2024–25 AFC Challenge League#Group stage

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2024}}

{{Infobox international football competition

| tourney_name = AFC Challenge League

| year = 2024–25

| image =

| size = 280px

| caption = Morodok Techo National Stadium in Phnom Penh hosted the final

| dates = Qualifying:
13 August 2024
Competition proper:
{{nowrap|26 October 2024 – 10 May 2025}}

| num_teams = Competition proper: 18
Total: 20

| associations = 20

| champion_other = {{fbaicon|TKM}} Arkadag

| count = 1

| second_other = {{fbaicon|CAM}} Svay Rieng

| matches = 37

| goals = 103

| attendance =

{{#expr:

+ 2700 + 300 + 1700 + 200 + 437 + 869

+ 500 + 20 + 80 + 350 + 720 + 150

+ 214 + 2224 + 200 + 3087 + 156 + 2125

+ 970 + 263 + 650

+ 1069 + 629 + 83

+ 4327 + 25497 + 15778 + 892 + 4387 + 10000 + 550 + 1379

+ 2673 + 10000 + 10765 + 829

+ 51610}}

| top_scorer = {{fbaicon|TKM}} Altymyrat Annadurdyýew
(5 goals)

| player = {{fbaicon|TKM}} Şanazar Tirkişow

| fair_play = {{fbaicon|CAM}} Svay Rieng

| prevseason = 2014 (AFC President's Cup)

| nextseason = 2025–26

| updated =

}}

The 2024–25 AFC Challenge League was the eleventh edition of the Asia's third-tier continental club football competition, organized by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and the first season since it was rebranded from the AFC President's Cup to the AFC Challenge League.

It was the first edition since 2014, when the tournament was re-introduced in 2024 with a revamped format.{{Cite web|url=https://apnews.com/article/asian-champions-league-benzema-neymar-ec1c9da0e1d04ffdd3a6dcf52694b2c2|title=Asian Champions League to relaunch with fewer teams and more prize money in 2024–25 season|date=August 14, 2023|agency=Associated Press}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.the-afc.com/en/about_afc/committees/executive_committee/news/afc_executive_committee_approves_biggest_prize_purse_in_asian_club_football_history_from_202425_announces_afc_women’s_champions_league.html|title=AFC Executive Committee approves biggest prize purse in Asian club football history from 2024/25; announces AFC Women's Champions League|website=the-AFC.com|publisher=Asian Football Confederation}} The final was played on 10 May 2025 at the Morodok Techo National Stadium in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, with Turkmenistan club Arkadag defeating Cambodian club Svay Rieng 2–1 to win their first Asian title. Arkadag became the third Turkmenistan club to win the competition. As winners of the tournament Arkadag automatically qualified for the 2025–26 AFC Champions League Two group stage.

Association team allocation

The associations were allocated slots according to their club competitions ranking,{{cite web|url=https://www.fas.org.sg/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Encl-3-AFC-Club-Competitions-2024-25-Slot-Allocation.pdf|title=AFC Club Competitions 2024/25 Slot Allocation|website=FAS.org.sg|publisher=Football Association of Singapore|date=10 May 2023|access-date=22 August 2023}} which was published after the 2022 competitions were completed.{{cite web|url=https://www.the-afc.com/en/more/afc_ranking.html|title=AFC Club Competitions Ranking|website=the-AFC.com|publisher=Asian Football Confederation|date=24 November 2021|access-date=24 November 2021|archive-date=7 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220107182849/https://www.the-afc.com/en/more/afc_ranking.html/|url-status=live}}

class="wikitable"
bgcolor=#f7f8ff colspan=2|Participation for 2024–25 AFC Challenge League
bgcolor=#90ee77 width=20|Participating
bgcolor=#ffcccc width=20|Not participating

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
+West Region (3 groups)
colspan=2 rowspan=2|Rank

