AFC Challenge League

Annual third tier Asian club football competition

Not to be confused with AFC Challenge Cup.

Football tournament

AFC Challenge League

Organising body| AFC
Founded| 2005; 20 years ago (2005) (as AFC President's Cup)
2024; 1 year ago (2024) (relaunched as AFC Challenge League)
Region| Asia
Number of teams| 18 (group stage)
Qualifier for| AFC Champions League Two
Related competitions| AFC Champions League Elite (1st tier)
AFC Champions League Two (2nd tier)
Current champions|  Arkadag (1st title)
Most successful club(s)|  Regar TadAZ
(3 titles)
Website| AFC Challenge League at the-afc.com
2025–26 AFC Challenge League

The AFC Challenge League (previously known as the AFC President's Cup, abbreviated as ACGL) is an annual third-tier continental club football competition organised by the Asian Football Confederation. The competition is played among clubs from nations that did not receive direct qualifying slots to the top-tier AFC Champions League Elite or the second-tier AFC Champions League Two, based on the AFC club competitions ranking.

The 2024–25 season marked its inaugural edition in the new format. The winner of the AFC Challenge League gets a direct spot in the group stage of the next season's AFC Champions League Two, if they have not already qualified through domestic performance.

## History

[edit]

Season | Winners

|

AFC President's Cup
2005 |  Regar TadAZ
2006 |  Dordoi-Dynamo
2007 |  Dordoi-Dynamo (2)
2008 |  Regar TadAZ (2)
2009 |  Regar TadAZ (3)
2010 |  Yadanarbon
2011 |  Taipower
2012 |  Istiklol
2013 |  Balkan
2014 |  HTTU Aşgabat
AFC Challenge League
2024–25 |  Arkadag

The AFC President's Cup was founded in 2005 as a third tier competition so that clubs from lower-ranked AFC member nations could participate in continental competition.[1]

On 25 November 2013, the AFC Competitions Committee proposed the year of 2014 to be the last edition of the President's Cup.[2] Starting from 2015, league champions of emerging countries were eligible to participate in the AFC Cup qualifying play-offs.[1]

The last edition in 2014 saw HTTU Aşgabat defeat North Korean side Rimyongsu 2–1, becoming the second consecutive team from Turkmenistan to win the competition.

On 23 December 2022, it was announced that the AFC competition structure would change from the established formats from the 2024–25 season. A new third-tier tournament called the AFC Challenge League would be introduced.[3][4][5]

On 24 May 2024, AFC announced that the records and statistics from the defunct AFC President's Cup were recognised as predecessor competition and integrated with the data of the AFC Challenge League.[6]

## Format

[edit]

The AFC President's Cup trophy

Qualification to the competition initially was for clubs from AFC-affiliated countries which fall into the AFC's emerging nations category as laid out in their Vision Asia document.

Between 8 and 12 clubs participated in each edition of the competition. From 2005 to 2007, 8 clubs were placed in the two groups of 4. The winners and runners up would advance to the semi-final stage. All the matches were held in a single host country.

From 2008 to 2010, the tournament was increased to 11 clubs. A qualification round was created and clubs were split into three groups. Each group was played in a different country. The three group winners and the best ranked runner up qualified for the final stage.

From 2011 to 2014, the tournament was increased to 12 clubs. In the qualification round, there were three groups of 4 clubs. The group winners and runners up qualified for the final stage. These 6 clubs were broken into two groups of 3. The top clubs of each group qualified for the final.[7]

In November 2013 the AFC announced that the 2014 AFC President's Cup would be the last edition of the tournament.[8] Starting from 2015, league champions of "emerging countries" are eligible to participate in the AFC Cup qualifying play-off.[9] The qualifying round for the 2016 AFC Cup, with similar format to the AFC President's Cup (without final stage), was held in August 2015, which qualified two clubs to the AFC Cup play-offs.[10]

After the rebrand in 2024, the new format comprised 18 participating clubs divided into four groups for the inaugural season. The clubs compete in single-leg centralized format, with the top eight qualifying for the quarter-finals. The quarter and semi-finals are played over two legs, before the coveted final is staged over a single-leg contest.[11][12]

## Prize money

[edit]

Starting with the 2024–25 season, the distribution of the prize money is as follows:[13]

Round  | Teams  | Amount

|
|

Per team  | Total
Final (Champions)  | 1  | $1 million
Final (Runners-up)  | 1  | $500,000
Semi-finals  | 4  | $120,000  | $480,000
Quarter-finals  | 8  | $80,000  | $640,000
Group stage  | 18  | $100,000  | $1,800,000
Total  | 18  | $4,420,000

## Records and statistics

[edit]

Main article: AFC President's Cup and AFC Challenge League records and statistics

### List of finals

[edit]

Key  †  | Match won after extra time

|

*  | Match won after a penalty shoot-out

* The "Season" column refers to the season during which the competition was held, and links to the article about that season.

List of AFC President's Cup and AFC Challenge League finals[14] Season  | Winners  | Score  | Runners-up | Venue  | Attendance  | Ref.

|
|
|
|
|
|

AFC President's Cup (2005–2014)
2005 |  Regar-TadAZ | 3–0 |  Dordoi-Dynamo | Dashrath Stadium, Kathmandu, Nepal  | 8,000  | [15]
2006 |  Dordoi-Dynamo | 2–1† |  Vakhsh | Sarawak Stadium, Kuching, Malaysia  | 500  | [16]
2007 |  Dordoi-Dynamo | 2–1 |  Mahendra Police Club | Punjab Stadium, Lahore, Pakistan  | 2,000  | [17]
2008 |  Regar-TadAZ | 1–1*[a] |  Dordoi-Dynamo | Spartak Stadium, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan  | 10,000  | [18]
2009 |  Regar-TadAZ | 2–0 |  Dordoi-Dynamo | Metallurg Stadium, Tursunzoda, Tajikistan  | 10,000  | [19]
2010 |  Yadanarbon | 1–0† |  Dordoi-Dynamo | Thuwunna Stadium, Yangon, Myanmar  | 23,720  | [20]
2011 |  Taiwan Power Company | 3–2 |  Phnom Penh Crown | National Stadium, Kaohsiung, Taiwan  | 3,238  | [21]
2012 |  Istiklol | 2–1 |  Markaz Shabab Al-Am'ari | Central Republican Stadium, Dushanbe, Tajikistan  | 19,323  | [22]
2013 |  Balkan | 1–0 |  KRL | Hang Jebat Stadium, Malacca, Malaysia  | 578  | [23]
2014 |  HTTU Aşgabat | 2–1 |  Rimyongsu | Sugathadasa Stadium, Colombo, Sri Lanka  | 200  | [24]
AFC Challenge League (2024–present)
2024–25 |  Arkadag | 2–1† |  Svay Rieng | Morodok Techo National Stadium, Phnom Penh, Cambodia  | 51,610  | [25]

### Performance by club

[edit]

Performance in the AFC President's Cup and AFC Challenge League by club  Club  | Title(s)  | Runners-up | Years won  | Years runner-up

|
|
|
|

Regar-TadAZ | 3  | 0  | 2005, 2008, 2009 | —
Dordoi Bishkek | 2  | 4  | 2006, 2007 | 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010
Yadanarbon | 1  | 0  | 2010 | —
Taiwan Power
Company | 1  | 0  | 2011 | —
Istiklol | 1  | 0  | 2012 | —
Nebitçi | 1  | 0  | 2013 | —
Ýedigen | 1  | 0  | 2014 | —
Arkadag | 1  | 0  | 2024–25 | —
Khatlon | 0  | 1  | —  | 2006
Nepal Police | 0  | 1  | —  | 2007
Phnom Penh Crown | 0  | 1  | —  | 2011
Markaz Shabab Al-Am'ari | 0  | 1  | —  | 2012
KRL | 0  | 1  | —  | 2013
Rimyongsu | 0  | 1  | —  | 2014
Svay Rieng | 0  | 1  | —  | 2024–25

### Performance by nation

[edit]

Performance in finals by nation  Nation  | Winners  | Runners-up | Total

|
|
|

Tajikistan | 4  | 1  | 5
Turkmenistan | 3  | 0  | 3
Kyrgyzstan | 2  | 4  | 6
Chinese Taipei | 1  | 0  | 1
Myanmar | 1  | 0  | 1
Cambodia | 0  | 2  | 2
Nepal | 0  | 1  | 1
North Korea | 0  | 1  | 1
Pakistan | 0  | 1  | 1
Palestine | 0  | 1  | 1

### Performance by coach

[edit]

Coach  | Club  | Winners

|
|

Makhmadjon Khabibulloev |  Regar TadAZ | 2005, 2008, 2009
Boris Podkorytov |  Dordoi-Dinamo | 2006, 2007
U Zaw Lay Aung |  Yadanarbon | 2010
Nikola Kavazović |  Istiklol | 2012
Chen Kuei-jen |  Taiwan Power Company | 2011
Rahym Kurbanmämmedow |  Balkan | 2013
Begench Garayev |  HTTU Aşgabat | 2014
Akhmet Allaberdiyev |  Arkadag | 2024–25

## Awards

[edit]

### Top scorers

[edit]

Season  | Player(s)  | Club(s)  | Goals

|
|
|

2005 |  Dudley Steinwall |  Blue Star SC | 4
Hok Sochetra |  Hello United
Khurshed Mahmudov |  Regar-TadAZ
Dzhomikhon Mukhidinov |  Regar-TadAZ
2006 |  Chuang Yao-tsung |  Tatung | 5
Roman Kornilov |  Dordoi-Dynamo
2007 |  Channa Ediri Bandanage |  Ratnam Sports Club | 6
2008 |  Thi Ha Kyaw |  Kanbawza | 6
2009 |  Soe Min Oo |  Kanbawza | 6
2010 |  Rustam Usmonov |  Vakhsh Qurghonteppa | 5
2011 |  Ho Ming-tsan |  Taipower | 6
2012 |  Mirlan Murzayev |  Dordoi Bishkek | 8
2013 |  Mirlan Murzayev |  Dordoi Bishkek | 9
2014 |  Suleyman Muhadow |  HTTU Aşgabat | 11
2024–25 |  Altymyrat Annadurdyýew |  Arkadag | 5

### Best player

[edit]

Season  | Player  | Club

|
|

2005 | N/A  | N/A
2006 | N/A  | N/A
2007 |  Valery Kashuba |  Dordoi-Dynamo
2008 | N/A  | N/A
2009 |  Khurshed Mahmudov |  Regar-TadAZ
2010 |  Mirlan Murzayev |  Dordoi-Dynamo
2011 |  Chen Po-liang |  Taipower
2012 |  Alisher Tuychiev |  Istiklol
2013 |  Amir Gurbani |  Balkan
2014 |  Suleyman Muhadow |  HTTU Asgabat
2024–25 |  Şanazar Tirkişow |  Arkadag

### Top goalscorers

[edit]

Rank  | Player  | Club(s)  | Goals

|
|
|

1  |  Mirlan Murzaev | Dordoi Bishkek | 19
2  |  David Tetteh | Dordoi Bishkek | 12
3  |  Khurshed Makhmudov | Regar-TadAZ | 11
Suleyman Muhadow | HTTU
5  |  Amir Gurbani | Aşgabat
Balkan | 10
Channa Ediri Bandanage | Ratnam
Ibrahim Rabimov | Regar-TadAZ
Istiklol
8  |  Kaleemullah Khan | KRL | 9
9  |  Arslanmyrat Amanow | Aşgabat
HTTU | 8
Yan Paing | Yadanarbon
Ju Manu Rai | Nepal Police

## See also

[edit]

* AFC President's Cup and AFC Challenge League records and statistics
* AFC Champions League Elite
* AFC Champions League Two

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ The score was 1–1 after 90 minutes and extra time. Regar TadAZ won the penalty shoot-out 4–3.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "AFC President's Cup: The end of a glorious journey". the-AFC.com. Asian Football Confederation. Archived from the original on 18 August 2018. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
2. ^ "ACL: East vs West final proposed". the-AFC.com. Asian Football Confederation. 25 November 2013. Archived from the original on 15 November 2018. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
3. ^ "AFC Competitions Committee recommends strategic reforms to elevate Asian club football". the-AFC.com. Asian Football Confederation. Archived from the original on 24 December 2022. Retrieved 24 December 2022.
4. ^ "AFC Executive Committee approves biggest prize purse in Asian club football history from 2024/25; announces AFC Women's Champions League". the-AFC.com. Asian Football Confederation. 14 August 2023. Archived from the original on 30 January 2024. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
5. ^ "AFC Club Competitions 2024/25 Slot Allocation" (PDF). FAS.org.sg. Football Association of Singapore. Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 October 2023. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
6. ^ "Pivotal reforms approved by AFC Competitions Committee". the-AFC.com. Asian Football Confederation. 24 May 2024. Archived from the original on 24 May 2024. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
7. ^ "AFC Competitions Committee meeting". Archived from the original on 2018-08-18. Retrieved 2009-11-24.
8. ^ "ACL: East vs West final proposed". The-afc.com. 2013-11-25. Archived from the original on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2013-11-25.
9. ^ "AFC President's Cup: The end of a glorious journey". AFC. 26 July 2014. Archived from the original on 18 August 2018. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
10. ^ "Stage set for 2016 AFC Cup play-off qualifiers". AFC. 29 June 2015. Archived from the original on 3 July 2015. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
11. ^ "AFC Competitions Committee recommends strategic reforms to elevate Asian club football". theAFC.com. Archived from the original on 24 December 2022. Retrieved 24 December 2022.
12. ^ "Pivotal reforms approved by AFC Competitions Committee". the-AFC. Archived from the original on 2024-05-24. Retrieved 2024-05-24.
13. ^ The AFC Hub (2024-06-19). AFC Challenge League™ 2024/25. Archived from the original on 2024-06-20. Retrieved 2024-06-20 – via YouTube.
14. ^ "AFC Cup and Presidents Cup". rsssf. Retrieved 2022-12-12.
15. ^ "AFC President's Cup 2005 - Results, fixtures, tables and stats - Global Sports Archive". globalsportsarchive.com.
16. ^ "AFC President's Cup 2006 - Results, fixtures, tables and stats - Global Sports Archive". globalsportsarchive.com.
17. ^ "AFC President's Cup 2007 - Results, fixtures, tables and stats - Global Sports Archive". globalsportsarchive.com.
18. ^ "AFC President's Cup 2008 - Results, fixtures, tables and stats - Global Sports Archive". globalsportsarchive.com.
19. ^ "AFC President's Cup 2009 - Results, fixtures, tables and stats - Global Sports Archive". globalsportsarchive.com.
20. ^ "AFC President's Cup 2010 - Results, fixtures, tables and stats - Global Sports Archive". globalsportsarchive.com.
21. ^ "AFC President's Cup 2011 - Results, fixtures, tables and stats - Global Sports Archive". globalsportsarchive.com.
22. ^ "AFC President's Cup 2012 - Results, fixtures, tables and stats - Global Sports Archive". globalsportsarchive.com.
23. ^ "AFC President's Cup 2013 - Results, fixtures, tables and stats - Global Sports Archive". globalsportsarchive.com.
24. ^ "AFC President's Cup 2014 - Results, fixtures, tables and stats - Global Sports Archive". globalsportsarchive.com.
25. ^ "Match Report of Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng FC vs Arkadag FK - 2025-05-10 - AFC Challenge League". GlobalSportsArchive.com. 10 May 2025. Retrieved 10 May 2025.

## External links

[edit]

* AFC – Official website
* AFC Challenge League at Global Sports Archive
* AFC President's Cup – RSSSF

* v
* t
* e

AFC President's Cup and AFC Challenge League

AFC President's Cup era, 2005–2014

Seasons|

* 2005
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014

AFC Challenge League era, 2024–present

Seasons|

* 2024–25
* 2025–26

Finals|

* 2025

* History
* Records and statistics
* Club competitions ranking

* v
* t
* e

AFC competitions

Men's national team|

| Senior team|

* Asian Cup
* Regional
* AFF
* CAFA
* EAFF
* SAFF
* WAFF
* Gulf Cup

|

Age-restricted|

* U-23
* U-23 Asian Cup
* Asian Games
* U-20 Asian Cup
* U-17 Asian Cup

Futsal|

* Asian Cup
* Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games
* U-20 Asian Cup

Beach soccer|

* Asian Cup
* Asian Beach Games

Defunct competitions|

* Intercontinental
* Afro-Asian Cup
* AFC–OFC Challenge Cup
* Olympic Qualifying Tournament
* Challenge Cup
* Solidarity Cup

Men's club|

| Football|

* Champions League Elite
* Champions League Two
* Challenge League

|

Futsal|

* Futsal Club Championship

Defunct competitions|

* Intercontinental
* Afro-Asian Championship
* Cup Winners' Cup
* Super Cup

Women's national team|

| Senior team|

* Asian Cup
* Asian Games
* Olympic Qualifying Tournament
* Regional
* AFF
* CAFA
* EAFF
* SAFF
* WAFF

|

Age-restricted|

* U-20 Asian Cup
* U-17 Asian Cup

Futsal|

* Asian Cup
* Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games

Women's club|

| Football|

* Champions League

|

Defunct competitions|

* Club Championship

Other tournaments|

| Esports|

* AFC eAsian Cup
* AFC eChampions League

|

AFC club competitions ranking

* v
* t
* e

International men's club football competitions

* World Leagues Forum
* Lists of association football clubs (Most successful clubs)

Global|

| FIFA|

Club World Cup
Intercontinental Cup

|

Africa|

| CAF|

Champions League
Confederation Cup
Super Cup

Defunct
Football League
Cup Winners' Cup
CAF Cup

|

Regional|

UNAF
Kagame Interclub Cup

Defunct
North African Cup of Champions
North African Cup Winners Cup
North African Super Cup
WAFU

Asia|

| AFC|

Champions League Elite
Champions League Two
Challenge League

Defunct
Cup Winners' Cup
Super Cup

|

Regional|

ASEAN
Marianas Club Championship
SAFF

Europe|

| UEFA|

Champions League
Europa League
Conference League
Super Cup

Defunct
Cup Winners' Cup
Intertoto Cup

|

North,
Central America
& the Caribbean|

| CONCACAF|

Champions Cup

Defunct
Cup Winners Cup
CONCACAF League
Campeonato Centroamericano

|

Regional|

Central American Cup
Caribbean Cup
Caribbean Club Shield
Campeones Cup
Leagues Cup

Defunct
Caribbean Club Championship
UNCAF Interclub Cup
SuperLiga

Oceania|

| OFC|

Champions League
Professional League (planned)

Defunct
Cup Winners' Cup
President's Cup

|

South America|

| CONMEBOL|

Copa Libertadores
Copa Sudamericana
Recopa Sudamericana

Defunct
Copa CONMEBOL
Copa Ganadores de Copa
Supercopa Libertadores
Copa Master de CONMEBOL
Copa Master de Supercopa
Copa de Oro

|

Regional|

Defunct
Copa Merconorte
Copa Mercosur

Intercontinental|

| Arab|

Arab Club Champions Cup

Defunct
Arab Cup Winners' Cup
Arab Super Cup

|

Africa & Asia|

Defunct
Afro-Asian Club Championship

Europe &
South America|

Under-20 Intercontinental Cup

Defunct
Intercontinental Cup (1960–2004)

Pan American|

Defunct
Copa Interamericana

See also: International women's club football
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