2018 AFC Cup knockout stage


The 2018 AFC Cup knockout stage was played from 7 May to 27 October 2018. A total of 11 teams competed in the knockout stage to decide the champions of the 2018 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-Jazeera Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya
West Asia ZoneB Al-Ahed Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya
West Asia ZoneC Al-Faisaly Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya
Central Asia ZoneD Altyn Asyr—
South Asia ZoneE Bengaluru—
ASEAN ZoneF Home United Ceres–Negros
ASEAN ZoneG Yangon United Ceres–Negros
ASEAN ZoneH Persija Jakarta Ceres–Negros
East Asia ZoneI April 25—

Format


In the knockout stage, the 11 teams played a single-elimination tournament. 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 runners-up from Group A
  • *WSF1: Winner Group A vs. Winner Group C
  • *WSF2: Runner-up Group A vs. Winner Group B
  • If best runners-up from Group B
  • *WSF1: Winner Group B vs. Winner Group A
  • *WSF2: Runner-up Group B vs. Winner Group C
  • If best runners-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 runners-up from Group F
  • *ASF1: Winner Group F vs. Winner Group H
  • *ASF2: Runner-up Group F vs. Winner Group G
  • If best runners-up from Group G
  • *ASF1: Winner Group G vs. Winner Group F
  • *ASF2: Runner-up Group G vs. Winner Group H
  • If best runners-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 Zonal finals and the Inter-zone play-off semi-finals, which was held on 23 May 2018, 15:00 MYT, at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

    Zonal semi-finals

    Summary


    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 the identity of the best runners-up.

    West Asia Zone

    Al-Jazeera won 2–1 on aggregate.
    ----
    Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya won 5–3 on aggregate.

    ASEAN Zone

    Home United won 6–3 on aggregate.
    ----
    Ceres–Negros won 6–5 on aggregate.

    Zonal finals

    Summary


    The draw for the Zonal finals was held on 23 May 2018. 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 winners of the West Asia Zonal final advanced to the final, while the winners of the ASEAN Zonal final advanced to the Inter-zone play-off semi-finals.

    West Asia Zone

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

    ASEAN Zone

    Home United won 3–1 on aggregate.

    Inter-zone play-off semi-finals

    Summary


    The draw for the Inter-zone play-off semi-finals was held on 23 May 2018. 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 winners of the Central Asia Zone, the winners of the South Asia Zone, the winners of the East Asia Zone, and the winners of the ASEAN Zonal final, with the matchups and order of legs decided by draw, without any seeding.

    Matches

    April 25 won 11–1 on aggregate.
    ----
    Altyn Asyr won 5–2 on aggregate.

    Inter-zone play-off final

    Summary


    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 winners of the Inter-zone play-off final advanced to the final.

    Matches

    3–3 on aggregate. Altyn Asyr won on away goals.

    Final


    In the final, the winners of the West Asia Zonal final and the winners of the Inter-zone play-off final played each other, with the host team alternated from the previous season's final.