# 2022 AFC Cup group stage

The 2022 AFC Cup group stage was played from 18 May to 30 June 2022. A total of 39 teams competed in the group stage to decide the 12 places in the knockout stage of the 2022 AFC Cup.

## Draw

The draw for the group stage was held on 17 January 2022 at AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The 39 teams were drawn into nine groups of four and one group of three (in the Central Asia Zone): three groups each in the West Asia Zone (Groups A–C) and the ASEAN Zone (Groups G–I), two groups in the Central Asia Zone (Groups E–F), and one group each in the South Asia Zone (Group D) and the East Asia Zone (Group J). For each zone, teams were seeded into four pots and drawn into the relevant positions within each group, based on their association ranking and their seeding within their association, in consideration of technical balance between groups. Teams from the same association in zones with more than one group (West Asia Zone, Central Asia Zone, and ASEAN Zone) could not be drawn into the same group.
| Zone | Groups | Pot 1 | Pot 2 | Pot 3 | Pot 4 |
| West Asia Zone | A–C | Al-Ansar | Al-Seeb | Jableh | Hilal Al-Quds |
| West Asia Zone | A–C | Tishreen | Shabab Al-Khalil | East Riffa | Al-Arabi |
| West Asia Zone | A–C | Al-Riffa | Nejmeh | Dhofar | Al-Kuwait |
| South Asia Zone | D | Gokulam Kerala | Bashundhara Kings | Maziya | Mohun Bagan SG (Winners of South Asia Play-off) |
| Central Asia Zone | E–F | Sogdiana Jizzakh (Nasaf Qarshi) | Altyn Asyr | CSKA Pamir Dushanbe | Neftchi |
| Central Asia Zone | E–F | Khujand | Dordoi | Köpetdag | — |
| ASEAN Zone | G–I | Kaya F.C.–Iloilo | Hougang United | Phnom Penh Crown | Young Elephants ( Hantharwady United) |
| ASEAN Zone | G–I | Viettel | Shan United | Kedah Darul Aman | PSM Makassar |
| ASEAN Zone | G–I | Kuala Lumpur City | Bali United | Tampines Rovers | Visakha FC (Winners of ASEAN Play-off) |
| East Asia Zone | J | Eastern | MUST CPK | Tainan City | Lee Man (Winners of East Asia Play-off) |

### Standby teams

* Ayeyawady United (for Shan United)

## Format

In the group stage, each group is played on a single round-robin basis in centralised venues. The following teams will advance to the knockout stage:
* The winners of each group and the best runners-up in the West Asia Zone and the ASEAN Zone advance to the Zonal semi-finals.
* The winners of each group in the Central Asia Zone advance to the Zonal finals.
* The winners of each group in the South Asia Zone and the East Asia Zone advance to the Inter-zone play-off semi-finals.

### Tiebreakers

The teams are 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 8.3):
* 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 (Not applicable since matches will be played in centralised venues);
* 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 playing each other in the last round of the group are tied;
* 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);
* Association ranking;
* Drawing of lots.

## Schedule

The schedule of each matchday was as follows.
| Matchday | Dates | Dates | Dates | Dates | Dates | Matches | Matches |
| Matchday | West | South | Central | ASEAN | East | Four-team groups | Three-team group |
| Matchday 1 | 18 May 2022 | 18 May 2022 | 24 June 2022 | 24 June 2022 | 24 June 2022 | 1 v 4, 2 v 3 | 3 v 1 |
| Matchday 2 | 21 May 2022 | 21 May 2022 | 27 June 2022 | 27 June 2022 | 27 June 2022 | 4 v 2, 3 v 1 | 2 v 3 |
| Matchday 3 | 24 May 2022 | 24 May 2022 | 30 June 2022 | 30 June 2022 | 30 June 2022 | 1 v 2, 3 v 4 | 1 v 2 |

### Centralised venues

On 24 February 2022, AFC confirmed hosts for the group stage. on 25 April 2022, the Chinese Taipei Football Association withdrew from hosting the Group J matches. Later, on 5 May, Buriram were declared as the centralised venue to host the Group J matches.
* Group A: Muscat, Oman (Al-Seeb Stadium)
* Group B: Kuwait City, Kuwait (Al Kuwait Sports Club Stadium)
* Group C: Arad, Bahrain (Al Muharraq Stadium)
* Group D: Kolkata, India (Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan)
* Group E: Dushanbe, Tajikistan (Pamir Stadium)
* Group F: Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan (Dolen Omurzakov Stadium)
* Group G: Gianyar, Indonesia (Kapten I Wayan Dipta Stadium)
* Group H: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur Stadium)
* Group I: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (Thống Nhất Stadium)
* Group J: Buriram, Thailand (Buriram Stadium)

## Groups
### Group A

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | SEB | KSC | JAB | ANS |
| 1 | Al-Seeb (H) | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 2 | +4 | 6 | Zonal semi-finals | — | — | 1–0 | — |
| 2 | Al-Kuwait | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 5 | | 2–1 | — | — | — |
| 3 | Jableh | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | | — | 0–0 | — | 1–0 |
| 4 | Al-Ansar | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 | −5 | 1 | | 0–4 | 1–1 | — | — |