!rowspan=3 width=250|Member
association

!rowspan=3|Points

!colspan=2|Slots

rowspan=2|Group
stage

!rowspan=2|Play-off

{{small|Region}}

!{{small|AFC}}

bgcolor=#90ee77

| —

align=left|2024–25 AFC Champions League Two qualifying round losers

|—

20
bgcolor=#90ee77

| 11

19align=left|{{fba|KUW}}

|20.069

10
bgcolor=#90ee77

| 12

20align=left|{{fba|TKM}}

|19.464

10
bgcolor=#90ee77

| 13

22align=left|{{fba|LBN}}

|17.761

10
bgcolor=#90ee77

| 14

23align=left|{{fba|SYR|1980}}

|17.613

10
bgcolor=#90ee77

| 15

27align=left|{{fba|BAN}}

|14.121

10
bgcolor=#90ee77

| 16

28align=left|{{fba|OMA}}

|12.453

10
bgcolor=#90ee77

| 17

29align=left|{{fba|MDV}}

|9.467

10
bgcolor=#90ee77

| 18

31align=left|{{fba|PLE}}

|5.760

10
bgcolor=#90ee77

| 19

33align=left|{{fba|KGZ}}

|4.308

01
bgcolor=#90ee77

| 20

37align=left|{{fba|NEP}}

|0.813

01
bgcolor=#ffcccc

| 21

38align=left|{{fba|SRI}}{{Cref2|AFC}}

|0.630

00
bgcolor=#90ee77

| 22

39align=left|{{fba|BHU}}

|0.465

01
bgcolor=#90ee77

| 23

41align=left|{{fba|AFG}}

|0.090

01
bgcolor=#ffcccc

| 24

42align=left|{{fba|PAK}}{{Cref2|AFC}}

|0.000

00
bgcolor=#ffcccc

| 24

42align=left|{{fba|YEM}}{{Cref2|AFC}}

|0.000

00
colspan=2 rowspan=2|Total

!colspan=2 rowspan=2|Participating associations: 12

!10

4
colspan=2|14

{{col-2}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
+East Region (2 groups)
colspan=2 rowspan=2|Rank

!rowspan=3 width=250|Member
association

!rowspan=3|Points

!colspan=3|Slots

rowspan=2|Group
stage

!rowspan=2|Play-off

{{small|Region}}

!{{small|AFC}}

bgcolor=#ffcccc

| 11

25align=left|{{fba|PRK}}{{Cref2|AFC}}

|16.117

00
bgcolor=#90ee77

| 12

26align=left|{{fba|INA}}

|15.083

10
bgcolor=#90ee77

| 13

30align=left|{{fba|MYA}}

|8.287

10
bgcolor=#90ee77

| 14

32align=left|{{fba|CAM}}

|5.455

10
bgcolor=#ffcccc

| 15

34align=left|{{fba|MAC}}{{Cref2|AFC}}

|2.800

00
bgcolor=#90ee77

| 16

35align=left|{{fba|TPE}}

|2.067

10
bgcolor=#90ee77

| 17

36align=left|{{fba|LAO}}

|1.362

10
bgcolor=#90ee77

| 18

40align=left|{{fba|MNG}}

|0.250

10
bgcolor=#ffcccc

| 19

42align=left|{{fba|BRU}}{{Cref2|AFC}}

|0.000

00
bgcolor=#ffcccc

| 19

42align=left|{{fba|GUM}}{{Cref2|AFC}}

|0.000

00
bgcolor=#ffcccc

| 19

42align=left|{{fba|NMI}}{{Cref2|AFC}}

|0.000

00
bgcolor=#ffcccc

| 19

42align=left|{{fba|TLS}}{{Cref2|AFC}}

|0.000

00
colspan=2 rowspan=2|Total

!colspan=2 rowspan=2|Participating associations: 6

!6

0
colspan=2|6

{{col-end}}

;Notes

{{Cnote2 Begin|liststyle=disc}}

{{Cnote2|AFC|AFC Licensing (AFC): Association did not have a licensed club.{{cite web|url=https://assets.the-afc.com/downloads/club-licensing/List-of-Licensed-Clubs---AFC-Club-Competitions-2024-25.pdf|title=List of Licensed Clubs - AFC Club Competitions 2024/25|website=the-AFC.com|publisher=Asian Football Confederation|date=14 June 2024|access-date=20 June 2024}}}}

