2025–26 AFC Challenge League

The 2025–26 AFC Challenge League is the 12th edition of the Asia's third-tier continental club football competition, organized by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and the second under the AFC Challenge League title.

Source: Wikipedia

Article

2025–26 AFC Challenge League

Arkadag are the reigning champions, but will not defend their title as the winner of the Challenge League automatically qualifies for the Champions League Two group stage.

The winner will be given a direct slot for the 2026–27 AFC Champions League Two group stage, if they have not already qualified through their domestic performance.

Association team allocation

2025–26 AFC Challenge League

The associations are allocated slots according to their club competitions ranking which was published after the 2023–24 competitions were completed.

<table><thead><tr><th>Participation for 2025–26 AFC Challenge League</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td></td><td>Participating</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Not participating</td></tr></tbody></table>

Teams

2025–26 AFC Challenge League

<table><thead><tr><th>Entry round</th><th>West Region</th><th>East Region</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Group stage</td><td>Team</td><td>Qualifying method</td><td>App. (last)</td><td>Team</td><td>Qualifying method</td><td>App. (last)</td></tr><tr><td>Regar-TadAZ Tursunzoda</td><td>2025–26 AFC Champions League Two qualifying round losers</td><td>5th (2009)</td><td>Manila Digger</td><td>2025–26 AFC Champions League Two qualifying round loser</td><td>1st</td></tr><tr><td>Al-Seeb</td><td>2nd (2024–25)</td><td>Dewa United Banten</td><td>2024–25 Liga 1 runners-up</td><td>1st</td></tr><tr><td>Al-Shabab</td><td>2024–25 Sultan Qaboos Cup winners</td><td>1st</td><td>PKR Svay Rieng</td><td>2024–25 Cambodian Premier League champions</td><td>3rd (2024–25)</td></tr><tr><td>Altyn Asyr</td><td>2024 Ýokary Liga third place</td><td>1st</td><td>Shan United</td><td>2024–25 Myanmar National League champions</td><td>4th (2024–25)</td></tr><tr><td>Al-Ansar</td><td>2024–25 Lebanese Premier League champions</td><td>1st</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Safa</td><td>2024–25 Lebanese Premier League runners-up</td><td>1st</td></tr><tr><td>Al-Kuwait</td><td>2024–25 Kuwaiti Premier League champions</td><td>1st</td></tr><tr><td>Qualifying play-off participants</td><td>Al-Arabi</td><td>2024–25 Kuwaiti Premier League runners-up</td><td>2nd (2024–25)</td><td>Phnom Penh Crown</td><td>2024–25 Hun Sen Cup winners</td><td>5th (2012)</td></tr><tr><td>Dhaka Abahani</td><td>2024–25 Bangladesh Premier League runners-up</td><td>6th (2013)</td><td>Yangon United</td><td>2025 MNL League Cup winners</td><td>1st</td></tr><tr><td>Bashundhara Kings</td><td>2024–25 Bangladesh Federation Cup winners</td><td>2nd (2024–25)</td><td>Tainan City</td><td>2024 Taiwan Football Premier League champions 2025 Taiwan President FA Cup winners</td><td>2nd (2024–25)</td></tr><tr><td>Al-Karamah</td><td>2024–25 Syrian Premier League runners-up</td><td>1st</td><td>Taichung Futuro</td><td>2024 Taiwan Football Premier League runners-up</td><td>1st</td></tr><tr><td>Hutteen</td><td>2024–25 Syrian Premier League third-place</td><td>1st</td><td>SP Falcons</td><td>2024–25 Mongolian Premier League champions</td><td>2nd (2024–25)</td></tr><tr><td>Abdysh-Ata Kant</td><td>2024 Kyrgyz Premier League champions</td><td>2nd (2024–25)</td><td>Khangarid</td><td>2024–25 Mongolian Premier League runners-up</td><td>1st</td></tr><tr><td>Muras United</td><td>2024 Kyrgyzstan Cup winners</td><td>1st</td><td>Ezra</td><td>2024–25 Lao League 1 champions</td><td>1st</td></tr><tr><td>Maziya</td><td>2023 Dhivehi Premier League champions</td><td>2nd (2024–25)</td><td>Kasuka</td><td>2024–25 Brunei Super League champions</td><td>1st</td></tr><tr><td>Paro</td><td>2024 Bhutan Premier League champions</td><td>2nd (2024–25)</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Abu Muslim</td><td>2024–25 Afghanistan Champions League champions</td><td>1st</td></tr></tbody></table>

Schedule

2025–26 AFC Challenge League

The quarter-finals for the West region have been postponed due to the impacts from the 2026 Iran War.

<table><thead><tr><th>Stage</th><th>Round</th><th>Draw date</th><th>West region</th><th>East region</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Preliminary stage</td><td>No draw</td><td>12 August 2025</td></tr><tr><td>Group stage</td><td>Matchday 1</td><td>28 August 2025</td><td>25 October 2025</td><td>26 October 2025</td></tr><tr><td>Matchday 2</td><td>28 October 2025</td><td>29 October 2025</td></tr><tr><td>Matchday 3</td><td>31 October 2025</td><td>1 November 2025</td></tr><tr><td>Knockout stage</td><td>Quarter-finals</td><td>No draw</td><td>TBD</td><td>5 and 12 March 2026</td></tr><tr><td>Semi-finals</td><td>7 and 15 April 2026</td><td>9 and 16 April 2026</td></tr><tr><td>Final</td><td>9 May 2026</td></tr></tbody></table>

Preliminary stage

2025–26 AFC Challenge League

The bracket of the preliminary stage was determined based on each team's seeding, with the team with higher seeding hosting the match. Teams from the same association could not be placed into the same tie. The winners of the preliminary stage (five from West and four from East) will advance to the group stage and join the 11 direct entrants.

<table><thead><tr><th>Team 1</th><th>Score</th><th>Team 2</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>West Region</td></tr><tr><td>Dhaka Abahani </td><td>0–2</td><td> Muras United</td></tr><tr><td>Al-Karamah </td><td>0–1</td><td> Bashundhara Kings</td></tr><tr><td>Abdysh-Ata </td><td>5–2</td><td> Hutteen</td></tr><tr><td>Maziya </td><td>0–4</td><td> Al-Arabi</td></tr><tr><td>Paro </td><td>1–0</td><td> Abu Muslim</td></tr><tr><td>East Region</td></tr><tr><td>Tainan City </td><td>4–1</td><td> Khangarid</td></tr><tr><td>SP Falcons </td><td>3–1</td><td> Taichung Futuro</td></tr><tr><td>Yangon United </td><td>1–1 (3–5 p)</td><td> Ezra</td></tr><tr><td>Kasuka </td><td>0–6</td><td> Phnom Penh Crown</td></tr></tbody></table>

Group stage

Group A

<table><thead><tr><th>Pos</th><th>Team</th><th>Pld</th><th>W</th><th>D</th><th>L</th><th>GF</th><th>GA</th><th>GD</th><th>Pts</th><th>Qualification</th><th></th><th>ALS</th><th>ATA</th><th>AAK</th><th>PAR</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1</td><td>Al-Shabab</td><td>3</td><td>3</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>6</td><td>2</td><td>+4</td><td>9</td><td>Advance to Quarter-finals</td><td></td><td></td><td>3–1</td><td>2–1</td><td>1–0</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>Altyn Asyr</td><td>3</td><td>2</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>5</td><td>4</td><td>+1</td><td>6</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>1–0</td><td>3–1</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>Abdysh-Ata Kant</td><td>3</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>2</td><td>4</td><td>6</td><td>−2</td><td>1</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>3–3</td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>Paro (H)</td><td>3</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>2</td><td>4</td><td>7</td><td>−3</td><td>1</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

Group B

<table><thead><tr><th>Pos</th><th>Team</th><th>Pld</th><th>W</th><th>D</th><th>L</th><th>GF</th><th>GA</th><th>GD</th><th>Pts</th><th>Qualification</th><th></th><th>ALK</th><th>ALA</th><th>ASB</th><th>BSK</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1</td><td>Al-Kuwait (H)</td><td>3</td><td>2</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>6</td><td>3</td><td>+3</td><td>7</td><td>Advance to Quarter-finals</td><td></td><td></td><td>3–2</td><td>1–1</td><td>2–0</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>Al-Ansar</td><td>3</td><td>2</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>7</td><td>4</td><td>+3</td><td>6</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>2–1</td><td>3–0</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>Al-Seeb</td><td>3</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>5</td><td>5</td><td>0</td><td>4</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>3–2</td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>Bashundhara Kings</td><td>3</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>3</td><td>2</td><td>8</td><td>−6</td><td>0</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

