# 2024–25 AFC Challenge League knockout stage

The 2024–25 AFC Challenge League knockout stage will be played from 5 March to 10 May 2025. A total of 8 teams will compete in the knockout stage to decide the champions of the 2024–25 AFC Challenge League.

## Qualified teams

The following teams advanced from the group stage:
* The winners of the groups and the best runners-up in the West Region (Groups A–C).
* The winners and runner-ups of each group in the East Region (Groups D–E).
| Region | Group | Winners | Runners-up |
| West Region | A | East Bengal | — |
| West Region | B | Arkadag | Al-Arabi |
| West Region | C | Al-Seeb | — |
| East Region | D | Shan United | Tainan City |
| East Region | E | Madura United | Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng |

## Format

In the knockout stage, the 8 teams will play a single-elimination tournament. Each tie was played on a home-and-away two-legged basis, except the final which will be played as a single match. Extra time and penalty shoot-out will be used to decide the winners if necessary (note that the away goals rule is abolished). (Regulations Article 10).
| Round | Matchups |
| Quarter-finals | West Region (Matchups and order of legs determined by identity of best runners-up: first team listed host first leg, second team listed host second leg) If best runners-up from Group A QF1: Group A runners-up vs. Group B winners QF2: Group C winners vs. Group A winners If best runners-up from Group B QF1: Group B runners-up vs. Group C winners QF2: Group A winners vs. Group B winners If best runners-up from Group C QF1: Group C runners-up vs. Group A winners QF2: Group B winners vs. Group C winners East Region (First team listed host first leg, second team listed host second leg) QF3: Group E runners-up vs. Group D winners QF4: Group D runners-up vs. Group E winners |
| Semi-finals | (First team listed host first leg, second team listed host second leg) West Region SF1: Winners of QF1 vs. Winners of QF2 East Region SF2: Winners of QF3 vs. Winners of QF4 |
| Final | (Winners of East Region semi-finals host match) Winners of SF2 vs. Winners of SF1 |

## Schedule

After the draw, the schedule of each round is as follows.
| Stage | Round | First leg | Second leg |
| Knockout stage | Quarter-finals | 5–6 March 2025 | 12–13 March 2025 |
| Knockout stage | Semi-finals | 9–10 April 2025 | 16–17 April 2025 |
| Knockout stage | Final | 10 May 2025 | 10 May 2025 |

## Bracket

| Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals |
| E2 | Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng | 6 | 1 | 7 | | |
| D1 | Shan United | 2 | 2 | 4 | | |
| D1 | Shan United | 2 | 2 | 4 | Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng | Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng |
| East Region | East Region | East Region | East Region | East Region | Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng | Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng |
| East Region | East Region | East Region | East Region | East Region | Madura United | Madura United |
| D2 | Tainan City | 0 | 0 | 0 | Madura United | Madura United |
| E1 | Madura United | 0 | 3 | 3 | | |
| B2 | Al-Arabi (a.e.t.) | 1 | 2 | 3 | | |
| C1 | Al-Seeb | 0 | 2 | 2 | | |
| C1 | Al-Seeb | 0 | 2 | 2 | Al-Arabi | Al-Arabi |
| West Region | West Region | West Region | West Region | West Region | Al-Arabi | Al-Arabi |
| West Region | West Region | West Region | West Region | West Region | Arkadag | Arkadag |
| A1 | East Bengal | 0 | 1 | 1 | Arkadag | Arkadag |
| B1 | Arkadag | 1 | 2 | 3 | | |

## Quarter-finals
### Summary

In the quarter-finals, the eight qualified teams play in two ties, with the matchups and order of legs determined by the group stage draw and the identity of the best runners-up in the West region.
| Team 1 | Agg. Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| West Region |||||
| Al-Arabi | 3–2 | Al-Seeb | 1–0 | 2–2 (a.e.t.) |
| East Bengal | 1–3 | Arkadag | 0–1 | 1–2 |
| East Region |||||
| Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng | 7–4 | Shan United | 6–2 | 1–2 |
| Tainan City | 0–3 | Madura United | 0–0 | 0–3 |

### West Region

Al-Arabi won 3–2 on aggregate.
Arkadag won 3–1 on aggregate.

### East Region

Svay Rieng won 7–4 on aggregate.
Madura United won 3–0 on aggregate.

## Semi-finals
### Summary

In the Semi-finals, the winners of quarter-finals from each region will face each other in two leg matches. The winners of each tie advance to the final.
| Team 1 | Agg. Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| West Region |||||
| Al-Arabi | SF1 | Arkadag | 9 Apr | 16 Apr |
| East Region |||||
| Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng | SF2 | Madura United | 10 Apr | 17 Apr |

### East Region
## Final

In the final, the winners of the each semi-finals will play each other, with the host team alternating every season. The winner will be given a direct slot for the 2025–26 AFC Champions League Two group stage, if not already qualified through the domestic performance.