{{Cnote2 End}}

Teams

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

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

class="wikitable" style="table-layout:fixed;width:100%;"

|+West Region

|+Group stage direct entrants

width=25%|Team

!width=60%|Qualifying method

!width=15%|{{Tooltip|App.|Appearance}} {{small|(last)}}

{{fbaicon|IND}} East Bengal

|rowspan="2"|2024–25 AFC Champions League Two qualifying round losers

|1st

{{fbaicon|BHR}} Al-Ahli Club

|1st

{{fbaicon|KUW}} Al-Arabi

|2023–24 Kuwaiti Premier League runners-up

|1st

{{fbaicon|TKM}} Arkadag

|2023 Ýokary Liga champions
2023 Turkmenistan Cup champions{{Cref2|Note TKM}}

|1st

{{fbaicon|LBN}} Nejmeh

|2023–24 Lebanese Premier League champions

|1st

{{fbaicon|SYR|1980}} Al-Fotuwa

|2023–24 Syrian Premier League champions

|1st

{{fbaicon|BAN}} Bashundhara Kings

|2023–24 Bangladesh Premier League champions

|1st

{{fbaicon|OMA}} Al-Seeb

|2023–24 Oman Professional League champions

|1st

{{fbaicon|MDV}} Maziya

|2023 Dhivehi Premier League champions

|1st

{{fbaicon|PLE}} Hilal Al-Quds

|2022–23 West Bank Premier League runners-up{{Cref2|Note PLE}}

|2nd {{small|(2013)}}

class="wikitable" style="table-layout:fixed;width:100%;"

|+Qualifying play-off participants

width=25%|Team

!width=60%|Qualifying method

!width=15%|{{Tooltip|App.|Appearance}} {{small|(last)}}

{{fbaicon|KGZ}} Abdysh-Ata Kant

|2023 Kyrgyz Premier League champions

|1st

{{fbaicon|NEP}} Church Boys United

|2023 Martyr's Memorial A-Division League champions

|1st

{{fbaicon|BHU}} Paro

|2023 Bhutan Premier League champions

|1st

{{fbaicon|AFG}} Attack Energy

|2024 Afghanistan Champions League champions

|1st

{{col-2}}

class="wikitable" style="table-layout:fixed;width:100%;"

|+East Region

|+Group stage direct entrants

width=25%|Team

!width=60%|Qualifying method

!width=15%|{{Tooltip|App.|Appearance}} {{small|(last)}}

{{fbaicon|IDN}} Madura United

|2023–24 Liga 1 runners-up

|1st

{{fbaicon|MYA}} Shan United

|2023 Myanmar National League champions

|3rd {{small|(2009)}}

{{fbaicon|CAM}} Svay Rieng

|2023–24 Cambodian Premier League champions

|2nd {{small|(2014)}}

{{fbaicon|TPE}} Tainan City

|2023 Taiwan Football Premier League champions

|1st

{{fbaicon|LAO}} Young Elephants

|2023 Lao League 1 champions

|1st

{{fbaicon|MNG}} SP Falcons

|2023–24 Mongolian Premier League champions

|1st

{{col-end}}

;Notes

{{notelist}}

{{Cnote2 Begin|liststyle=disc}}

{{Cnote2|Note PLE|Palestine (PLE): Due to the Gaza war, the 2023–24 West Bank Premier League was not organized by the Palestinian Football Association. The teams from Palestine are determined 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 participate in the AFC Challenge League group stage.}}

{{Cnote2|Note TKM|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.}}

{{Cnote2 End}}

Schedule

The schedule of the competition is as follows.{{Cite web |date=1 July 2023 |title=AFC Competitions Committee approves key decisions on reformatted competitions |url=https://www.the-afc.com/en/more/afc_competitions/news/afc_competitions_committee_approves_key_decisions_on_reformatted_competitions_1.html |website=the-AFC.com|publisher=Asian Football Confederation}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
Stage