### Group B

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | ARA | RIF | DHO | SAK |
| 1 | Al-Arabi (H) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 7 | Zonal semi-finals | — | — | — | 1–0 |
| 2 | Al-Riffa | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 6 | +2 | 6 | Zonal semi-finals | 2–3 | — | — | 3–1 |
| 3 | Dhofar | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 4 | +2 | 4 | | 1–1 | 2–3 | — | — |
| 4 | Shabab Al-Khalil | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 7 | −6 | 0 | | — | — | 0–3 | — |

### Group C

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | EAR | TIS | NEJ | HAQ |
| 1 | East Riffa (H) | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 5 | Zonal semi-finals | — | 2–0 | — | 2–2 |
| 2 | Tishreen | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 4 | | — | — | 3–1 | 0–0 |
| 3 | Nejmeh | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | | 1–1 | — | — | — |
| 4 | Hilal Al-Quds | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | −2 | 2 | | — | — | 0–2 | — |
* 1 2 Head-to-head points: Tishreen 3, Nejmeh 0.

### Group D

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | MBSG | BSK | MAZ | GOK |
| 1 | Mohun Bagan SG (H) | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 6 | +5 | 6 | Inter-zone play-off semi-finals | — | 4–0 | — | — |
| 2 | Bashundhara Kings | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 5 | −2 | 6 | | — | — | 1–0 | — |
| 3 | Maziya | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 6 | −3 | 3 | | 2–5 | — | — | 1–0 |
| 4 | Gokulam Kerala | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 3 | | 4–2 | 1–2 | — | — |
* 1 2 Head-to-head points: Mohun Bagan SG 3, Bashundhara Kings 0.
* 1 2 Head-to-head points: Maziya 3, Gokulam Kerala 0.

### Group E

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | SOG | ALT | CPD | NEF |
| 1 | Sogdiana Jizzakh | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 3 | +5 | 9 | Zonal finals | — | 3–1 | — | 2–0 |
| 2 | Altyn Asyr | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | −1 | 4 | | — | — | 1–1 | — |
| 3 | CSKA Pamir Dushanbe (H) | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | −1 | 2 | | 2–3 | — | — | 0–0 |
| 4 | Neftchi | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | −3 | 1 | | — | 0–1 | — | — |

### Group F

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | KHU | KPD | DOR |
| 1 | Khujand | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 4 | Zonal finals | — | — | 0–0 |
| 2 | Köpetdag | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 3 | | 1–3 | — | — |
| 3 | Dordoi (H) | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | −1 | 1 | | — | 0–1 | — |

### Group G

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | KED | VIS | BAL | KAY |
| 1 | Kedah Darul Aman | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 4 | +5 | 6 | Zonal semi-finals | — | 5–1 | — | 4–1 |
| 2 | Visakha FC | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 6 | | — | — | 5–2 | — |
| 3 | Bali United (H) | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 6 | | 2–0 | — | — | — |
| 4 | Kaya F.C.–Iloilo | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 7 | −5 | 0 | | — | 1–2 | 0–1 | — |
* 1 2 3 Head-to-head standings: Tied on head-to-head points. Head-to-head goal difference: Kedah Darul Aman: +2, Visakha FC –1, Bali United –1. Head-to-head goals scored: Visakha FC 6, Bali United 4.

### Group H

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | PSM | KLC | TAM |
| 1 | PSM Makassar | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 4 | Zonal semi-finals | — | 0–0 | — |
| 2 | Kuala Lumpur City (H) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 4 | Zonal semi-finals | — | — | 2–1 |
| 3 | Tampines Rovers | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | −3 | 0 | | 1–3 | — | — |
* 1 2 Tied on head-to-head results. Overall goal difference used as tiebreaker.

### Group I

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | VIE | HOU | PPC | YEL |
| 1 | Viettel (H) | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 3 | +8 | 9 | Zonal semi-finals | — | 5–2 | — | 5–1 |
| 2 | Hougang United | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 6 | | — | — | 4–3 | — |
| 3 | Phnom Penh Crown | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 3 | | 0–1 | — | — | 4–2 |
| 4 | Young Elephants | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 12 | −8 | 0 | | — | 1–3 | — | — |

### Group J

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | EAS | LEE | TNC | CPK |
| 1 | Eastern | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | +4 | 6 | Inter-zone play-off semi-finals | — | — | 3–1 | Canc. |
| 2 | Lee Man | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 3 | | 1–3 | — | — | Canc. |
| 3 | Tainan City | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | −4 | 0 | | — | 1–3 | — | — |
| 4 | MUST CPK | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Withdrew | — | — | Canc. | — |

## Ranking of runner-up teams
### West Asia Zone

| Pos | Grp | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | B | Al-Riffa | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 6 | +2 | 6 | Zonal semi-finals |
| 2 | A | Al-Kuwait | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 5 | |
| 3 | C | Tishreen | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 4 | |

### ASEAN Zone

Since Group H only had three teams, the results against fourth-placed teams in Groups G and I were omitted for this ranking.
| Pos | Grp | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | H | Kuala Lumpur City | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 4 | Zonal semi-finals |
| 2 | G | Visakha FC | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 7 | −1 | 3 | |
| 3 | I | Hougang United | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 8 | −2 | 3 | |