# 2017 AFC Cup group stage

The 2017 AFC Cup group stage was played from 20 February to 31 May 2017. A total of 34 teams competed in the group stage to decide the 11 places in the knockout stage of the 2017 AFC Cup.

## Draw

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. 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.
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.
The seeding of each team in the draw was determined by their association and their qualifying position within their association. The mechanism of the draw was as follows:
* For the West Asia Zone, a draw was held for the five associations with two direct entrants (Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Bahrain, Lebanon) to determine the three associations occupying seeds 1 and 2, with seeds 1 placed in order for Groups A, B and C, and the two associations occupying seeds 3 and 4, with seeds 3 placed in order for Groups A and B. The remaining teams were then allocated to groups according to the rules set by AFC.
* For the ASEAN Zone, a draw was held for the four associations with two direct entrants (Vietnam, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines) to determine the three associations occupying seeds 1 and 2, with seeds 1 placed in order for Groups F, G and H, and the one association occupying seeds 3 and 4, with seed 3 placed in Group F. The remaining teams were then allocated to the groups according to the rules set by AFC.
* For the Central Asia Zone, the South Asia Zone, and the East Asia Zone, no draw was held, and the teams were allocated to the groups according to their association ranking published on 30 November 2016.
The following 34 teams entered into the group stage draw, which included the 29 direct entrants and the five winners of the play-off round of the qualifying play-offs, whose identity were not known at the time of the draw. Originally there were 30 direct entrants and six winners of the play-off round, but there were one fewer direct entrant in the ASEAN Zone due to the withdrawal of one team, and the East Asia Zone qualifying play-offs were not played due to the withdrawal of three teams.
| Zone | Groups | Seed 1 | Seed 2 | Seed 3 | Seed 4 |
| West Asia Zone | A–C | Al-Zawraa | Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya | Al-Jaish | Al-Wahda |
| West Asia Zone | A–C | Al-Hidd | Al-Muharraq | Safa | Nejmeh |
| West Asia Zone | A–C | Al-Wehdat | Al-Ahli | Saham | Al-Suwaiq (Play-off West Asia) |
| Central Asia Zone | D | Istiklol | Altyn Asyr | Alay Osh | Dordoi (Play-off Central Asia) |
| South Asia Zone | E | Bengaluru FC | Maziya | Abahani Limited Dhaka | Mohun Bagan (Play-off South Asia) |
| ASEAN Zone | F–H | Johor Darul Ta'zim | FELDA United | Global Cebu | Ceres–Negros |
| ASEAN Zone | F–H | Hà Nội | Than Quảng Ninh | Tampines Rovers | Home United (Play-off ASEAN 1) |
| ASEAN Zone | F–H | Yadanarbon | Magwe | Lanexang United | Boeung Ket Angkor (Play-off ASEAN 2) |
| East Asia Zone | I | April 25 | Rovers | Taipower Kigwancha | (Play-off East Asia) Erchim |

### Standby teams

* Al-Jazeera (for Al-Wehdat)
* East Bengal (for Bengaluru FC)
* SHB Đà Nẵng (for Hà Nội)
* Kedah (for Johor Darul Ta'zim)
* Yangon United (for Yadanarbon)
* Loyola Meralco Sparks (for Global Cebu)
* Geylang International (for Tampines Rovers)

## Format

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.

### Tiebreakers

The teams were ranked according to points (3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss). If tied on points, tiebreakers were applied in the following order (Regulations Article 10.5):
* Points in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
* Goal difference in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
* Goals scored in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
* Away goals scored in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
* If more than two teams are tied, and after applying all head-to-head criteria above, a subset of teams are still tied, all head-to-head criteria above are reapplied exclusively to this subset of teams;
* Goal difference in all group matches;
* Goals scored in all group matches;
* Penalty shoot-out if only two teams are tied and they met in the last round of the group;
* Disciplinary points (yellow card = 1 point, red card as a result of two yellow cards = 3 points, direct red card = 3 points, yellow card followed by direct red card = 4 points);
* Team from the higher-ranked association.