!Round

!Draw date

!First leg

!Second leg

Preliminary stage

|Preliminary stage

|No draw{{efn|name="AFC"|Pre-determined format}}

|colspan=2|13 August 2024

rowspan=3|Group stage

|Matchday 1

| rowspan="3" |22 August 2024

|colspan=2|26 October 2024 (West), 27 October 2024 (East)

Matchday 2

|colspan=2|29 October 2024 (West), 30 October 2024 (East)

Matchday 3

|colspan=2|1 November 2024 (West), 2 November 2024 (East)

rowspan=3|Knockout stage

|Quarter-finals

| rowspan="3" |No draw{{efn|name="AFC"}}

|5 March 2025 (West), 6 March 2025 (East)

|12 March 2025 (West), 13 March 2025 (East)

Semi-finals

|9 April 2025 (West), 10 April 2025 (East)

|16 April 2025 (West), 17 April 2025 (East)

Final

|colspan=2|10 May 2025 at Morodok Techo National Stadium, Phnom Penh

{{Notelist}}

Preliminary stage

The bracket of the preliminary stage was determined based on each team's association ranking and their seeding within their association, with the team from the higher-ranked association hosting the match. The two winners of the preliminary stage advanced to the group stage and joined the 16 direct entrants.

{{#invoke:Sports series|main|legs=1

|Church Boys United|NEP|1–2|Paro|BHU

|Abdysh-Ata Kant|KGZ|2–0|Attack Energy|AFG

}}

{{Football box

|date = {{Start date|2024|8|13|df=y}}

|time = {{UTZ|18:00|5:45}}

|team1 = Church Boys United {{Fbaicon|NEP}}

|score1 = 1

|team2 = {{Fbaicon|BHU}} Paro

|score2 = 2

|report = https://www.the-afc.com/en/matches/afc-challenge-league/20242025/2465527

|goals1 =

|goals2 =

|stadium = Dasharath Rangasala, Kathmandu{{refn|group=note|name="Church Boys United"|Church Boys United played their home matches at Dasharath Rangasala, Kathmandu, instead of their regular home stadium Chyasal Stadium, Lalitpur.}}

|attendance = 9,873

|referee = Wiwat Jumpaoon (Thailand)

}}

----

{{Football box

|date = {{Start date|2024|8|13|df=y}}

|time = {{UTZ|20:00|6}}

|team1 = Abdysh-Ata Kant {{Fbaicon|KGZ}}

|score1 = 2

|team2 = {{Fbaicon|AFG}} Attack Energy

|score2 = 0

|report = https://www.the-afc.com/en/matches/afc-challenge-league/20242025/2465526

|goals1 =

|goals2 =

|stadium = Kurmanbek Stadium, Jalal-Abad{{refn|group=note|name="Abdysh-Ata Kant"|Abdysh-Ata Kant played their home matches at Kurmanbek Stadium, Jalal-Abad, instead of their regular home stadium Stadion Sportkompleks Abdysh-Ata, Kant.}}

|attendance = 955

|referee = Thoriq Alkatiri (Indonesia)

}}

Group stage

{{main|2024–25 AFC Challenge League group stage}}

{{#lst:2024–25 AFC Challenge League group stage|Draw}} Teams of every group will play at a neutral venue of a single-legged tie against every opponent.

