# 2018 AFC Champions League qualifying play-offs

The 2018 AFC Champions League qualifying play-offs were played from 16 to 30 January 2018. A total of 22 teams competed in the qualifying play-offs to decide eight of the 32 places in the group stage of the 2018 AFC Champions League.

## Teams

The following 22 teams, split into two regions (West Region and East Region), entered the qualifying play-offs, consisting of three rounds:
* 4 teams entered in the preliminary round 1.
* 6 teams entered in the preliminary round 2.
* 12 teams entered in the play-off round.
| Region | Teams entering in play-off round | Teams entering in preliminary round 2 | Teams entering in preliminary round 1 |
| West Region | Al-Ain Zob Ahan Al-Gharafa Nasaf Qarshi Pakhtakor Al-Faisaly Aizawl Malkiya | | |
| East Region | Suwon Samsung Bluewings Kashiwa Reysol Shanghai SIPG Tianjin Quanjian | Brisbane Roar Chiangrai United Muangthong United Eastern FLC Thanh Hóa Johor Darul Ta'zim | Bali United Shan United Ceres–Negros Tampines Rovers |

## Format

In the qualifying play-offs, each tie was played as a single match. Extra time and penalty shoot-out were used to decide the winner if necessary (Regulations Article 9.2). The eight winners of the play-off round advanced to the group stage to join the 24 direct entrants. All losers in each round from associations with only play-off slots entered the AFC Cup group stage.

## Schedule

The schedule of each round was as follows.
| Round | Match date |
| Preliminary round 1 | 16 January 2018 |
| Preliminary round 2 | 23 January 2018 |
| Play-off round | 30 January 2018 |

## Bracket

The bracket of the qualifying play-offs for each region was determined by the AFC based on the association ranking of each team, with the team from the higher-ranked association hosting the match. Teams from the same association could not be placed into the same play-off.

### Play-off West 1

* Al-Ain advanced to Group D.
| Preliminary round 1 | Preliminary round 1 | Preliminary round 1 | Preliminary round 2 | Preliminary round 2 | Preliminary round 2 | Play-off round | Play-off round | Play-off round |
| | | | | | | Al-Ain | Al-Ain | 2 |
| | | | | | | Malkiya | Malkiya | 0 |

### Play-off West 2

* Zob Ahan advanced to Group B.
| Preliminary round 1 | Preliminary round 1 | Preliminary round 1 | Preliminary round 2 | Preliminary round 2 | Preliminary round 2 | Play-off round | Play-off round | Play-off round |
| | | | | | | Zob Ahan | Zob Ahan | 3 |
| | | | | | | Aizawl | Aizawl | 1 |

### Play-off West 3

* Al-Gharafa advanced to Group A.
| Preliminary round 1 | Preliminary round 1 | Preliminary round 1 | Preliminary round 2 | Preliminary round 2 | Preliminary round 2 | Play-off round | Play-off round | Play-off round |
| | | | | | | Al-Gharafa | Al-Gharafa | 2 |
| | | | | | | Pakhtakor | Pakhtakor | 1 |

### Play-off West 4

* Nasaf Qarshi advanced to Group C.
| Preliminary round 1 | Preliminary round 1 | Preliminary round 1 | Preliminary round 2 | Preliminary round 2 | Preliminary round 2 | Play-off round | Play-off round | Play-off round |
| | | | | | | Nasaf Qarshi | Nasaf Qarshi | 5 |
| | | | | | | Al-Faisaly | Al-Faisaly | 1 |

### Play-off East 1

* Suwon Samsung Bluewings advanced to Group H.
| Preliminary round 2 | Preliminary round 2 | Preliminary round 2 | Play-off round | Play-off round | Play-off round |
| | | | Suwon Samsung Bluewings | Suwon Samsung Bluewings | 5 |
| | | | FLC Thanh Hóa | FLC Thanh Hóa | 1 |
| Eastern | Eastern | 2 | | | |
| FLC Thanh Hóa | FLC Thanh Hóa | 4 | | | |

### Play-off East 2

* Kashiwa Reysol advanced to Group E.
| Preliminary round 2 | Preliminary round 2 | Preliminary round 2 | Play-off round | Play-off round | Play-off round |
| | | | Kashiwa Reysol | Kashiwa Reysol | 3 |
| | | | Muangthong United | Muangthong United | 0 |
| Muangthong United | Muangthong United | 5 | | | |
| Johor Darul Ta'zim | Johor Darul Ta'zim | 2 | | | |

### Play-off East 3

* Shanghai SIPG advanced to Group F.
| Preliminary round 1 | Preliminary round 1 | Preliminary round 1 | Preliminary round 2 | Preliminary round 2 | Preliminary round 2 | Play-off round | Play-off round | Play-off round |
| | | | | | | Shanghai SIPG | Shanghai SIPG | 1 |
| | | | | | | Chiangrai United | Chiangrai United | 0 |
| | | | Chiangrai United (a.e.t.) | Chiangrai United (a.e.t.) | 2 | | | |
| Bali United | Bali United | 3 | Bali United | Bali United | 1 | | | |
| Tampines Rovers | Tampines Rovers | 1 | | | | | | |

### Play-off East 4

* Tianjin Quanjian advanced to Group E.
| Preliminary round 1 | Preliminary round 1 | Preliminary round 1 | Preliminary round 2 | Preliminary round 2 | Preliminary round 2 | Play-off round | Play-off round | Play-off round |
| | | | | | | Tianjin Quanjian | Tianjin Quanjian | 2 |
| | | | | | | Ceres–Negros | Ceres–Negros | 0 |
| | | | Brisbane Roar | Brisbane Roar | 2 | | | |
| Shan United | Shan United | 1 (3) | Ceres–Negros | Ceres–Negros | 3 | | | |
| Ceres–Negros (p) | Ceres–Negros (p) | 1 (4) | | | | | | |

## Preliminary round 1
### Summary

A total of four teams played in the preliminary round 1.
East Region :
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |

### East Region
## Preliminary round 2
### Summary

A total of eight teams played in the preliminary round 2: six teams which entered in this round, and two winners of the preliminary round 1.
East Region :
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |

### East Region
## Play-off round
### Summary

A total of 16 teams played in the play-off round: twelve teams which entered in this round, and four winners of the preliminary round 2.
West Region :
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
East Region :
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |