The 2019 AFC Champions League qualifying play-offs were played from 5 to 19 February 2019.[1] A total of 27 teams competed in the qualifying play-offs to decide eight of the 32 places in the group stage of the 2019 AFC Champions League.[2]
Teams
The following 27 teams, split into two regions (West Region and East Region), entered the qualifying play-offs, consisting of three rounds:
In the qualifying play-offs, each tie was played as a single match. Extra time and penalty shoot-out were used to decide the winner if necessary (Regulations Article 9.2). The eight winners of the play-off round (four each from both West Region and East Region) advanced to the group stage to join the 24 direct entrants. All losers in each round from associations with only play-off slot entered the AFC Cup group stage.[2]
The bracket of the qualifying play-offs for each region, determined based on the association ranking of each team, with the team from the higher-ranked association hosting the match, was officially announced by the AFC prior to the group stage draw on 22 November 2018.[4] Teams from the same association could not be placed into the same tie.
^ abcdefThe identity of the second play-off team from Uzbekistan, and the play-off teams from South Korea, China, Japan and Indonesia was not known at the time of the group stage draw.
References
^ ab"AFC Competitions Calendar 2019". AFC. 14 November 2018.
^ ab"2019 AFC Champions League Competition Regulations" (PDF). AFC.
^"AFC Champions League 2019 Official Match Schedule". AFC.
^"Continent's elite set for 2019 campaign". AFC. 22 November 2018.