2017 AFC Cup knockout stage


The 2017 AFC Cup knockout stage was played from 16 May to 4 November 2017. A total of 11 teams competed in the knockout stage to decide the champions of the 2017 AFC Cup.

Qualified teams

The following teams advanced from the group stage:
Key to colours
Teams which enter the Inter-zone play-off semi-finals
Teams which enter the Zonal semi-finals

ZoneGroupWinnersBest Runners-up
West Asia ZoneA Al-Zawraa Al-Wahda
West Asia ZoneB Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya Al-Wahda
West Asia ZoneC Al-Wehdat Al-Wahda
Central Asia ZoneD Istiklol—
South Asia ZoneE Bengaluru FC—
ASEAN ZoneF Global Cebu Johor Darul Ta'zim
ASEAN ZoneG Ceres–Negros Johor Darul Ta'zim
ASEAN ZoneH Home United Johor Darul Ta'zim
East Asia ZoneI April 25—

Format


In the knockout stage, the 11 teams played a single-elimination tournament, with the teams split into the five zones until the Inter-zone play-off semi-finals. Each tie was played on a home-and-away two-legged basis, except the final which was played as a single match. The away goals rule, extra time and penalty shoot-out were used to decide the winner if necessary.

Schedule

The schedule of each round was as follows. Matches in the West Asia Zone were played on Mondays and Tuesdays, while matches in the ASEAN Zone and the Inter-zone play-offs were played on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Bracket

The bracket of the knockout stage was determined as follows:
RoundMatchups
Zonal semi-finals
;West Asia Zone
  • If best runner-up from Group A
  • *WSF1: Winner Group A vs. Winner Group C
  • *WSF2: Runner-up Group A vs. Winner Group B
  • If best runner-up from Group B
  • *WSF1: Winner Group B vs. Winner Group A
  • *WSF2: Runner-up Group B vs. Winner Group C
  • If best runner-up from Group C
  • *WSF1: Winner Group C vs. Winner Group B
  • *WSF2: Runner-up Group C vs. Winner Group A
;ASEAN Zone
  • If best runner-up from Group F
  • *ASF1: Winner Group F vs. Winner Group H
  • *ASF2: Runner-up Group F vs. Winner Group G
  • If best runner-up from Group G
  • *ASF1: Winner Group G vs. Winner Group F
  • *ASF2: Runner-up Group G vs. Winner Group H
  • If best runner-up from Group H
  • *ASF1: Winner Group H vs. Winner Group G
  • *ASF2: Runner-up Group H vs. Winner Group F
Zonal finals
;West Asia Zone
  • WF: Winner WSF1 vs. Winner WSF2
;ASEAN Zone
  • AF: Winner ASF1 vs. Winner ASF2
Inter-zone play-off semi-finals
  • IZSF1
  • IZSF2
Inter-zone play-off final
  • IZF: Winner IZSF1 vs. Winner IZSF2
Final
  • Winner WF vs. Winner IZF

    • The bracket was decided after the draw for the knockout stage, which was held on 6 June 2017, 15:00 MYT, at the JW Marriott Hotel Kuala Lumpur in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

    Zonal semi-finals


    In the Zonal semi-finals, the four qualified teams from the West Asia Zone played in two ties, and the four qualified teams from the ASEAN Zone played in two ties, with the matchups and order of legs determined by the group stage draw and identity of the best runner-up.

    West Asia Zone

    Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya won 2–1 on aggregate.
    ----
    Al-Wahda won 4–2 on aggregate.

    ASEAN Zone

    Home United won 5–4 on aggregate.
    ----
    4–4 on aggregate. Ceres–Negros won on away goals.

    Zonal finals


    The draw for the Zonal finals was held on 6 June 2017. In the Zonal finals, the two winners of West Asia Zonal semi-finals played each other, and the two winners of ASEAN Zonal semi-finals played each other, with the order of legs decided by draw. The winner of the West Asia Zonal final advanced to the final, while the winner of the ASEAN Zonal final advanced to the Inter-zone play-off semi-finals.

    West Asia Zone

    2–2 on aggregate. Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya won on away goals.

    ASEAN Zone

    Ceres–Negros won 3–2 on aggregate.

    Inter-zone play-off semi-finals


    The draw for the Inter-zone play-off semi-finals was held on 6 June 2017. In the Inter-zone play-off semi-finals, the four zonal winners other than the West Asia Zone played in two ties, i.e., the winner of the Central Asia Zone, the winner of the South Asia Zone, the winner of the East Asia Zone, and the winner of the ASEAN Zonal final, with the matchups and order of legs decided by draw, without any seeding.

    Inter-zone play-off final


    In the Inter-zone play-off final, the two winners of the Inter-zone play-off semi-finals played each other, with the order of legs determined by the Inter-zone play-off semi-final draw. The winner of the Inter-zone play-off final advanced to the final.

    Final


    The draw for the final was held on 6 June 2017. In the final, the winner of the West Asia Zonal final and the winner of the Inter-zone play-off final played each other, with the host team decided by draw.