## Schedule

The schedule of each matchday was as follows (W: West Asia Zone; C: Central Asia Zone; S: South Asia Zone; A: ASEAN Zone; E: East Asia Zone). Matches in the West Asia Zone were played on Mondays and Tuesdays, while matches in the Central Asia Zone, the South Asia Zone, the ASEAN Zone, and the East Asia Zone were played on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
| Matchday | Dates | Dates | Matches |
| Matchday | W, A | C, S, E | Matches |
| Matchday 1 | 20–22 February 2017 | 14 March 2017 | Team 1 vs. Team 4, Team 3 vs. Team 2 |
| Matchday 2 | 6–8 March 2017 | 4 April 2017 | Team 4 vs. Team 3, Team 2 vs. Team 1 |
| Matchday 3 | 13–15 March 2017 | 18–19 April 2017 | Team 4 vs. Team 2, Team 1 vs. Team 3 |
| Matchday 4 | 3–5 April 2017 | 3 May 2017 | Team 2 vs. Team 4, Team 3 vs. Team 1 |
| Matchday 5 | 17–19 April 2017 | 17 May 2017 | Team 4 vs. Team 1, Team 2 vs. Team 3 |
| Matchday 6 | 1–3 May 2017 | 31 May 2017 | Team 1 vs. Team 2, Team 3 vs. Team 4 |

## Groups
### Group A

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

### Group B

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

### Group C

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

### Group D

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

### Group E

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | BFC | MAZ | MOH | ABD |
| 1 | Bengaluru FC | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 6 | +1 | 12 | Inter-zone play-off semi-finals | — | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 |
| 2 | Maziya | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 4 | +6 | 12 | | 0–1 | — | 5–2 | 2–0 |
| 3 | Mohun Bagan | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 11 | −1 | 7 | | 3–1 | 0–1 | — | 3–1 |
| 4 | Abahani Limited Dhaka | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 10 | −6 | 4 | | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | — |
* 1 2 Head-to-head results: Maziya 0–1 Bengaluru FC, Bengaluru FC 1–0 Maziya.

### Group F

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

### Group G

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | CER | HAN | TAM | FEL |
| 1 | Ceres–Negros | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 16 | 8 | +8 | 11 | Zonal semi-finals | — | 6–2 | 5–0 | 0–0 |
| 2 | Hà Nội | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 14 | 10 | +4 | 11 | | 1–1 | — | 4–0 | 4–1 |
| 3 | Tampines Rovers | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 17 | −9 | 6 | | 2–4 | 1–2 | — | 2–1 |
| 4 | FELDA United | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 10 | −3 | 5 | | 3–0 | 1–1 | 1–3 | — |
* 1 2 Head-to-head results: Hà Nội 1–1 Ceres–Negros, Ceres–Negros 6–2 Hà Nội.

### Group H

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | HOM | TQN | YAD |
| 1 | Home United | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 8 | +4 | 9 | Zonal semi-finals | — | 3–2 | 4–1 |
| 2 | Than Quảng Ninh | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 9 | +1 | 4 | | 4–5 | — | 1–1 |
| 3 | Yadanarbon | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 | −5 | 4 | | 1–0 | 0–3 | — |
* 1 2 Head-to-head results: Than Quảng Ninh 1–1 Yadanarbon, Yadanarbon 0–3 Than Quảng Ninh.

### Group I

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | APR | KIG | ERC |
| 1 | April 25 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 14 | 3 | +11 | 8 | Inter-zone play-off semi-finals | — | 1–1 | 6–0 |
| 2 | Kigwancha | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 13 | 3 | +10 | 8 | | 2–2 | — | 7–0 |
| 3 | Erchim | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 21 | −21 | 0 | | 0–5 | 0–3 | — |
* 1 2 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
### West Asia Zone

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

### ASEAN Zone

| Pos | Grp | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | F | Johor Darul Ta'zim | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 3 | +9 | 9 | Zonal semi-finals |
| 2 | G | Hà Nội | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 8 | +1 | 7 | |
| 3 | H | Than Quảng Ninh | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 9 | +1 | 4 | |