{{Location map+|AFC|width=900|float=center|caption=Location of the 2024–25 AFC Challenge League group stage teams
8px Brown: Group A; 8px Cyan: Group B; 8px Orange: Group C; 8px Yellow: Group D; 8px Red: Group E |places=

{{Location map~ |AFC |lat=29.357765 |long=47.999952 |label_size=90

|label=Al-Arabi |mark=Cyan pog.svg |position=bottom}}

{{Location map~ |AFC |lat=38.059946 |long=58.080806 |label_size=90 |label=Arkadag |mark=Cyan pog.svg |position=top}}

{{Location map~ |AFC |lat=33.5340|long=35.2810 |label_size=90 |label=Nejmeh|mark=Brown pog.svg |position=right}}

{{Location map~ |AFC|lat=26.205824|long=50.574621|label_size=90|label=Al-Ahli|mark=Orange pog.svg|position=bottom}}

{{Location map~ |AFC |lat=35.1927|long=40.0846 |label_size=90|label=Al-Fotuwa|position=right |mark=Orange pog.svg}}

{{Location map~ |AFC |lat=22.568810 |long=88.409219 |label_size=90|label=East Bengal|mark=Brown pog.svg|position=left}}

{{location map~ |AFC

|lat=42.900565|long=74.854050

|label_size=90|label=Abdysh-Ata Kant|position=right

|mark=Cyan pog.svg}}

{{Location map~ |AFC |lat=23.823799|long=90.469942 |label_size=90|label=Bashundhara Kings|position=right |mark=Brown pog.svg}}

{{Location map~ |AFC |lat=23.618690|long=58.216768 |label_size=90|label=Al-Seeb|position=bottom |mark=Orange pog.svg}}

{{Location map~ |AFC |lat=4.10267|long=73.30471 |label_size=90|label=Maziya|position=left |mark=Cyan pog.svg}}

{{Location map~ |AFC |lat=31.5051 |long=35.1349 |label_size=90|label=Hilal Al-Quds|position=right |mark=Orange pog.svg}}

{{Location map~ |AFC |lat=-7.194444 |long=113.480833 |label_size=90

|label={{nowrap|Madura United}}|mark=Red pog.svg |position=top}}

{{Location map~ |AFC |lat=20.778651 |long=97.037978 |label_size=90

|label=Shan United|mark=Yellow pog.svg |position=right}}

{{Location map~ |AFC |lat=11.082625 |long=105.802882 |label_size=90

|label={{nowrap|Svay Rieng}}|mark=Red pog.svg |position=top}}

{{Location map~ |AFC |lat=23.320805 |long=120.312915 |label_size=90

|label=Tainan City|mark=Yellow pog.svg |position=bottom}}

{{Location map~ |AFC |lat=18.343 |long=102.4214 |label_size=90

|label={{nowrap|Young Elephants}}|mark=Yellow pog.svg |position=bottom}}

{{Location map~ |AFC |lat=47.5400 |long=106.5458 |label_size=90

|label=SP Falcons|mark=Red pog.svg |position=bottom}}

{{Location map~ |AFC |lat=27.3977 |long=89.42436 |label_size=90

|label=Paro|mark=Brown pog.svg |position=top}}

}}

=West Region=

==Group A==

{{2024–25 AFC Challenge League group tables|Group A|show_matches=yes|only_pld_pts=no_hide_class_rules|teamwidth=240}}

==Group B==

{{2024–25 AFC Challenge League group tables|Group B|show_matches=yes|only_pld_pts=no_hide_class_rules|teamwidth=240}}

==Group C==

{{2024–25 AFC Challenge League group tables|Group C|show_matches=yes|only_pld_pts=no_hide_class_rules|teamwidth=240}}

==Ranking of runners-up teams==

{{2024–25 AFC Challenge League group tables|Group runners-up (West Region)|teamwidth=200}}

=East Region=

==Group D==

{{2024–25 AFC Challenge League group tables|Group D|show_matches=yes|only_pld_pts=no_hide_class_rules|teamwidth=240}}

==Group E==

{{2024–25 AFC Challenge League group tables|Group E|show_matches=yes|only_pld_pts=no_hide_class_rules|teamwidth=240}}

