The 2024–25 AFC Champions League Two is the 21st edition of the Asia's second-tier club football tournament, organized by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
Previously known as the AFC Cup, which had been in existence for the previous 20 seasons, this is the first season using a revised format and the new name of AFC Champions League Two.[1][2] It will feature 32 teams in the group stage.[3] The winner will enter the league stage of the 2025–26 AFC Champions League Elite, if they have not already qualified through domestic performance.
Central Coast Mariners were the reigning champions, as the AFC Cup records and statistics are carried forward to the ACL Two.[4] They will not be able to defend the title as they will automatically participate in the AFC Champions League Elite league stage as AFC Cup winners which does not allow teams to transfer from the AFC Champions League Elite league stage to the AFC Champions League Two.
The associations are allocated slots according to their club competitions ranking,[5] which was published after the 2022 competitions were completed.[6]
Participation for 2024–25 AFC Champions League Two
Qatar (QAT):Al-Sadd had already qualified for the Champions League Elite as the 2023-24 Qatar Stars League champions has also won the 2024 Emir of Qatar Cup. Thus, second-placed Al-Rayyan have also qualified for the Champions League Elite league stage, the third-placed Al-Gharafa qualified for the Champions League Elite qualifying play-off, the fourth-placed Al-Wakrah qualified for the Champions League Two group stage.
South Korea (KOR):Pohang Steelers had already qualified for the Champions League Elite as the 2023 K League 1 runners-up when they won the 2023 Korean FA Cup. Thus, third-placed Gwangju FC qualified for the Champions League Elite qualifying play-off, while the fourth-placed Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors qualified for the Champions League Two group stage.
Thailand (THA):Bangkok United, the 2023–24 Thai League 1 runners-up had qualified for the Champions League Elite qualifying play-off as the 2023–24 Thai FA Cup winner. Thus, third-placed Port qualified for the Champions League Two group stage. Fifth place Muangthong United also qualified for the Champions League Two group stage due to Đông Á Thanh Hóa's withdrawal from the competition and BG Pathum United's decision not to participate.[9]
The schedule of the competition is as follows.[10] All matches will be played on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, apart from the final which takes place on Saturday.
The bracket of the qualifying play-offs for each region was determined based on each team's association ranking and their seeding within their association, with the team from the higher-ranked association hosting the match. Teams from the same association could not be placed into the same tie. The two winners of the play-off round (two from West Region) advanced to the group stage to join the 30 direct entrants, while losers of the qualifying play-offs will enter the group stage of the 2024–25 AFC Challenge League.
The draw for the group stage took place on August 16th at the InterContinentalKuala Lumpur, Malaysia.[11] The 32 teams were drawn into eight groups of four: four groups each in the West Region (Groups A–D) and the East Region (Groups E–H).[12] For each region, 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. Teams from the same association could not be drawn into the same group.
Location of the 2024–25 AFC Champions League Two group stage teams Brown: Group A; Cyan: Group B; Orange: Group C; Yellow: Group D; Pink: Group E; Green: Group F; Blue: Group G; Red: Group H
In the knockout stage, the 16 teams will play a single-elimination tournament. Each tie will be 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 (Regulations Article 10). 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 match hosted by the team from the East Region. The draw for the knockout stage will be held on 12 December 2024..
Altyn Asyr
Al-Kuwait
Brown: Group A; 
Cyan: Group B; 
Orange: Group C; 
Yellow: Group D; 
Pink: Group E;
Green: Group F; 
Blue: Group G; 
Red: Group H
Al-Wakrah
Tractor
Ravshan Kulob
Al-Taawoun
Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya
Sharjah
Al-Wehdat
Nasaf
Sanfrecce Hiroshima
Sydney FC
Kaya–Iloilo
Eastern
Zhejiang
Port
Lion City Sailors
Persib
Thep Xanh Nam Định
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors
Selangor