AFC Challenge League
FIFA Region
AFC
Season
2025-2026
Location
Asia/Australia
Abbreviation
AFCCL3
Summary
The AFC Challenge League (2025-2026 AFCCL3) is a 3rd Tier Asian club football tournament where 29 premier league/1st division club teams from 17 of the AFC F/As (football associations) are represented. 2025-2026 AFCCL3 runs from 12 August 2025 to 9 May 2026. The winner will receive a berth in the 2027-2028 AFCCL2 Group Stage.
The 2025-2026 AFCCL3 Allocation table details club team slots earned by each F/A for the 2025-2026 AFCCL3. Overall F/A rankings are based on the AFC F/A Rankings published on 18 May 2025.
FK Arkadag (TKM1) are the defending AFCCL3 champion.
More Info...
2025-2026 AFC Champions League 3
Team Allocation
Team Allocation
| F/A | AFC Rank | Group | Playoff |
|---|
| Oman | 17 | 1 | 0 |
| Turkmenistan | 20 | 1 | 0 |
| Kuwait | 21 | 1 | 0 |
| Lebanon | 22 | 1 | 0 |
| Cambodia | 23 | 1 | 0 |
| Indonesia | 25 | 1 | 0 |
| Kyrgyzstan | 26 | 0 | 1 |
| Bangladesh | 28 | 1 | 0 |
| Syria | 29 | 1 | 0 |
| Myanmar | 30 | 1 | 0 |
| Chinese Taipei | 31 | 1 | 0 |
| Maldives | 33 | 1 | 0 |
| Mongolia | 34 | 1 | 0 |
| Palestine | 35 | 1 | 0 |
| Bhutan | 36 | 0 | 1 |
| Laos | 38 | 1 | 0 |
| Nepal | 39 | 0 | 1 |
| Afghanistan | 41 | 0 | 1 |
Competition Structure
| Stage | # Teams | New Teams Entering This Round | Teams From Previous Round | Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Playoffs | 18 | (SEE PLAYOFF COLUMN OF TEAM ALLOCATION TABLE) | 9 Knockout matches | |
| Group | 18 | (SEE GROUP COLUMN OF TEAM ALLOCATION TABLE) | 9 winners from Playoffs stage | 3 groups of 4, 2 groups of 3; Home/Away matches against each team in group; top 2 teams in Groups D and E, top team in Groups A, B, and C, and 2nd place team with most points in Groups A, B, and C advance |
| Quarterfinals | 8 | None | 8 winners from Round of 16 | 4 sets of Home/Away matches, highest aggregate goals advances |
| Semifinals | 4 | None | 4 winners from Round of 16 | 2 sets of Home/Away matches, highest aggregate goals advances |
| Final | 2 | None | 2 winners from Round of 16 | Home/Away matches, highest aggregate goals wins |
Group Stage
| Group A | League | Home | Road | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POS | MP | W - D - L | PTS | CPTS | GF | GA | GD | MP | W - D - L | PTS | GF | GA | GD | MP | W - D - L | PTS | GF | GA | GD | |
| 1 | Al-Shabab SC (OMA1) | 3 | 3 -0-0 | 9 | - | 6 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 -0-0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 -0-0 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 3 |
| 2 | Altyn Asyr FK (TKM1) | 3 | 2 -0-1 | 6 | - | 5 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 -0-1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 1 | 1 -0-0 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| 3 | FK Abdysh-Ata Kant (KGZ1) | 3 | 0 -1-2 | 1 | - | 4 | 6 | -2 | 1 | 0 -0-1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 2 | 0 -1-1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | -1 |
| 4 | Paro FC (BHU1) | 3 | 0 -1-2 | 1 | - | 4 | 7 | -3 | 2 | 0 -1-1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | -2 | 1 | 0 -0-1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -1 |
Quarterfinals Possible Quarterfinals | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Date | Home | Status | Road | Venue | ||||
| 25.10.25 |  | 10 | FK Abdysh-Ata Kant | Changlimithang Stadium |
 | 10 | Paro FC | Changlimithang Stadium |
| 28.10.25 | | 12 | Al-Shabab SC | Changlimithang Stadium |
| 13 | Altyn Asyr FK | Changlimithang Stadium |
| 31.10.25 | | 13 | Al-Shabab SC | Changlimithang Stadium |
| 33 | FK Abdysh-Ata Kant | Changlimithang Stadium |
| Group B | League | Home | Road | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POS | MP | W - D - L | PTS | CPTS | GF | GA | GD | MP | W - D - L | PTS | GF | GA | GD | MP | W - D - L | PTS | GF | GA | GD | |
| 1 | Kuwait SC (KUW1) | 3 | 2 -1-0 | 7 | - | 6 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 -1-0 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 -0-0 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 2 | Al-Ansar SC (LIB1) | 3 | 2 -0-1 | 6 | - | 7 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 -0-1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 2 | 2 -0-0 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 4 |
| 3 | Al-Seeb Club (OMA1) | 3 | 1 -1-1 | 4 | - | 5 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 1 -0-1 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 -1-0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 4 | Bashundhara Kings (BAN1) | 3 | 0 -0-3 | 0 | - | 2 | 8 | -6 | 1 | 0 -0-1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | -3 | 2 | 0 -0-2 | 0 | 2 | 5 | -3 |
Quarterfinals Possible Quarterfinals | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Date | Home | Status | Road | Venue | ||||
| 25.10.25 |  | 32 | Bashundhara Kings | Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Stadium |
 | 23 | Kuwait SC | Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Stadium |
| 28.10.25 | | 03 | Al-Ansar SC | Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Stadium |
| 11 | Al-Seeb Club | Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Stadium |
| 31.10.25 | | 12 | Al-Ansar SC | Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Stadium |
| 20 | Bashundhara Kings | Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Stadium |
| Group C | League | Home | Road | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POS | MP | W - D - L | PTS | CPTS | GF | GA | GD | MP | W - D - L | PTS | GF | GA | GD | MP | W - D - L | PTS | GF | GA | GD | |
| 1 | Muras United FC (KGZ1) | 3 | 1 -2-0 | 5 | - | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 -0-0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 -2-0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2 | Al-Arabi SC (KUW1) | 3 | 1 -2-0 | 5 | - | 5 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 -1-0 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 -1-0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 3 | Safa Beirut SC (LIB1) | 3 | 1 -1-1 | 4 | - | 4 | 5 | -1 | 1 | 0 -1-0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 -0-1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | -1 |
| 4 | FK Regar-TadAZ Tursunzoda (TJK1) | 3 | 0 -1-2 | 1 | - | 2 | 4 | -2 | 2 | 0 -1-1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 1 | 0 -0-1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | -1 |
Quarterfinals Possible Quarterfinals | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Date | Home | Status | Road | Venue | ||||
| 25.10.25 |  | 22 | Al-Arabi SC | Dolen Omurzakov Stadium |
 | 00 | Muras United FC | Dolen Omurzakov Stadium |
| 28.10.25 | | 21 | FK Regar-TadAZ Tursunzoda | Dolen Omurzakov Stadium |
| 20 | Safa Beirut SC | Dolen Omurzakov Stadium |
| 31.10.25 | | 12 | Safa Beirut SC | Dolen Omurzakov Stadium |
| 11 | Muras United FC | Dolen Omurzakov Stadium |
| Group D | League | Home | Road | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POS | MP | W - D - L | PTS | CPTS | GF | GA | GD | MP | W - D - L | PTS | GF | GA | GD | MP | W - D - L | PTS | GF | GA | GD | |
| 1 | Svay Rieng FC (CAM1) | 3 | 2 -1-0 | 7 | - | 8 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 1 -0-0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 -1-0 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 3 |
| 2 | Manila Digger FC (PHI1) | 3 | 2 -1-0 | 7 | - | 7 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 -1-0 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 -0-0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 3 | SP Falcons FC (MNG1) | 3 | 1 -0-2 | 3 | - | 3 | 6 | -3 | 2 | 1 -0-1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 -0-1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | -3 |
| 4 | Ezra FC (LAO1) | 3 | 0 -0-3 | 0 | - | 2 | 9 | -7 | 1 | 0 -0-1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | -3 | 2 | 0 -0-2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | -4 |
Quarterfinals Possible Quarterfinals | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Date | Home | Status | Road | Venue | ||||
| 31.12.69 |  | 31 | Ezra FC | Morodok Techo National Stadium |
 | 30 | SP Falcons FC | Morodok Techo National Stadium |
| 29.10.25 | | 02 | Manila Digger FC | Morodok Techo National Stadium |
| 03 | Svay Rieng FC | Morodok Techo National Stadium |
| 01.11.25 | | 31 | Ezra FC | Morodok Techo National Stadium |
| 22 | Svay Rieng FC | Morodok Techo National Stadium |
| Group E | League | Home | Road | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POS | MP | W - D - L | PTS | CPTS | GF | GA | GD | MP | W - D - L | PTS | GF | GA | GD | MP | W - D - L | PTS | GF | GA | GD | |
| 1 | Dewa United FC (IDN1) | 3 | 2 -1-0 | 7 | - | 9 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 1 -1-0 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 -0-0 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| 2 | Phnom Penh Crown FC (CAM1) | 3 | 2 -1-0 | 7 | - | 7 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 -0-0 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 -1-0 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| 3 | Tainan City FC (TPE1) | 3 | 1 -0-2 | 3 | - | 4 | 8 | -4 | 2 | 0 -0-2 | 0 | 2 | 7 | -5 | 1 | 1 -0-0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 4 | Shan United FC (MYA1) | 3 | 0 -0-3 | 0 | - | 3 | 9 | -6 | 1 | 0 -0-1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 2 | 0 -0-2 | 0 | 2 | 7 | -5 |
Quarterfinals Possible Quarterfinals | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Date | Home | Status | Road | Venue | ||||
| 26.10.25 |  | 12 | Tainan City FC | Indomilk Arena |
 | 11 | Phnom Penh Crown FC | Indomilk Arena |
| 29.10.25 | | 31 | Shan United FC | Indomilk Arena |
| 04 | Dewa United FC | Indomilk Arena |
| 01.11.25 | | 23 | Phnom Penh Crown FC | Indomilk Arena |
| 41 | Shan United FC | Indomilk Arena |
Preliminary Round
| Date | Home | Status | Road | Venue | ||||
Tue - 12 Aug 2025
| 31 | Taichung Futuro FC (TPE1) | MFF Football Centre |
 | 11 | Ezra FC (LAO1) | Thuwunna Stadium | |||
| Ezra FC advances on PKs (5-3) | ||||||
 | 04 | Al-Arabi SC (KUW1) | National Football Stadium (MDV) |
 | 02 | Muras United FC (KGZ1) | Bangabandhu National Stadium |
| 41 | Khangarid Klub (MNG1) | Taipei Municipal Stadium |
| 10 | Abu Muslim Farah FC (AFG1) | Changlimithang Stadium |
 | 06 | Phnom Penh Crown FC (CAM1) | Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium |
| 52 | Hutteen SC (SYR1) | Dolen Omurzakov Stadium |
 | 01 | Bashundhara Kings (BAN1) | Qatar SC Stadium |