mohun Bagan; Seiminlen Doungel (45+1') for Bengaluru.
  • 17 May 2017: Maziya S&RC 2–0 Abahani Limited Dhaka. Goals: Mohamed Umair, Aleksandar Rakic for Maziya.
  • 31 May 2017: Bengaluru FC 1–0 Maziya S&RC at Sree Kanteerava Stadium, Bengaluru. Goal: Sunil Chhetri (55') for Bengaluru.
  • 31 May 2017: Abahani Limited Dhaka 1–1 Mohun Bagan at Bangabandhu National Stadium, Dhaka. Goals: Sohag Hossain (45') for Abahani; Arindam Bhattacharya (og, 90+3') for Mohun Bagan.
Bengaluru FC demonstrated strong home form throughout the group stage, winning all four of their home matches without conceding a goal, which kept them in contention for the top spot despite two away defeats. Maziya S&RC's emphatic 5–2 victory over Mohun Bagan on matchday four proved pivotal, boosting their . Bengaluru's head-to-head dominance over Maziya secured first place. Mohun Bagan's inconsistent results, including heavy losses away, ultimately cost them a higher finish, while struggled defensively, conceding 10 goals across their six games.

Group F

Group F of the 2017 AFC Cup featured four teams from the zone: Boeung Ket Angkor from , Global Cebu from the , Johor Darul Ta'zim from , and Magwe from . The group stage was played in a home-and-away round-robin format from February to May 2017. Global Cebu topped the group with an impressive record, advancing to the zonal semi-finals. Johor Darul Ta'zim finished second and qualified as the best runner-up in the zone. The final standings were as follows:
PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1 (PHI)6501139+415Zonal semi-finals
2 (MAS)6411165+1113Ranking of second-placed teams
3Boeung Ket (CAM)6213810−27
4Magwe (MYA)6006417−130
Source: AFC official standings. Key matches included Johor Darul Ta'zim's 3–0 win over Boeung Ket on 21 February, Global's 1–0 victory over Magwe on the same day, and Global's 4–1 thrashing of Magwe on 18 April. Johor suffered a 1–2 loss to Global on 17 May but finished strong with a 4–0 win over Global on 2 May. The group was characterized by Global's defensive resilience and Johor's attacking flair, with 41 goals scored in total.

Group G

Group G consisted of four teams from the ASEAN zone: Ceres–Negros of the , Hà Nội of , Tampines Rovers of , and Felda United of . The group stage matches were held between 21 February and 3 May 2017, following a round-robin format where each team played the others home and away. The winner qualified for the ASEAN zonal semi-finals, with Ceres–Negros advancing after tying on points with Hà Nội but securing first place via a superior .

Standings

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Ceres–Negros (H)6321168+811Advance to zonal semi-finals
2Hà Nội63211410+411
3Tampines Rovers6204817−96
4Felda United6123710−35
Source: AFC (H) Hosts. Points awarded: 3 for a win, 1 for a draw.

Results

Matchday 1 (21 February 2017)
Hà Nội 1–1 Ceres–Negros
Goals: 74' (Hà Nội); 45+1' (Ceres–Negros).
Rovers 2–1 Felda United
Goals: Fazly Jaffar 45+1', Khairul Amri 88' (Tampines Rovers); Zah Rahan Krangar 55' (Felda United). Matchday 2 (7 March 2017)
Ceres–Negros 5–0 Tampines Rovers
Goals: Kevin Ingreso 19', 45+1', Bienvenido Marañón 48', 57', 90+3' (Ceres–Negros).
Felda United 1–1 Hà Nội
Goals: Zah Rahan Krangar 23' (Felda United); Đỗ Hùng Dũng 90+1' (Hà Nội). Matchday 3 (15 March 2017)
Hà Nội 4–0 Tampines Rovers
Goals: Nguyễn Văn Quyết 45+1', 76', Đỗ Hùng Dũng 52', Phạm Đức Huy 90' (Hà Nội).
Ceres–Negros 0–0 Felda United Matchday 4 (4 April 2017)
Tampines Rovers 1–2 Hà Nội
Goals: Sebastien Etiemble 60' (Tampines Rovers); Nguyễn Thành Chung 71', 88' (Hà Nội).
Felda United 3–0 Ceres–Negros
Goals: Syahid Zaidon 6', Rafiq Roddin 69', 79' (Felda United). Matchday 5 (19 April 2017)
Ceres–Negros 6–2 Hà Nội
Goals: 11', 45+2' (pen.), 69', 45', Darío Alegre 51', Manuel Ott 90+2' (Ceres–Negros); Lê Tấn Tài 35', 62' (Hà Nội).
Felda United 1–3 Tampines Rovers
Goals: Jordan Henrique 45+1' (Felda United); Khairul Amri 82', 85', 90+3' (Tampines Rovers). Matchday 6 (3 May 2017)
Hà Nội 4–1 Felda United
Goals: 15', 86', Oloya Moses 52', 90' (Hà Nội); Jordan Henrique 65' (Felda United).
Rovers 2–4 Ceres–Negros
Goals: Khairul Amri 45+1', 90+1' ( Rovers); 25', 34', 63' (pen.), 89' (Ceres–Negros). Ceres–Negros demonstrated offensive dominance, with scoring 10 goals across the group stage, including hat-tricks in two matches. Hà Nội relied on 's eight goals to secure second place, though a 6–2 loss to Ceres–Negros on matchday 5 ultimately decided the group leadership. Rovers showed early promise with a win over Felda United but faltered defensively, conceding multiple goals in four defeats. Felda United's sole victory came against Ceres–Negros, but draws and losses elsewhere left them bottom. The group's high-scoring nature highlighted the competitive balance among representatives, with 62 goals scored in total.

Group H

Group H of the 2017 AFC Cup featured three teams from the zone: Home United from , Than Quảng Ninh from , and Yadanarbon from . Due to an odd number of entrants in the zone, the group consisted of only three teams, with each playing the others across four matchdays. Home United emerged as group winners, securing advancement to the zonal semi-finals with a record of three wins and one loss. The group was marked by high-scoring encounters, particularly involving Home United, who netted 12 goals in their four matches despite an opening defeat. Yadanarbon provided an early upset by defeating Home United, but struggled thereafter, while Than Quảng Ninh showed attacking prowess but faltered defensively against the Singaporean side.
PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Home United (Singapore)4301128+49Advance to zonal semi-finals
2Than Quảng Ninh (Vietnam)4112109+14
3Yadanarbon (Myanmar)411238−54
Source: AFC The group stage commenced on 22 February 2017 with Yadanarbon hosting Home United at Bahtoo Stadium in . Aung Thu scored in stoppage time to secure a 1–0 victory for the side, marking their first-ever win in continental competition. On 8 March, Than Quảng Ninh hosted Yadanarbon at Cẩm Phả Stadium and took the lead through Minh Tuấn just before halftime, but Yan Naing Oo equalized late to end in a 1–1 draw. This result temporarily placed Yadanarbon atop the group. Home United responded on 15 March against Than Quảng Ninh at Jalan Besar Stadium, trailing 2–0 at halftime after goals from Bùi Tiến Dũng and Nguyễn Hải Huy. However, Stipe Plazibat and Song Ui-young orchestrated a comeback, with Song scoring the winner in the 84th minute for a 3–2 victory. The return fixture on 5 April at Cẩm Phả Stadium produced a nine-goal thriller, with Than Quảng Ninh leading 4–2 at halftime through efforts including an own goal and strikes from Bùi Văn Hiếu and Xuân Tú. Home United rallied in the second half, powered by a hat-trick from Plazibat (including two penalties) and a goal from Kenji Arai, to win 5–4 and take control of the group. On 19 April, Home United hosted Yadanarbon at Jalan Besar and dominated with early goals from Shakir Hamzah, , and , plus one from , despite a late consolation from Aung Thu, securing a 4–1 win and clinching qualification with Yadanarbon reduced to eight men after two red cards. The final match on 2 May saw Yadanarbon host Than Quảng Ninh at Bahtoo Stadium, where the Vietnamese side prevailed 3–0 with goals from Nguyễn Xuân Tú (two) and Phạm Mạnh Hùng, ending any lingering hopes for the hosts and confirming the group standings.

