# 2016 AFC Champions League qualifying play-off

The 2016 AFC Champions League qualifying play-off was played from 27 January to 9 February 2016. A total of 21 teams competed in the qualifying play-off to decide eight of the 32 places in the group stage of the 2016 AFC Champions League.

## Teams

The following 21 teams (8 from West Zone, 13 from East Zone) entered the qualifying play-off, which consisted of three rounds (preliminary round 1, preliminary round 2, play-off round):
* Two teams (both from East Zone) entered in the preliminary round 1.
* Seven teams (all from East Zone) entered in the preliminary round 2.
* Twelve teams (8 from West Zone, 4 from East Zone) entered in the play-off round.
| Zone | Teams entering in play-off round | Teams entering in preliminary round 2 | Teams entering in preliminary round 1 |
| West Zone | Al-Ittihad Naft Tehran Bunyodkor Al-Jazira Al-Shabab Al-Sadd El Jaish Al-Wehdat | | |
| East Zone | Pohang Steelers FC Tokyo Adelaide United Shanghai SIPG | Shandong Luneng Muangthong United Chonburi Hà Nội T&T Kitchee Yangon United Johor Darul Ta'zim | Mohun Bagan Tampines Rovers |

## Format

In the qualifying play-off, each tie was played as a single match. Extra time and penalty shoot-out were used to decide the winner if necessary (Regulations Article 10.2). The eight winners of the play-off round advanced to the group stage to join the 24 direct entrants. All losers in each round which were 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 | 27 January 2016 |
| Preliminary round 2 | 2 February 2016 |
| Play-off round | 9 February 2016 |

## Bracket

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

### Play-off West 1

Al-Ittihad 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-Ittihad | Al-Ittihad | 2 |
| | | | | | | Al-Wehdat | Al-Wehdat | 1 |

### Play-off West 2

El Jaish 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 |
| | | | | | | Naft Tehran | Naft Tehran | 0 |
| | | | | | | El Jaish | El Jaish | 2 |

### Play-off West 3

Bunyodkor 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 |
| | | | | | | Bunyodkor | Bunyodkor | 2 |
| | | | | | | Al-Shabab | Al-Shabab | 0 |

### Play-off West 4

Al-Jazira 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 |
| | | | | | | Al-Jazira (p) | Al-Jazira (p) | 2 (5) |
| | | | | | | Al-Sadd | Al-Sadd | 2 (4) |

### Play-off East 1

Pohang Steelers advanced to Group H.
| Preliminary round 2 | Preliminary round 2 | Preliminary round 2 | Play-off round | Play-off round | Play-off round |
| | | | Pohang Steelers | Pohang Steelers | 3 |
| | | | Hà Nội T&T | Hà Nội T&T | 0 |
| Hà Nội T&T | Hà Nội T&T | 1 | | | |
| Kitchee | Kitchee | 0 | | | |

### Play-off East 2

FC Tokyo advanced to Group E.
| Preliminary round 2 | Preliminary round 2 | Preliminary round 2 | Play-off round | Play-off round | Play-off round |
| | | | FC Tokyo | FC Tokyo | 9 |
| | | | Chonburi | Chonburi | 0 |
| Chonburi (a.e.t.) | Chonburi (a.e.t.) | 3 | | | |
| Yangon United | Yangon United | 2 | | | |

### Play-off East 3

Shandong Luneng 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 |
| | | | | | | Adelaide United | Adelaide United | 1 |
| | | | | | | Shandong Luneng | Shandong Luneng | 2 |
| | | | Shandong Luneng | Shandong Luneng | 6 | | | |
| Mohun Bagan | Mohun Bagan | 3 | Mohun Bagan | Mohun Bagan | 0 | | | |
| Tampines Rovers | Tampines Rovers | 1 | | | | | | |

### Play-off East 4

Shanghai SIPG advanced to Group G.
| Preliminary round 2 | Preliminary round 2 | Preliminary round 2 | Play-off round | Play-off round | Play-off round |
| | | | Shanghai SIPG | Shanghai SIPG | 3 |
| | | | Muangthong United | Muangthong United | 0 |
| Muangthong United (p) | Muangthong United (p) | 0 (3) | | | |
| Johor Darul Ta'zim | Johor Darul Ta'zim | 0 (0) | | | |

## Preliminary round 1

East Zone :
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |

## Preliminary round 2

East Zone :
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |

## Play-off round

West Zone :
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
East Zone :
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |