# 2023–24 AFC Champions League knockout stage

The 2023–24 AFC Champions League knockout stage began on 13 February with the round of 16 and ended on 25 May 2024 with the final to decide the champions of the 2023–24 AFC Champions League. A total of 16 teams competed in the knockout stage.

## Qualified teams

The group winners and three best runners-up in the group stage from each region advanced to the round of 16, with both West Region (Groups A–E) and East Region (Groups F–J) having eight qualified teams.
| Region | Group | Winners | Runners-up (best three from each region) |
| West Region | A | Al Ain | Al-Fayha |
| West Region | B | Nasaf | — |
| West Region | C | Al-Ittihad | Sepahan |
| West Region | D | Al Hilal | Navbahor |
| West Region | E | Al Nassr | — |
| East Region | F | Bangkok United | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors |
| East Region | G | Yokohama F. Marinos | Shandong Taishan |
| East Region | H | Ventforet Kofu | — |
| East Region | I | Kawasaki Frontale | Ulsan Hyundai |
| East Region | J | Pohang Steelers | — |

## Format

In the knockout stage, the 16 teams played a single-elimination tournament, with the teams split into the two regions until the final. Each tie was played on a home-and-away two-legged basis. Extra time and a penalty shoot-out were used to decide the winner if necessary (note that the away goals rule had been abolished per the Regulations Article 10.1). The order of matches (home vs away) was determined at the draw, except for the final. The final was pre-determined on a rotation basis, with the first leg hosted by the team from the East Region. The match-ups were determined at a single draw event, made on 28 December 2023.

## Schedule

The schedule of the competition was as follows.
| Stage | Round | Draw date | First leg | Second leg |
| Knockout stage | Round of 16 | 28 December 2023 | 13–15 February 2024 | 20–22 February 2024 |
| Knockout stage | Quarter-finals | 28 December 2023 | 4–6 March 2024 | 11–13 March 2024 |
| Knockout stage | Semi-finals | 28 December 2023 | 17 April 2024 | 23–24 April 2024 |
| Knockout stage | Final | 28 December 2023 | 11 May 2024 | 25 May 2024 |

## Bracket

The bracket was decided after the draw for the knockout stage, which was held on 28 December 2023, 16:00 MYT (UTC+8), at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
| Round of 16 | Round of 16 | Round of 16 | Round of 16 | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | | Final | Final | Final | Final |
| Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors | 2 | 1 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Pohang Steelers | 0 | 1 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Pohang Steelers | 0 | 1 | 1 | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors | 1 | 0 | 1 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Ulsan Hyundai | 1 | 1 | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| Ulsan Hyundai | 3 | 2 | 5 | Ulsan Hyundai | 1 | 1 | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| Ventforet Kofu | 0 | 1 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Ventforet Kofu | 0 | 1 | 1 | | | | | Ulsan Hyundai | 1 | 2 | 3 (4) | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | Yokohama F. Marinos (p) | 0 | 3 | 3 (5) | | | | | |
| Shandong Taishan | 2 | 4 | 6 | | | | | | | | | Yokohama F. Marinos (p) | 0 | 3 | 3 (5) | | | | | |
| Kawasaki Frontale | 3 | 2 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Kawasaki Frontale | 3 | 2 | 5 | Shandong Taishan | 1 | 0 | 1 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Yokohama F. Marinos | 2 | 1 | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| Bangkok United | 2 | 0 | 2 | Yokohama F. Marinos | 2 | 1 | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| Yokohama F. Marinos (a.e.t.) | 2 | 1 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Yokohama F. Marinos (a.e.t.) | 2 | 1 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | Yokohama F. Marinos | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | Al Ain | 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Nasaf | 0 | 1 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Al Ain | 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Al Ain | 0 | 2 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Al Ain | 0 | 2 | 2 | Al Ain (p) | 1 | 3 | 4 (3) | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Al Nassr | 0 | 4 | 4 (1) | | | | | | | | | |
| Al-Fayha | 0 | 0 | 0 | Al Nassr | 0 | 4 | 4 (1) | | | | | | | | | |
| Al Nassr | 1 | 2 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Al Nassr | 1 | 2 | 3 | | | | | Al Ain | 4 | 1 | 5 | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | Al Hilal | 2 | 2 | 4 | | | | | |
| Sepahan | 1 | 1 | 2 | | | | | | | | | Al Hilal | 2 | 2 | 4 | | | | | |
| Al Hilal | 3 | 3 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Al Hilal | 3 | 3 | 6 | Al Hilal | 2 | 2 | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Al-Ittihad | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | | | | | | |
| Navbahor | 0 | 1 | 1 | Al-Ittihad | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | | | | | | |
| Al-Ittihad | 0 | 2 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

