The 2022 AFC Champions League group stage was played from 15 April to 1 May 2022 for the East Region and from 7 to 27 April 2022 for the West Region.[1] A total of 40 teams competed in the group stage to decide the 16 places in the knockout stage of the 2022 AFC Champions League.[2]
Draw
The draw for the group stage was held on 17 January 2022 at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The 40 teams were drawn into ten groups of four: five groups each in the West Region (Groups A–E) and the East Region (Groups F–J). 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, in consideration of the technical balance between groups. Teams from the same association could not be drawn into the same group.
The following 40 teams entered into the group stage draw, which included the 33 direct entrants and the seven winners of the play-off round of the qualifying play-offs, whose identity was not known at the time of the draw.
Format
In the group stage, each group was played in a double round-robin format in centralised venues. The winners of each group and three best runners-up from each region advanced to the round of 16 of the knockout stage.
Tiebreakers
The teams were ranked according to points (3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss). If tied on points, tiebreakers were applied in the following order (Regulations Article 8.3):[2]
- Points in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
- Goal difference in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
- Goals scored in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
Away goals scored in head-to-head matches among tied teams; (not applicable since the matches were played in a centralised venue)- If more than two teams were tied, and after applying all head-to-head criteria above, a subset of teams were still tied, all head-to-head criteria above were reapplied exclusively to this subset of teams;
- Goal difference in all group matches;
- Goals scored in all group matches;
- Penalty shoot-out if only two teams playing each other in the last round of the group are tied;
- Disciplinary points (yellow card = 1 point, red card as a result of two yellow cards = 3 points, direct red card = 3 points, yellow card followed by direct red card = 4 points);
- Association ranking.
Schedule
The schedule for each match day was as follows.[4]
Centralised venues
On 16 February 2022, AFC confirmed hosts for the East group stage.[5] On 3 March 2022, AFC confirmed hosts for the West group stage.[6]
Groups
Group A
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Notes:
- ^ a b Equal on head-to-head points. Head-to-head goal difference: Al-Hilal +1, Al-Rayyan –1.
Group B
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Notes:
- ^ a b Head-to-head points: Mumbai City 6, Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya 0.
Group C
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
Group D
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Notes:
- ^ a b Head-to-head points: Al-Taawoun 4, Sepahan 1.
Group E
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Notes:
- ^ a b Head-to-head points: Al-Faisaly 4, Nasaf Qarshi 1.
Group F
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
Notes:
- ^ a b Head-to-head points: Daegu FC 4, Urawa Red Diamonds 1.
Group G
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Group H
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Group I
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Group J
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Ranking of second-placed teams
West Region
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Disciplinary points; 5) Drawing of lots.
East Region
As Group J only had three teams remaining, the results against fourth-placed teams in Groups F–I were omitted in this ranking.[7]
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Disciplinary points; 5) Drawing of lots.
Notes
- ^ a b The first-seeded teams of the associations ranked 5th were seeded in the same pot as the play-off winners in consideration of technical balance.
- ^ Al-Gharafa was seeded in Pot 4 after being given a bye into the group stage.
- ^ The teams which entered the group stage due to slot reallocation were seeded according to the teams they replace.
- ^ Shanghai Port withdrew from the competition due to travel restrictions as a result of the recent lockdown measures enforced in Shanghai due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[3]
References
- ^ "AFC Competitions Calendar 2022" (PDF). the-afc.com. Asian Football Confederation. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2022-01-13. Retrieved 2022-01-11.
- ^ a b "AFC Champions League 2022 Competition Regulations" (PDF). the-afc.com. Asian Football Confederation.
- ^ "Latest update on the AFC Champions League 2022". the-AFC.com. Asian Football Confederation. 11 April 2022. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
- ^ "Latest update on the AFC Champions League 2022". the-AFC.com. Asian Football Confederation. 13 January 2022. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
- ^ "Centralised hosts for the AFC Champions League 2022 East Group Stage matches confirmed". the-afc.com. Asian Football Confederation. 16 February 2022.
- ^ "AFC Champions League 2022 (West) Group Stage to be held in Saudi Arabia". the-afc.com. Asian Football Confederation. 3 March 2022.
- ^ a b "Latest update on the AFC Champions League 2022™". the-AFC.com. Asian Football Confederation. 11 April 2022. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
External links