Group I

Group I in the 2017 AFC Cup featured three teams from the zone following withdrawals that reduced the original lineup: April 25 SC and Kigwancha SC, both from , and Erchim FC from . The North Korean clubs asserted dominance from the outset, combining for 24 unanswered goals against Erchim while sharing points in their head-to-head encounters, ultimately deciding the group winner on . April 25 SC advanced to the zonal semi-finals as group winners, marking a return to continental competition for the club after 25 years. The final standings were determined after a double round-robin format among the three teams:
PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1 (PRK)4220143+118Advance to zonal semi-finals
2Kigwancha (PRK)4220133+108
3Erchim (MGL)4004021−210
Source for standings: Derived from official match results reported by the AFC. The group stage matches unfolded as follows:
  • 14 March 2017: April 25 SC 6–0 Erchim FC (). Kim Yu-song scored a (12', 22', 24'), with further goals from Son Phyo-ngil (31') and O Chol-song (77').
  • 18 April 2017: April 25 SC 1–1 Kigwancha SC (). Pak Myong-song put the hosts ahead before halftime, but Pak Kun-hyok equalized early in the second half.
  • 4 April 2017: Erchim FC 0–3 Kigwancha SC (). Kim (40') and (55' pen.) struck before Ri Sol-gyu sealed the win (80').
  • 3 May 2017: Kigwancha SC 2–2 April 25 SC (Sinuiju). The visitors led through a brace from Kim Yu-song, but Kigwancha fought back with goals from Ri Un-il and , only for Kim to equalize in injury time.
  • 17 May 2017: Erchim FC 0–5 April 25 SC (). April 25 overwhelmed the hosts in the second half, with Kim Yu-song (49', 65', 85') completing another , alongside strikes from Ri Kang (55') and Choe Ju-hong (90+3').
  • 30 May 2017: Kigwancha SC 7–0 Erchim FC (Sinuiju). Rim Kwang-hyok netted four times (30', 40' pen., 79' pen., 82'), with (74') and two others contributing to the rout.
The matches highlighted the disparity in quality, as Erchim failed to score or win, while the North Korean sides' defensive solidity and attacking prowess secured their progression.

Ranking of second-placed teams

The ranking of second-placed teams was conducted separately for the West Asia Zone (Groups A, B, and C) and the ASEAN Zone (Groups F, G, and H) to determine the best-performing runner-up from each zone's groups. These teams advanced to the respective zonal semi-finals alongside the three group winners, providing four participants per zone for the knockout phase. The ranking criteria followed the standard tiebreakers applied throughout the group stage: greater number of points obtained in all group matches; superior goal difference in all group matches; greater number of goals scored in all group matches; superior goal difference in matches between the tied teams; greater number of goals scored in matches between the tied teams; greater number of away goals scored in matches between the tied teams; fair play points based on yellow and red cards received; and, if necessary, drawing of lots by the AFC Organising Committee. All groups consisted of four teams, so no adjustments were required for matches against bottom-placed sides in uneven groups.

West Asia Zone

The second-placed teams from Groups A, B, and C were ranked as follows, with Al-Wahda of Syria topping the list due to its superior points and goal difference.
PosGroupTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1BAl-Wahda (SYR)6321103+711Advance to West Asia semi-finals
2CAl-Muharraq (BHR)631298+110
3AAl-Jaish (SYR)630369−39
Al-Wahda advanced as the best second-placed team from the Zone to the zonal semi-finals, where it faced Al-Wehdat of .

ASEAN Zone

The second-placed teams from Groups F, G, and H were ranked as follows, with Johor Darul Ta'zim of leading on points and .
PosGroupTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1FJohor Darul Ta'zim (MAS)6411165+1113Advance to ASEAN semi-finals
2G (VIE)63211410+411
3HThan Quang Ninh (VIE)62131110+17
Johor Darul Ta'zim advanced as the best second-placed team from the Zone to the zonal semi-finals, where it faced Global of the . The best second-placed teams from these zones, along with the respective zonal champions, advanced to the interzonal play-off semi-finals to compete for spots in the final.

Knockout phase

Overall structure and bracket

The knockout phase of the 2017 AFC Cup involved 11 teams advancing from the group stage across five zones (, , , , and ), structured to determine zonal champions before converging in interzonal play-offs and the final. The zone champion advanced directly to the final, while the champions from the other zones competed in a play-off tournament to determine the second finalist. This format was introduced in 2017 to regionalize competition among developing member associations, emphasizing zonal progression before interzonal clashes. Qualification to the knockout stage varied by zone size. In (Groups A, B, C) and (Groups F, G, H), the three group winners and the best second-placed team (determined by points, goal difference, and other tie-breakers across the zone) advanced, yielding four teams per zone for the zonal semi-finals. In (Group D), (Group E), and (Group I), each consisting of a single group of four teams, the group winner advanced directly to the interzonal play-off semi-finals. and each produced one zonal champion through semi-finals and a final ( champion to overall final, to interzonal); the other three zonal champions joined for the interzonal play-offs (four teams total). Ties involving neutral venues treated the first leg as the "away" leg for away goals purposes. All ties except the final were played as two-legged aggregates over matches, with the team seeded higher (based on group stage finishing position or draw seeding) hosting the second leg. If tied on aggregate, the applied; if still level, 30 minutes of extra time followed, and if necessary, a penalty shoot-out decided the winner. The final was a single-leg match hosted by the champion (adjusted to neutral if needed), subject to the same tie-breaker rules (no away goals for single-leg). No country protection was applied in draws, and the AFC determined venues or dates if clubs shared stadiums. The bracket progressed as follows:
  • West Asia Zone: Zonal semi-finals (two two-legged ties among the four qualifiers, drawn as 1st vs. 4th and 2nd vs. 3rd by seeding); winners advanced to zonal final (two-legged tie); winner to overall final.
  • Zone: Identical structure to ; winner to interzonal play-off semi-finals.
  • Central Asia, , and Zones: Group winners advanced directly to interzonal play-off semi-finals.
  • Interzonal Play-off Semi-finals: Two two-legged ties among the four zonal champions (, Central, South, East), drawn without seeding restrictions.
  • Interzonal Play-off Final: between the two semi-final winners; winner to overall final.
  • Final: Single-leg match between the champion and the interzonal play-off winner.
This structure ensured a maximum of eight s across the zones and play-offs before the final on 4 November 2017.

Zonal semi-finals

The zonal semi-finals of the 2017 AFC Cup featured ties in the and zones, contested over two legs in May 2017, with the winners advancing to the respective zonal finals. In the zone, the four qualified teams—group winners Al Zawra'a (), Air Force Club (), and Al Wehdat (), plus best runner-up Al Wahda ()—were drawn into two ties. Similarly, in the zone, group winners Johor Darul Ta'zim (), Ceres–Negros (), and Global (), plus best runner-up Home United (), were drawn into two ties.

West Asia zone

The West Asia zonal semi-finals took place on 16 and 30 May 2017. Al Wahda hosted Al Wehdat in the first leg at Abbasiyoun Stadium in , , securing a convincing 4–1 victory; Syrian international Anas Bitar scored a brace, while Ahmad Al Saleh and Mohammad Al Marmour added the others, with Jordanian substitute Razzaq Muayyad pulling one back late. In the second leg at King Abdullah II Stadium in , , Al Wehdat won 1–0 through an early strike by Ahmad Deeb in the seventh minute, but could not overturn the deficit, eliminating them on a 4–2 aggregate. Al Wahda advanced to the zonal final, maintaining their strong defensive record with only two goals conceded across the tie. The other tie pitted Iraqi rivals Air Force Club against Al Zawra'a, with the first leg played on 23 May at Franso Hariri Stadium in Arbil, (designated as Air Force's home due to security concerns). The match ended 1–1, with Amjad Radhi scoring for Air Force in the 45th minute and Ali Sami for Al Zawra'a just before halftime. In the second leg on 29 May at in , Emad Mohsin's 71st-minute goal secured a 1–0 win for Air Force Club, giving them a 2–1 aggregate victory and progression to the zonal final despite Al Zawra'a's late pressure. No red cards were issued in either leg, though the all-Iraqi drew significant domestic attention as a title defense for the 2016 champions Air Force Club.
TieFirst legSecond legAggregate
Al Wahda () vs. Al Wehdat ()4–1 (16 May, )0–1 (30 May, )4–2
Air Force Club () vs. Al Zawra'a ()1–1 (23 May, Arbil)0–1 (29 May, )1–2

ASEAN zone

The ASEAN zonal semi-finals were also held over two legs on 17 and 31 May 2017. hosted Ceres– at Larkin Stadium in , , taking a 3–2 lead; goals came from (two) and , while and replied for the visitors in a high-scoring opener marked by end-to-end action. In the second leg at Panaad Stadium in , , Ceres– won 2–1 with headers from Kota Kawase (26th minute) and a dramatic 90+2nd-minute strike by Fernando Rodríguez, for a 4–4 aggregate; Ceres advanced on away goals (two scored in first leg) amid jubilant home support. The match featured a red card to JDT's in the 65th minute, reducing them to 10 men before Gabi Guerra's consolation goal. Home United faced Global at in , , for the first leg, drawing 2–2; Darryl Roberts and Manuel Ott scored for Global, while Stipe Plazibat's 90+4th-minute equalizer gave the Singaporeans away goals advantage after a resilient comeback. The second leg at in saw Home United triumph 3–2, with Plazibat netting twice (including a 89th-minute winner) and Iqbal Hussain adding one; Global responded through Patrick Reichelt and Ott, but fell short on a 5–4 aggregate. Plazibat's four goals across the tie earned him man-of-the-match honors in the decider, propelling Home United to the zonal final.
TieFirst legSecond legAggregate
Johor Darul Ta'zim (Malaysia) vs. Ceres–Negros (Philippines)3–2 (17 May, Johor Bahru)1–2 (31 May, Bacolod)4–4 (Ceres–Negros on away goals)
Global (Philippines) vs. Home United (Singapore)2–2 (17 May, Manila)2–3 (31 May, Singapore)4–5

Zonal finals

The West Asia zonal final was contested over two legs between Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya of Iraq, the defending AFC Cup champions, and Al-Wahda of Syria. The first leg took place on 12 September 2017 at Saida International Stadium in Saida, Lebanon, serving as a neutral venue due to the ongoing conflict in Syria. Al-Wahda secured a 2–1 victory, with goals from Anas Al-Agha in the 3rd minute and Hadi Al-Masri in the 64th minute, while Hammadi Agrebi pulled one back for Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya in the 90th minute. The second leg was held on 26 September 2017 at Stadium in , , another neutral venue due to security concerns in . won 1–0, with Amjad Radhi netting the decisive goal in the 90+4th minute. The aggregate score ended 2–2, but advanced as zonal champions on the , having scored one goal in the first leg. In the ASEAN zone, the final featured Ceres–Negros of the Philippines against Home United of Singapore across two legs. The first leg occurred on 2 August 2017 at Jalan Besar Stadium in Singapore, where Home United prevailed 2–1. Stipe Plazić opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 11th minute, Stephan Schröck equalized for Ceres–Negros in the 23rd minute, and Hariss Harun sealed the win with a 89th-minute strike. The return leg was played on 9 August 2017 at Panaad Stadium in , . Ceres–Negros triumphed 2–0 in the first half, with José Portería scoring in the 38th minute and Manuel Ott adding the second in the 45th minute, securing a 3–2 aggregate victory and the zonal title. The Central Asia, , and zones each consisted of a single group, so their respective group winners advanced directly as zonal champions without contested finals. In (Group D), of topped the standings with 15 points from five wins and one draw. of claimed the (Group E) title, finishing first with 13 points from four wins and one draw. April 25 SC of dominated (Group I), securing the championship with 12 points from four wins and one loss.