Group C

<table><thead><tr><th>Pos</th><th>Team</th><th>Pld</th><th>W</th><th>D</th><th>L</th><th>GF</th><th>GA</th><th>GD</th><th>Pts</th><th>Qualification</th><th></th><th>MRU</th><th>AAR</th><th>SSC</th><th>RTT</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1</td><td>Muras United (H)</td><td>3</td><td>1</td><td>2</td><td>0</td><td>3</td><td>1</td><td>+2</td><td>5</td><td>Advance to Quarter-finals</td><td></td><td></td><td>1–1</td><td>2–0</td><td>0–0</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>Al-Arabi</td><td>3</td><td>1</td><td>2</td><td>0</td><td>5</td><td>4</td><td>+1</td><td>5</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>2–2</td><td>2–1</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>Safa</td><td>3</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>4</td><td>5</td><td>−1</td><td>4</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>2–1</td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>Regar-TadAZ Tursunzoda</td><td>3</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>2</td><td>2</td><td>4</td><td>−2</td><td>1</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

Ranking of second-placed teams

<table><thead><tr><th>Pos</th><th>Grp</th><th>Team</th><th>Pld</th><th>W</th><th>D</th><th>L</th><th>GF</th><th>GA</th><th>GD</th><th>Pts</th><th>Qualification</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1</td><td>B</td><td>Al-Ansar</td><td>3</td><td>2</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>7</td><td>4</td><td>+3</td><td>6</td><td>Advance to Quarter-finals</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>A</td><td>Altyn Asyr</td><td>3</td><td>2</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>5</td><td>4</td><td>+1</td><td>6</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>C</td><td>Al-Arabi</td><td>3</td><td>1</td><td>2</td><td>0</td><td>5</td><td>4</td><td>+1</td><td>5</td></tr></tbody></table>

Group D

<table><thead><tr><th>Pos</th><th>Team</th><th>Pld</th><th>W</th><th>D</th><th>L</th><th>GF</th><th>GA</th><th>GD</th><th>Pts</th><th>Qualification</th><th></th><th>SVR</th><th>MDF</th><th>SPF</th><th>EZR</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1</td><td>PKR Svay Rieng (H)</td><td>3</td><td>2</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>8</td><td>2</td><td>+6</td><td>7</td><td>Advance to Quarter-finals</td><td></td><td></td><td>2–2</td><td>3–0</td><td>3–0</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>Manila Digger</td><td>3</td><td>2</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>7</td><td>3</td><td>+4</td><td>7</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>2–0</td><td>3–1</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>SP Falcons</td><td>3</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>2</td><td>3</td><td>6</td><td>−3</td><td>3</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>3–1</td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>Ezra</td><td>3</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>3</td><td>2</td><td>9</td><td>−7</td><td>0</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

Group E

<table><thead><tr><th>Pos</th><th>Team</th><th>Pld</th><th>W</th><th>D</th><th>L</th><th>GF</th><th>GA</th><th>GD</th><th>Pts</th><th>Qualification</th><th></th><th>DUB</th><th>PPC</th><th>TNC</th><th>SNU</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1</td><td>Dewa United Banten (H)</td><td>3</td><td>2</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>9</td><td>2</td><td>+7</td><td>7</td><td>Advance to Quarter-finals</td><td></td><td></td><td>1–1</td><td>4–0</td><td>4–1</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>Phnom Penh Crown</td><td>3</td><td>2</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>7</td><td>4</td><td>+3</td><td>7</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>3–2</td><td>3–1</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>Tainan City</td><td>3</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>2</td><td>4</td><td>8</td><td>−4</td><td>3</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>2–1</td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>Shan United</td><td>3</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>3</td><td>3</td><td>9</td><td>−6</td><td>0</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

