2019 DRAW MECHANISM Preliminary, Playoff, Group and Round of 16 ACL2019 Draw Mechanism Page 1 of 15
Draw Mechanism: Preliminary and Playoff 1. Entries WEST - Slot Allocation MA Ranking 15 Dec 2017 Member Association Group Preliminary / Playoff 1 United Arab Emirates 3 1 2 Saudi Arabia 3 1 3 Qatar 2 2 4 Islamic Republic of Iran 2 2 5 Uzbekistan 1 2 6 Iraq 1 1 7 Tajikistan 1 8 India 1 9 Syria 1 10 Jordan 1 11 Kuwait 1 12 Bahrain 1 WEST - Club Entries MA Ranking Clubs in Preliminary / Playoff United Arab Emirates 1 AL NASR (UAE) Saudi Arabia 2 AL NASSR (KSA) Qatar 3.1 AL RAYYAN SC (QAT) 3.2 AL GHARAFA SC (QAT) Islamic Republic of Iran 4.1 ZOBAHAN FC (IRN) 4.2 SAIPA FC (IRN)* Uzbekistan 5.1 AGMK FC (UZB) 5.2 PAKHTAKOR (UZB) Iraq 6 AIR FORCE CLUB (IRQ) Tajikistan 7 FC ISTIKLOL (TJK) India 8 MINERVA PUNJAB (IND) Syria 9 (Not eligible - failed in being granted Club License) Jordan 10 AL WEHDAT (JOR) Kuwait 11 KUWAIT SC (KUW) Bahrain 12 (Not eligible - failed in being granted Club License) * The club license is under review ACL2019 Draw Mechanism Page 2 of 15
EAST - Slot Allocation MA Ranking 15 Dec 2017 Member Association Group Preliminary / Playoff 1 Korea Republic 3 1 2 China PR 3 1 3 Japan 2 2 4 Australia** 2 1 5 Thailand 1 2 6 Malaysia 1 1 7 Hong Kong 1 8 Vietnam 1 9 Philippines 1 10 Singapore 1 11 Indonesia 1 12 Myanmar 1 ** Article 5.4 of the Entry Manual applied. EAST - Club Entries MA Ranking Clubs in Preliminary / Playoff Korea Republic 1 KOREA 4 TH CLUB China PR 2 CHINA PR 4 TH CLUB Japan 3.1 JAPAN 3 RD CLUB 3.2 JAPAN 4 TH CLUB Australia 4 NEWCASTLE JETS (AUS) Thailand 5.1 CHIANGRAI UNITED (THA) 5.2 BANGKOK UNITED (THA) Malaysia 6 PERAK (MAS)* Hong Kong 7 KITCHEE SC (HKG) Vietnam 8 HANOI FC (VIE) Philippines 9 CERES NEGROS FC (PHI) Singapore 10 HOME UNITED FC (SIN)* Indonesia 11 INDONESIA 1 ST CLUB Myanmar 12 YANGON UNITED (MYA) * PERAK (MAS) & HOME UNITED FC (SIN) entered into AFC Champions League 2019 Preliminary / Playoff based on Article 12.5 of the Entry Manual. ACL2019 Draw Mechanism Page 3 of 15
2. Principles Country Protection. A club from a higher ranked Member Association (MA) plays at a later stage of the AFC Champions League (ACL) Preliminary / Playoff. Clubs who win all their matches in the Preliminary shall qualify to the Playoff, with victory guaranteeing a place in the Group. Losing clubs from MAs with an ACL Group slot will not participate in the AFC Cup group stage, which is reserved only for losing clubs from MAs with an ACL Preliminary / Playoff slot. If a club from the MA with ACL Preliminary / Playoff slot qualifies for the ACL Group, then the next eligible club (standby club) will take its place in the AFC Cup Group. In the ACL Preliminary and Playoff, a club from the highest ranked MA will play and host the match against a club from the lowest ranked MA. 3. Preliminary and Playoff Schedule Region Date No. PS 1.1 AIR FORCE CLUB (IRQ) Bye WEST Preliminary 1 Tue, 5 Feb 2019 PS 1.2 PS 1.3 FC ISTIKLOL (TJK) MINERVA PUNJAB (IND) Bye Bye PS 1.4 AL WEHDAT (JOR) KUWAIT SC (KUW) Region Date No. PS 2.1 PAKHTAKOR (UZB) AIR FORCE CLUB (IRQ) WEST Preliminary 2 Tue, 12 Feb 2019 PS 2.2 PS 2.3 AGMK FC (UZB) SAIPA FC (IRN) FC ISTIKLOL (TJK) MINERVA PUNJAB (IND) PS 2.4 ZOBAHAN FC (IRN) Winner of PS 1.4 ACL2019 Draw Mechanism Page 4 of 15
Region Date No. PO 1 AL NASR (UAE) Winner of PS 2.1 WEST Playoff Tue, 19 Feb 2019 PO 2 AL NASSR (KSA) Winner of PS 2.2 PO 3 PO 4 AL RAYYAN SC (QAT) AL GHARAFA SC (QAT) Winner of PS 2.3 Winner of PS 2.4 Region EAST Region EAST Region Preliminary 1 Preliminary 2 Date Tue, 5 Feb 2019 Date Tue, 12 Feb 2019 Date No. PS 1.1 PS 1.2 PS 1.3 PS 1.4 No. PS 2.1 PS 2.2 PS 2.3 PS 2.4 No. KITCHEE SC (HKG) HANOI FC (VIE) CERES NEGROS FC (PHI) HOME UNITED FC (SIN) PERAK (MAS) BANGKOK UNITED (THA) CHIANGRAI UNITED (THA) NEWCASTLE JETS (AUS) Bye Bye YANGON UNITED (MYA) INDONESIA 1 ST CLUB KITCHEE SC (HKG) HANOI FC (VIE) Winner of PS 1.3 Winner of PS 1.4 PO 1 KOREA 4 TH CLUB Winner of PS 2.1 EAST Playoff Tue, 19 Feb 2019 PO 2 CHINA PR 4 TH CLUB Winner of PS 2.2 PO 3 JAPAN 3 RD CLUB Winner of PS 2.3 PO 4 JAPAN 4 TH CLUB Winner of PS 2.4 ACL2019 Draw Mechanism Page 5 of 15
Draw Mechanism: Group 1. Entries Region MA 1 st Club 2 nd Club 3 rd Club WEST United Arab Emirates Saudi Arabia Qatar Islamic Republic of Iran Uzbekistan Iraq * The club license is under review AL AIN FC (UAE) AL WAHDA FSCC (UAE) AL WASL FC (UAE) AL HILAL SFC AL ITTIHAD AL AHLI SAUDI FC (KSA) (KSA) (KSA) AL DUHAIL SC AL SADD SC (QAT)* (QAT) - PERSEPOLIS FC ESTEGHLAL FC (IRN)* (IRN)* - PFC LOKOMOTIV (UZB) - - AL ZAWRAA CLUB (IRQ) - - Winner of Playoff 1 (West) Winner of Playoff 2 (West) Winner of Playoff 3 (West) Winner of Playoff 4 (West) Region MA 1 st Club 2 nd Club 3 rd Club EAST Korea Republic China PR Japan Australia Thailand Malaysia JEONBUK HYUNDAI MOTORS FC (KOR) SHANGHAI SIPG (CHN) KAWASAKI FRONTALE (JPN) SYDNEY FC (AUS) KOREA 2 ND CLUB CHINA 2 ND CLUB KOREA 3 RD CLUB GUANGZHOU EVERGRANDE FC (CHN) JAPAN 2 ND CLUB - MELBOURNE VICTORY (AUS) BURIRAM UNITED (THA) - - JOHOR DARUL TA'ZIM (MAS) - - Winner of Playoff 1 (East) Winner of Playoff 2 (East) Winner of Playoff 3 (East) Winner of Playoff 4 (East) ACL2019 Draw Mechanism Page 6 of 15 -
2. Draw Principles - Group A, B, C, D (West) - Group E, F, G, H (East) Country Protection shall apply. Wherever possible, highest ranked MAs with the same number of slots will be drawn: o o West draw is not possible due to country protection (all available slots utilised by respective MAs with direct slots); East draw is possible. NEW - Clubs from MAs ranked 1-4 in each Geographical Ranking will be allocated into respective MA pots and then drawn into reserved slots. o o The winners of Playoffs will be identified with different coloured balls then drawn, wherever possible, or placed into reserved slots for country protection. Clubs from MAs ranked 5-6 in each Geographical Ranking will be placed into next available slots accordingly. Implementation of Double Date System (Mon/Tue for West, Tue/Wed for East) to secure maximum coverage to the matches for spectators and TV. Each club will play three matches on Mon/Tue for West and Tue/Wed for East. Clubs which share the stadium will not play its home matches on the same day. Avoid more than two (2) matches playing in same day in the same country/city, wherever possible. 3. Draw Mechanism West a) Draw Pots: Four (4) Club Pots for Clubs from MAs ranked 1-4 in the Geographical Ranking b) Procedure: (MAs in accordance to the AFC Club Competitions Ranking) United Arab Emirates (3 clubs) AL AIN FC (UAE), AL WAHDA FSCC (UAE), AL WASL FC (UAE) + Winner of Playoff 1 (West) as country protection Saudi Arabia (3 clubs) AL HILAL SFC (KSA), AL ITTIHAD (KSA), AL AHLI SAUDI FC (KSA) + Winner of Playoff 2 (West) as country protection Qatar (2 clubs) AL DUHAIL SC (QAT)*, AL SADD SC (QAT) + Winner of Playoff 3 (West) & Winner of Playoff 4 (West) as country protection Islamic Republic of Iran (2 clubs) PERSEPOLIS FC (IRN)* and ESTEGHLAL FC (IRN)* ACL2019 Draw Mechanism Page 7 of 15
Club Pots (in accordance to the AFC Club Competitions Ranking): UAE1 UAE2 UAE3 W PO1 KSA1 KSA2 KSA3 W PO2 QAT1 QAT2 W PO3 W PO4 IRN1 IRN2 c) Club Labels: Two (2) labels from MAs ranked 5-6 in the Geographical Ranking Uzbekistan (1 club) PFC LOKOMOTIV (UZB) Iraq (1 club) AL ZAWRAA CLUB (IRQ) Simulation West Pos. Group A Group B Group C Group D 1 1 UAE 5 KSA 9 QAT 13 IRN 2 16 IRQ 2 UAE 6 KSA 10 QAT 3 4 11 - (PO3 or 4) QAT/IRN/IND or QAT/IRN/JOR/KUW 8 - (PO2) KSA/UZB/TJK 15 UZB 3 UAE 7 KSA 12 - (PO3 or 4) QAT/IRN/JOR/KUW or QAT/IRN/IND 14 IRN 4 - (PO1) UAE/UZB/IRQ d) Order of Draw i) 1st drawn club from POT1 (UAE) will go to position A1, 2nd and 3rd drawn clubs will go to position B2 and C3 while the winner of Playoffs 1 will be placed into position D4 respectively. 1 1 A B C D 2 2 3 3 4 4 ACL2019 Draw Mechanism Page 8 of 15
ii) 1st drawn club from POT2 (KSA) will go to position B1, 2nd and 3rd drawn clubs will go to position C2 and D3 while the winner of Playoffs 2 will be placed into position A4 respectively. A B C D 1 1 5 2 2 6 3 3 7 4 8 4 iii) 1st drawn club from POT3 (QAT) will go to position C1, 2nd drawn in D2 while the winner of Playoffs 3 and 4 will be drawn into position A3 and B4. A B C D 1 1 5 9 2 2 6 10 3 11 3 7 4 8 12 4 iv) 1st drawn club from POT4 (IRN) will go to position D1 while 2nd drawn clubs will go to position C4 respectively. A B C D 2 2 6 10 3 11 3 7 4 8 12 14 4 v) Based on draw principles, Uzbekistan league champion will go to the remaining available position in B3 while Iraq league champion will go to position A2 accordingly. A B C D 2 16 2 6 10 3 11 15 3 7 4 8 12 14 4 ACL2019 Draw Mechanism Page 9 of 15
4. Draw Mechanism East a) Draw Pots: Four (4) Club Pots for Clubs from MAs ranked 1-4 in the Geographical Ranking b) Procedure: (MAs in accordance to the AFC Club Competitions Ranking) Korea Republic (3 clubs) JEONBUK HYUNDAI MOTORS FC (KOR), KOREA 2 ND CLUB, KOREA 3 RD CLUB + Winner of Playoff 1 (East) as country protection China PR (3 clubs) SHANGHAI SIPG (CHN), CHINA 2 ND CLUB, GUANGZHOU EVERGRANDE FC (CHN) + Winner of Playoff 2 (East) as country protection Japan (2 clubs) KAWASAKI FRONTALE (JPN), JAPAN 2 ND CLUB + Winner of Playoff 3 (East) & Winner of Playoff 4 (East) as country protection Australia (2 clubs) SYDNEY FC (AUS) and MELBOURNE VICTORY (AUS) Country Pot (in alphabetical order): CHINA PR KOREA REPUBLIC Club Pots (in accordance to the AFC Club Competitions Ranking): KOR1 KOR2 KOR3 E PO1 CHN1 CHN2 CHN3 E PO2 JPN1 JPN2 E PO3 E PO4 AUS1 AUS2 c) Club Labels: Two (2) labels each from MAs ranked 5-6 in the Geographical Ranking Thailand (1 club) BURIRAM UNITED (THA) Malaysia (1 club) JOHOR DARUL TA'ZIM (MAS) ACL2019 Draw Mechanism Page 10 of 15
Simulation East scenario 1 (if KOR comes first) Pos. Group E Group F Group G Group H 1 1 KOR 5 CHN 9 JPN 13 AUS 2 16 MAS 2 KOR 6 CHN 10 JPN 3 4 12 (PO4) JPN/AUS/SIN/IDN 8 (PO2) CHN/THA/VIE 14 AUS 3 KOR 7 CHN 11 (PO3) JPN/THA/PHI/MYA 15 THA 4 (PO1) KOR/MAS/HKG Simulation East scenario 2.1 (if CHN comes first and then PO3 in Group E) Pos. Group E Group F Group G Group H 1 1 CHN 5 KOR 9 JPN 13 AUS 2 14 AUS 2 CHN 6 KOR 10 JPN 3 4 11 (PO3 or 4) po3 JPN/THA/PHI/MYA 8 (PO1) KOR/MAS/HKG 15 THA 3 CHN 7 KOR 12 (PO3 or 4) po4 JPN/AUS/SIN/IDN 16 MAS 4 (PO2) CHN/THA/VIE Simulation East scenario 2.2 (if CHN comes first and then PO4 in Group E) Pos. Group E Group F Group G Group H 1 1 CHN 5 KOR 9 JPN 13 AUS 2 15 THA 2 CHN 6 KOR 10 JPN 3 4 11 (PO3 or 4) PO4 JPN/AUS/SIN/IDN 8 (PO1) KOR/MAS/HKG 14 AUS 3 CHN 7 KOR 12 (PO3 or 4) PO3 JPN/THA/PHI/MYA 16 MAS 4 (PO2) CHN/THA/VIE d) Order of Draw East scenario 1 (KOR comes first from Country Pot) i) 1st club drawn from POT1 (KOR) will go to position E1, 2nd and 3rd drawn into F2 and G3 while the winner of Playoffs 1 will be placed into position H4 respectively. ACL2019 Draw Mechanism Page 11 of 15
1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 ii) 1st drawn club from POT2 (CHN) will go to position F1, 2nd and 3rd drawn clubs will go to position G2 and H3 while the winner of Playoffs 2 will be placed into position E4 respectively. 1 1 5 2 2 6 3 3 7 4 8 4 iii) 1st drawn club from POT3 (JPN) will go to position G1, 2nd club drawn will go to position H2 while the winners of Playoffs 3 and 4 will be placed into position F4 and E3 respectively, based on the draw principles. 1 1 5 9 2 2 6 10 3 12 3 7 4 8 11 4 iv) 1st drawn club from POT4 (AUS) will go to position H1 while 2nd drawn into F3 respectively. 2 2 6 10 3 12 14 3 7 4 8 11 4 v) Based on draw principles, Thailand league champion will go to the remaining available position in G4 while Malaysia league champion will go E2 accordingly. 2 16 2 6 10 3 12 14 3 7 4 8 11 15 4 ACL2019 Draw Mechanism Page 12 of 15
East scenario 2 (CHN comes first from Country Pot) i) 1st drawn club from POT2 (CHN) will go to position E1, 2nd and 3rd drawn clubs will go to position F2 and G3 while the winner of Playoffs 2 will be placed into position H4 respectively. 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 ii) 1st drawn club from POT1 (KOR) will go to position F1, 2nd and 3rd drawn clubs will go to position G2 and H3 while the winner of Playoffs 1 will be placed into position E4 respectively. 1 1 5 2 2 6 3 3 7 4 8 4 iii) 1st drawn club from POT3 (JPN) will go to position G1, 2nd drawn clubs will go to position H2 while the winners of Playoffs 3 and 4 will be drawn into position E3 and F4. 1 1 5 9 2 2 6 10 3 11 3 7 4 8 12 4 East scenario 2.1 (CHN comes first from Country Pot and then PO3 winner in Group E) iv) 1st club drawn from POT4 (AUS) will go to position H1 while the 2nd drawn will go to position E2. 2 14 2 6 10 3 11 3 7 4 8 12 4 ACL2019 Draw Mechanism Page 13 of 15
v) Based on draw principles, Thailand league champion will go to the remaining available position in F3 while Malaysia league champion will go to position G4 accordingly. 2 14 2 6 10 3 11 15 3 7 4 8 12 16 4 East scenario 2.2 (CHN comes first from Country Pot and then PO4 winner in Group E) vi) 1st drawn club from POT4 (AUS) will go to position H1 while 2nd drawn clubs will go to position F3 respectively. 2 2 6 10 3 11 14 3 7 4 8 12 4 vii) Based on draw principles, Thailand league champion will go to the remaining available position in E2 while Malaysia league champion will go to position G4 accordingly. 2 15 2 6 10 3 11 14 3 7 4 8 12 16 4 ACL2019 Draw Mechanism Page 14 of 15
Knockout : Round of 16 Principles (Home & Away) Group runner-up will host the 1st leg and group winners will host the 2nd Leg of respective Round of 16 matches. NEW - From the 2019 season, clubs from the groups which play Group MD6 on the same day (i.e. Group A & Group B, etc.) will play against each other in the Round of 16 for sporting and fair scheduling reasons. If Clubs sharing the same stadium are the winners or runner-ups of the group, the AFC General Secretariat will make a final decision on the date of matches at the later stage. Schedule ROUND 1 st Leg Region Date Day 17 June 2019 Mon Group A Runner-up Group B Winner WEST 17 June 2019 Mon Group B Runner-up Group A Winner 18 June 2019 Tue Group C Runner-up Group D Winner 18 June 2019 Tue Group D Runner-up Group C Winner 18 June 2019 Tue Group E Runner-up Group F Winner EAST 18 June 2019 Tue Group F Runner-up Group E Winner 19 June 2019 Wed Group G Runner-up Group H Winner 19 June 2019 Wed Group H Runner-up Group G Winner ROUND OF 16 2 nd Leg Region Date Day 24 June 2019 Mon Group B Winner Group A Runner-up WEST 24 June 2019 Mon Group A Winner Group B Runner-up 25 June 2019 Tue Group D Winner Group C Runner-up 25 June 2019 Tue Group C Winner Group D Runner-up 25 June 2019 Tue Group F Winner Group E Runner-up EAST 25 June 2019 Tue Group E Winner Group F Runner-up 26 June 2019 Wed Group H Winner Group G Runner-up 26 June 2019 Wed Group G Winner Group H Runner-up ACL2019 Draw Mechanism Page 15 of 15