Interzonal play-off semi-finals

The interzonal play-off semi-finals of the 2017 AFC Cup featured two two-legged ties between the champions of the , , , and zones, held in August and September 2017 to determine the participants for the interzonal play-off final. The draw on 6 June 2017 in paired ( champions) with Ceres–Negros ( champions) and ( champions) with 4.25 SC ( champions). The ties were as follows:
TieFirst leg (Date, Venue, Score)Second leg (Date, Venue, Score)Aggregate
vs Ceres–Negros22 August 2017, Hisor Central Stadium, Hisor (4–0)12 September 2017, Panaad Stadium, (1–1)5–1
vs 4.25 SC23 August 2017, , Bengaluru (3–0)13 September 2017, May Day Stadium, (0–0)3–0
In the first tie, established dominance in the opening leg with a 4–0 home victory, highlighted by Akhtam Nazarov's penalty in the 25th minute, Romish Nasrullozoda's goal shortly before assisted by Dzhalilov, and Dzhalilov's brace in the 70th and 90+3rd minutes, showcasing the Tajik side's clinical finishing and defensive solidity. Ceres–Negros responded in the second leg with a 1–1 draw at home, scoring first through Manuel Herrera in the 34th minute, but Istiklol equalized late to secure progression on a 5–1 aggregate, underlining their superiority in counter-attacks. Bengaluru FC controlled their matchup from the outset, claiming a 3–0 win in the first leg through Sunil Chhetri's 32nd-minute penalty after a foul on Boichama, Udanta Singh's 51st-minute strike on a quick counter, and ' 74th-minute header from a corner, reflecting the Indian team's organized pressing and set-piece prowess. In the return leg, Bengaluru held firm for a goalless draw away, with goalkeeper making crucial saves to preserve the clean sheet and advance 3–0 on aggregate, demonstrating resolute defending against 4.25 SC's attempts to mount a comeback. and thus qualified for the interzonal play-off final.

Interzonal play-off final

The Interzonal play-off final of the 2017 AFC Cup was contested over two legs between FC Istiklol of Tajikistan and Bengaluru FC of India, determining the East Zone representative for the tournament final. Istiklol, the Central Asian zonal champions, hosted the first leg on 27 September 2017 at Hisor Central Stadium in Hisor, Tajikistan, while Bengaluru, the South Asian zonal champions, hosted the second leg on 18 October 2017 at Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru, India. In the first leg, Istiklol secured a narrow 1–0 victory through a 27th-minute goal by forward Dmitriy Barkov, who capitalized on a defensive lapse to slot the ball past Bengaluru's goalkeeper . The Tajik side dominated possession with approximately 60% control and generated multiple scoring opportunities, including several shots on target, while Bengaluru struggled to create clear chances and managed only three shots in the entire match. The game was characterized by Istiklol's disciplined defensive setup and quick counter-attacks, limiting Bengaluru's usually potent attack led by captain . The second leg proved more eventful, ending in a 2–2 draw that saw Istiklol advance 3–2 on aggregate. Istiklol struck first in the 13th minute via a penalty converted by midfielder Nuriddin Davronov after a foul in the box, but Bengaluru equalized shortly after when defender Rahul Bheke headed in a corner in the 18th minute. The match turned in the 54th minute when Bengaluru's Spanish midfielder Tony Dovale received a straight red card for a reckless challenge, reducing the home side to 10 players and forcing a more defensive posture. Sunil Chhetri restored parity for Bengaluru with a 65th-minute penalty after a handball in the area, but Dmitriy Barkov sealed Istiklol's progression with a composed finish in the 78th minute. Bengaluru held 55% possession and outshot Istiklol 12–8 despite the numerical disadvantage, but Istiklol's clinical finishing and tactical resilience proved decisive. Istiklol's victory propelled them into the 2017 AFC Cup final against West Asian champions of , marking their second appearance in the tournament's showpiece event in three years. The tie highlighted the growing competitiveness of Central Asian clubs in continental competitions, with Istiklol's defensive solidity and Barkov's brace across both legs underscoring their edge in a closely fought encounter.
LegDateVenueScoreScorers
First27 September 2017Hisor Central Stadium, HisorIstiklol 1–0 BengaluruBarkov 27'
Second18 October 2017Sree Kanteerava Stadium, BengaluruBengaluru 2–2 IstiklolBheke 18', Chhetri 65' (pen.); Davronov 13' (pen.), Barkov 78'

Final

The 2017 AFC Cup final was contested on 4 November 2017 at Hisor Central Stadium in Hisor, , between Iraqi club , the defending champions and zone winners, and Tajik club , the interzonal play-off winners representing the zone. had advanced by defeating Jordan's Al-Wehdat 4–2 on aggregate in the zonal semi-final and Al-Wahda 2–2 on away goals in the zonal final, while Istiklol progressed after overcoming India's 3–2 on aggregate in the interzonal play-off final. The match was officiated by Emirati referee Mohammed Abdulla Hassan Mohamed, with an attendance of approximately 20,000 spectators. Both teams deployed a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya relying on key attackers like Hammadi Ahmed and Emad Mohsin, while Istiklol featured forwards Manuchehr Dzhalilov and Fatkhullo Fatkhulloev supported by midfielder Alisher Dzhalikov. The first half ended goalless, with Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya creating early pressure as Zaher Midani struck the woodwork in the 6th minute, but Istiklol's defense held firm under goalkeeper Nikola Stošić. In the 53rd minute, Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya were awarded a penalty after a foul on Ahmed, but Stošić saved the effort from Hammadi Ahmed, keeping the score level. The decisive moment came in the 68th minute when Emad Mohsin scored the only of the match, capitalizing on a through ball from Sameh Saeed and a lay-off by Hammadi Ahmed to slot past Stošić from close range. Istiklol pushed for an equalizer in the closing stages, with substitutions including Dilshod Vasiev and Romish Dzhalilov, but Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya's defense, anchored by captain , repelled late chances, including a header from Vasiev in stoppage time. The match saw several yellow cards, including to Fatkhulloev (56'), Asrorov (60'), and Midani (66') for Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya, reflecting a competitive but disciplined affair. Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya secured a 1–0 victory, claiming their second consecutive AFC Cup title and becoming only the third club to achieve back-to-back wins in the competition's history. The triumph marked a significant achievement for Iraqi football amid regional challenges, with the club receiving USD 1 million in prize money as winners. Celebrations ensued in upon the team's return, highlighting the title as a morale boost for the war-torn nation.

Statistics

Awards

The award for the 2017 AFC Cup was given to of Istiklol. Dzhalilov earned the honor through his standout performances, highlighted by seven goals and key assists that propelled Istiklol to the final, demonstrating exceptional impact across the competition. The Fair Play Award was presented to Ceres–Negros for maintaining the best disciplinary record in the tournament, accumulating the fewest yellow and red cards among all participating teams. These official recognitions were announced by the following the final match on 4 November 2017.

Top goalscorers

Kim Yu-song of 4.25 SC led the 2017 AFC Cup with 9 goals, all scored during the group stage across six appearances for his team. His haul included a remarkable five goals in a single 6–0 group stage victory over Erchim FC on March 15, 2017, marking one of the tournament's most prolific individual performances. No penalties or own goals were included in the official tally. Manuchekhr Dzhalilov of Istiklol finished third with 7 goals, contributing significantly to his team's run to the final, including efforts in the group stage and zonal knockout phase. He did not score in the interzonal play-off semi-finals or the final. Gabriel Guerra of Johor Darul Ta'zim placed second with 8 goals.
RankPlayerTeamGoals
1Kim Yu-song4.25 SC9
2Gabriel GuerraJohor Darul Ta'zim8
3Istiklol7
Zonal leaders included Hammadi Ahmed with 5 goals for West Zone winners Air Force Club, while Dzhalilov topped the Central Asia Zone scoring charts. The top scorer award recognized goals from the group stage onward, excluding qualifying rounds.

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