Knockout stage

{{main|2024–25 AFC Challenge League knockout stage}}

=Bracket=

{{#section:2024–25 AFC Challenge League knockout stage|Bracket}}

=Quarter-finals=

{{#lst:2024–25 AFC Challenge League knockout stage|Quarter-finals}}

=Semi-finals=

{{#lst:2024–25 AFC Challenge League knockout stage|Semi-finals}}

=Final=

{{#lst:2024–25 AFC Challenge League knockout stage|F}}

Top scorers

{{smalldiv|{{legend|silver|Team eliminated for this round.}}}}

{{smalldiv|{{legend|#DDDDDD|Player is not in the team but the team is still active for this round.}}}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:100%"

!Rank!!Player!!Team

!{{Tooltip|MD1|League stage Matchday 1}}!!{{Tooltip|MD2|League stage Matchday 2}}!!{{Tooltip|MD3|League stage Matchday 3}}!!{{Tooltip|QF1|Quarter-finals 1st leg}}!!{{Tooltip|QF2|Quarter-finals 2nd leg}}!!{{Tooltip|SF1|Semi-finals 1st leg}}!!{{Tooltip|SF2|Semi-finals 2nd leg}}!!{{Tooltip|F1|Final 1st leg}}

!Total

rowspan="1" | 1

| align="left" |{{flagicon|TKM}} Altymyrat Annadurdyýew

| align="left" |{{fbaicon|TKM}} Arkadag

|1

|

|

|

|2

|

|1

|1

! rowspan="1" |5

rowspan="4" | 2

| align="left" |{{flagicon|GRE}} Dimitrios Diamantakos

| align="left" |{{fbaicon|IND}} East Bengal

|1

|1

|2

|

|

| colspan="3" style="background-color: silver"|

! rowspan="4" |4

align="left" |{{flagicon|BRA}} Cristian Roque

| align="left" |{{fbaicon|CAM}} Svay Rieng

| style="background-color: silver" |

|1

|

|3

|

|

|

|

align="left" |{{flagicon|MYA}} Ye Yint Aung

| align="left" |{{fbaicon|MYA}} Shan United

|2

| style="background-color: silver" |

|1

|

|1

| colspan="3" style="background-color: silver"|

align="left" |{{flagicon|CAM}} Min Ratanak

| align="left" |{{fbaicon|CAM}} Svay Rieng

| style="background-color: silver" |

|

|1

|1

|

|1

|1

|

rowspan="1" | 6

| align="left" |{{flagicon|OMN}} Zahir Al-Aghbari

| align="left" |{{fbaicon|OMN}} Al Seeb

|2

|

|1

|

|

|colspan="3" style="background-color: silver"|

! rowspan="1" |3

rowspan="6" |7

| align="left" |{{flagicon|OMN}} Abdul Aziz Al-Muqbali

| align="left" |{{fbaicon|OMN}} Al Seeb

|1

|

|1

|

|

|colspan="3" style="background-color: silver"|

! rowspan="6" |2

align="left" |{{flagicon|KUW}} Ali Khalaf

| align="left" |{{fbaicon|KUW}} Al Arabi

|

|

|

|

|

|

|2

| style="background-color: silver" |

align="left" |{{flagicon|TKM}} Şanazar Tirkişow

| align="left" |{{fbaicon|TKM}} Arkadag

|

|

|

|

|

|

|2

|

align="left" |{{flagicon|BRA}} Toninho

| align="left" |{{fbaicon|TPE}} Tainan City

| style="background-color: silver" |

|1

|1

|

|

| colspan="3" style="background-color: silver"|

align="left" |{{flagicon|INA}} Brylian Aldama

| align="left" |{{fbaicon|LAO}} Young Elephants

|

|2

|

|colspan="5" style="background-color: silver"|

align="left" |{{flagicon|LAO}} Bounphachan Bounkong

| align="left" |{{fbaicon|CAM}} Svay Rieng

| style="background-color: silver" |

|

|

|

|

|1

|1

|

;Note

  • Goals scored in the qualifying play-offs and matches voided by AFC are not counted when determining top scorer (Regulations Article 64.4)

See also

Notes

{{reflist|group=note}}

References

{{reflist}}