Knockout stage

Bracket

<table><thead><tr><th></th><th>Quarter-finals</th><th></th><th></th><th>Semi-finals</th><th></th><th></th><th>Final</th><th></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td></td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td></td><td></td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td></td><td></td><td> </td><td> </td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Al-Ansar</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Muras United</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td>Winner QF1</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>West Region</td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Winner QF2</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Al-Shabab</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Al-Kuwait</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td>Winner SF1</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Winner SF2</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Phnom Penh Crown</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>2</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>PKR Svay Rieng</td><td>4</td><td>2</td><td>6</td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td>PKR Svay Rieng</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>East Region</td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Manila Digger</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Manila Digger</td><td>1</td><td>2</td><td>3</td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Dewa United Banten</td><td>0</td><td>2</td><td>2</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

Quarter-finals

The West regions quarter-finals fixtures were postponed indefinitely by the AFC due to the impacts from the 2026 Iran conflict.

The first legs were originally scheduled to be played on 4 and 5 March, and the second legs played on 11and 12 March 2026.

<table><thead><tr><th>Team 1</th><th>Agg. Tooltip Aggregate score</th><th>Team 2</th><th>1st leg</th><th>2nd leg</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>West Region</td></tr><tr><td>Al Ansar </td><td>QF1</td><td> Muras United</td><td>TBD</td><td>TBD</td></tr><tr><td>Al-Shabab </td><td>QF2</td><td> Al-Kuwait</td><td>TBD</td><td>TBD</td></tr><tr><td>East Region</td></tr><tr><td>Phnom Penh Crown </td><td>2–6</td><td> PKR Svay Rieng</td><td>1–4</td><td>1–2</td></tr><tr><td>Manila Digger </td><td>3–2</td><td> Dewa United Banten</td><td>1–0</td><td>2–1</td></tr></tbody></table>

Semi-finals

The first legs will played on 8–9 April, and the second legs will be played on 15–16 April 2026.

Final

The final is scheduled to take place on 9 May 2025, with the team from the West Region hosting the final. The winners will also qualify for the 2026–27 AFC Champions League Two group stage, unless they have already qualified for the Champions League Two through their league performance.

Top scorers

2025–26 AFC Challenge League

<table><thead><tr><th>Rank</th><th>Player</th><th>Team</th><th>MD1</th><th>MD2</th><th>MD3</th><th>QF1</th><th>QF2</th><th>SF1</th><th>SF2</th><th>F</th><th>Total</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1</td><td>Moses Dyer</td><td>Phnom Penh Crown</td><td>1</td><td>2</td><td>2</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td></td><td>7</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>Kwame Peprah</td><td>PKR Svay Rieng</td><td>2</td><td></td><td>1</td><td>3</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>6</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>Ousman Gai</td><td>Manila Digger</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>2</td><td></td><td>1</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>5</td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>Takashi Odawara</td><td>PKR Svay Rieng</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td></td><td></td><td>2</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>4</td></tr><tr><td>5</td><td>Abdul Aziz Al-Muqbali</td><td>Al-Seeb</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td></td><td>3</td></tr><tr><td>Mohamad Hebous</td><td>Al Ansar</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Riku Ichimura</td><td>Paro</td><td></td><td>1</td><td>2</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Egy Maulana Vikri</td><td>Dewa United Banten</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Alexis Messidoro</td><td>Dewa United Banten</td><td></td><td>2</td><td>1</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>10</td><td>Hatem Al-Rushadi</td><td>Al-Shabab</td><td></td><td></td><td>2</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>2</td></tr><tr><td>Artem Bilyi</td><td>Abdysh-Ata</td><td></td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Tidiane Camara</td><td>Safa</td><td>1</td><td></td><td>1</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Anayo Iwuala</td><td>Al-Arabi</td><td>1</td><td></td><td>1</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Hichem Khalfallah</td><td>Al Ansar</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Kenean Markneh</td><td>Al-Shabab</td><td>1</td><td></td><td>1</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Rahman Myratberdiyew</td><td>Altyn Asyr</td><td></td><td>2</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Yousef Nasser</td><td>Al-Kuwait</td><td>1</td><td></td><td>1</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Patrick Robson</td><td>PKR Svay Rieng</td><td></td><td>1</td><td></td><td>1</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

• Goals scored in the qualifying play-offs and matches voided by AFC are not counted when determining top scorer (Regulations Article 64.4)