## Round of 16
### Summary

The first legs were played on 13–15 February, and the second legs were played on 20–22 February 2024.
| Team 1 | Agg. Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| West Region |||||
| Nasaf | 1–2 | Al Ain | 0–0 | 1–2 |
| Al-Fayha | 0–3 | Al Nassr | 0–1 | 0–2 |
| Sepahan | 2–6 | Al Hilal | 1–3 | 1–3 |
| Navbahor | 1–2 | Al-Ittihad | 0–0 | 1–2 |
| East Region |||||
| Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors | 3–1 | Pohang Steelers | 2–0 | 1–1 |
| Ulsan Hyundai | 5–1 | Ventforet Kofu | 3–0 | 2–1 |
| Shandong Taishan | 6–5 | Kawasaki Frontale | 2–3 | 4–2 |
| Bangkok United | 2–3 | Yokohama F. Marinos | 2–2 | 0–1 (a.e.t.) |

#### West Region

Al Ain won 2–1 on aggregate.
Al Nassr won 3–0 on aggregate.
Al Hilal won 6–2 on aggregate.
Al-Ittihad won 2–1 on aggregate.

#### East Region

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors won 3–1 on aggregate.
Ulsan Hyundai won 5–1 on aggregate.
Shandong Taishan won 6–5 on aggregate.
Yokohama F. Marinos won 3–2 on aggregate.

## Quarter-finals
### Summary

The first legs were played on 4–6 March 2024, and the second legs were played on 11–13 March 2024.
| Team 1 | Agg. Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| West Region |||||
| Al Ain | 4–4 (3–1 p) | Al Nassr | 1–0 | 3–4 (a.e.t.) |
| Al Hilal | 4–0 | Al-Ittihad | 2–0 | 2–0 |
| East Region |||||
| Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors | 1–2 | Ulsan Hyundai | 1–1 | 0–1 |
| Shandong Taishan | 1–3 | Yokohama F. Marinos | 1–2 | 0–1 |

#### West Region

4–4 on aggregate; Al Ain won 3–1 on penalties.
Al Hilal won 4–0 on aggregate.

#### East Region

Ulsan Hyundai won 2–1 on aggregate.
Yokohama F. Marinos won 3–1 on aggregate.

## Semi-finals
### Summary

The first legs were played on 17 April, and the second legs were played on 23 and 24 April 2024.
| Team 1 | Agg. Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| West Region |||||
| Al Ain | 5–4 | Al Hilal | 4–2 | 1–2 |
| East Region |||||
| Ulsan Hyundai | 3–3 (4–5 p) | Yokohama F. Marinos | 1–0 | 2–3 (a.e.t.) |

#### West Region

Al Ain won 5–4 on aggregate.

#### East Region

3–3 on aggregate; Yokohama F. Marinos won 5–4 on penalties.

## Final

The East Region team hosted the first leg as pre-determined on a rotation basis.
| Team 1 | Agg. Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| Yokohama F. Marinos | 3–6 | Al Ain | 2–1 | 1–5 |
Al Ain won 6–3 on aggregate.