2019 AFC Champions League qualifying play-offs


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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]

The following 27 teams, split into two regions (West Region and East Region), entered the qualifying play-offs, consisting of three rounds:

  • 6 teams entered in the preliminary round 1.
  • 13 teams entered in the preliminary round 2.
  • 8 teams entered in the play-off round.
Region Teams entering in play-off round Teams entering in preliminary round 2 Teams entering in preliminary round 1
West Region
East Region

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 schedule of each round is as follows.[1][3]

Round Match date
Preliminary round 1 5 February 2019
Preliminary round 2 12 February 2019
Play-off round 19 February 2019

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.

Preliminary round 1 Preliminary round 2 Play-off round
  Al-Nasr 1
  Pakhtakor 2
  Pakhtakor 2
  Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya 1
Preliminary round 1 Preliminary round 2 Play-off round
  Al-Nassr 4
  AGMK 0
  AGMK 4
  Istiklol 2
Preliminary round 1 Preliminary round 2 Play-off round
  Al-Rayyan 3
  Saipa 1
  Saipa 4
  Minerva Punjab 0
Preliminary round 1 Preliminary round 2 Play-off round
  Al-Gharafa 2
  Zob Ahan 3
  Zob Ahan (a.e.t.) 1
  Al-Wehdat 2   Al-Kuwait 0
  Al-Kuwait 3
Preliminary round 1 Preliminary round 2 Play-off round
  Ulsan Hyundai 5
  Perak 1
  Perak (p) (6)
  Kitchee (5)
Preliminary round 1 Preliminary round 2 Play-off round
  Shandong Luneng 4
  Hanoi 1
  Bangkok United 0
  Hanoi 1
Preliminary round 1 Preliminary round 2 Play-off round
  Sanfrecce Hiroshima (p) (4)
  Chiangrai United (3)
  Chiangrai United 3
  Ceres–Negros 1   Yangon United 1
  Yangon United 2
Preliminary round 1 Preliminary round 2 Play-off round
  Kashima Antlers 4
  Newcastle Jets 1
  Newcastle Jets (a.e.t.) 3
  Home United 1   Persija Jakarta 1
  Persija Jakarta 3

A total of six teams played in the preliminary round 1.

Team 1  Score  Team 2
West Region
Al-Wehdat   2–3   Al-Kuwait
Team 1  Score  Team 2
East Region
Ceres–Negros   1–2   Yangon United
Home United   1–3   Persija Jakarta

A total of 16 teams played in the preliminary round 2: 13 teams which entered in this round, and three winners of the preliminary round 1.

Team 1  Score  Team 2
West Region
Pakhtakor   2–1   Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya
AGMK   4–2   Istiklol
Saipa   4–0   Minerva Punjab
Zob Ahan   1–0 (a.e.t.)   Al-Kuwait
Team 1  Score  Team 2
East Region
Perak   1–1 (a.e.t.)
(6–5 p)
  Kitchee
Bangkok United   0–1   Hanoi
Chiangrai United   3–1   Yangon United
Newcastle Jets   3–1 (a.e.t.)   Persija Jakarta






A total of 16 teams played in the play-off round: eight teams which entered in this round, and eight winners of the preliminary round 2.

Team 1  Score  Team 2
West Region
Al-Nasr   1–2   Pakhtakor
Al-Nassr   4–0   AGMK
Al-Rayyan   3–1   Saipa
Al-Gharafa   2–3   Zob Ahan
Team 1  Score  Team 2
East Region
Ulsan Hyundai   5–1   Perak
Shandong Luneng   4–1   Hanoi
Sanfrecce Hiroshima   0–0 (a.e.t.)
(4–3 p)
  Chiangrai United
Kashima Antlers   4–1   Newcastle Jets






  1. ^ a b c d e f The 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.