AFC Challenge League
FIFA Region
AFC
Season
2026-2027
Location
Asia/Australia
Abbreviation
AFCCL3

Summary

The 2026-2027 AFC Challenge League ( AFCCL3) is a 3rd Tier Asian club football tournament where 18 premier league/1st division club teams from 19 of the AFC F/As (football associations) are represented. 2026-2027 AFCCL3 runs from 11 August 2026 to 8 May 2027. The winner will receive a berth in the 2027-2028 AFCCL2 Group Stage.

The 2026-2027 AFCCL3 Team Allocation table details club team slots earned by each F/A for the 2026-2027 AFC competitions . Overall F/A rankings are based on each association's performance in Asian competitions over the past eight seasons.

Kuwait SC (KUW1) are the defending AFCCL3 champion.

More Info...

2026-2027 AFC Challenge League
Team Allocation
F/AAFC
Rank		GroupPrelim
Turkmenistan2010
Kuwait2110
Lebanon2220
Tajikistan2411
Indonesia2510
Kyrgyzstan2602
Philippines2710
Bangladesh2802
Syria2902
Myanmar3011
Chinese Taipei3102
Maldives3301
Mongolia3402
Bhutan3601
Laos3801
Afghanistan4101
Brunei4201
Timor-Leste4301

Competition Structure

Stage# TeamsNew Teams Entering This RoundTeams From Previous RoundFormat
Preliminary18(SEE PLAYOFF COLUMN OF TEAM ALLOCATION TABLE) 9 Knockout matches
Group18(SEE GROUP COLUMN OF TEAM ALLOCATION TABLE)9 winners from Playoffs stage3 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
Quarterfinals8None8 winners from Round of 164 sets of Home/Away matches, highest aggregate goals advances
Semifinals4None4 winners from Round of 162 sets of Home/Away matches, highest aggregate goals advances
Final2None2 winners from Round of 16Home/Away matches, highest aggregate goals wins

Group Stage

 Group ALeagueHomeRoad
POSMPW - D - LPTSCPTSGFGAGDMPW - D - LPTSGFGAGDMPW - D - LPTSGFGAGD
1Ahal FK (TKM1)00 -0-00-00000 -0-0000000 -0-00000
2Al-Ansar SC (LIB1)00 -0-00-00000 -0-0000000 -0-00000
3Al-Ittihad SC Aleppo (SYR1)00 -0-00-00000 -0-0000000 -0-00000
4Paro FC (BHU1)00 -0-00-00000 -0-0000000 -0-00000
Quarterfinals
Possible Quarterfinals
DateHome Status RoadVenue
17.10.26Ahal FK   Paro FCRafic El-Hariri Stadium
 Al-Ansar SC   Al-Ittihad SC AleppoAl Ansar Stadium
20.10.26Paro FC   Al-Ansar SCWoochu Sports Arena
 Group BLeagueHomeRoad
POSMPW - D - LPTSCPTSGFGAGDMPW - D - LPTSGFGAGDMPW - D - LPTSGFGAGD
1Al-Arabi SC (KUW1)00 -0-00-00000 -0-0000000 -0-00000
2FK Istiqlol (TJK1)00 -0-00-00000 -0-0000000 -0-00000
3Homs Al Fidaa SC (SYR1)00 -0-00-00000 -0-0000000 -0-00000
4Nejmeh SC (LIB1)00 -0-00-00000 -0-0000000 -0-00000
Quarterfinals
Possible Quarterfinals
DateHome Status RoadVenue
17.10.26Al-Arabi SC   Homs Al Fidaa SCSabah Al Salem Stadium
 Nejmeh SC   FK IstiqlolRafic El-Hariri Stadium
 FK Istiqlol   Al-Arabi SCTaunggyi Stadium
23.10.26Al-Arabi SC   Nejmeh SCSabah Al Salem Stadium
 FK Istiqlol   Homs Al Fidaa SCSabah Al Salem Stadium
 Group CLeagueHomeRoad
POSMPW - D - LPTSCPTSGFGAGDMPW - D - LPTSGFGAGDMPW - D - LPTSGFGAGD
1FC Goa (IND1)00 -0-00-00000 -0-0000000 -0-00000
2FK Regar-TadAZ Tursunzoda (TJK1)00 -0-00-00000 -0-0000000 -0-00000
3Fortis FC (BAN1)00 -0-00-00000 -0-0000000 -0-00000
4Qadsia SC (KUW1)00 -0-00-00000 -0-0000000 -0-00000
Quarterfinals
Possible Quarterfinals
DateHome Status RoadVenue
17.10.26FC Goa   FK Regar-TadAZ TursunzodaPandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium
 Qadsia SC   Fortis FCMohammed Al-Hamad Stadium
20.10.26Fortis FC   FC GoaBashundhara Kings Arena
 FK Regar-TadAZ Tursunzoda   Qadsia SCWoochu Sports Arena
23.10.26Fortis FC   FK Regar-TadAZ TursunzodaBashundhara Kings Arena
 FC Goa   Qadsia SCPandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium
 Group DLeagueHomeRoad
POSMPW - D - LPTSCPTSGFGAGDMPW - D - LPTSGFGAGDMPW - D - LPTSGFGAGD
1Borneo FC (IDN1)00 -0-00-00000 -0-0000000 -0-00000
2One Taguig FC (PHI1)00 -0-00-00000 -0-0000000 -0-00000
3Tainan City FC (TPE1)00 -0-00-00000 -0-0000000 -0-00000
4Yangon United FC (MYA1)00 -0-00-00000 -0-0000000 -0-00000
Quarterfinals
Possible Quarterfinals
DateHome Status RoadVenue
18.10.26One Taguig FC   Tainan City FCRizal Memorial Track & Football Stadium
 Borneo FC   Yangon United FCSegiri Samarinda Stadium
21.10.26Yangon United FC   One Taguig FCRizal Memorial Track & Football Stadium
 Tainan City FC   Borneo FCBashundhara Kings Arena
24.10.26Tainan City FC   Yangon United FCHassanal Bolkiah National Stadium
 Borneo FC   One Taguig FCSegiri Samarinda Stadium
 Group ELeagueHomeRoad
POSMPW - D - LPTSCPTSGFGAGDMPW - D - LPTSGFGAGDMPW - D - LPTSGFGAGD
1Hang Yuan FC (TPE1)00 -0-00-00000 -0-0000000 -0-00000
2Kasuka FC (BRU1)00 -0-00-00000 -0-0000000 -0-00000
3Manila Digger FC (PHI1)00 -0-00-00000 -0-0000000 -0-00000
4Shan United FC (MYA1)00 -0-00-00000 -0-0000000 -0-00000
Quarterfinals
Possible Quarterfinals
DateHome Status RoadVenue
18.10.26Shan United FC   Hang Yuan FCTaunggyi Stadium
 Manila Digger FC   Kasuka FCMOA Football Pitch
21.10.26Kasuka FC   Shan United FCHassanal Bolkiah National Stadium
 Hang Yuan FC   Manila Digger FCFu Jen Catholic University Stadium
24.10.26Manila Digger FC   Shan United FCMOA Football Pitch
 Hang Yuan FC   Kasuka FCFu Jen Catholic University Stadium

Preliminary Round

DateHome Status RoadVenue
Mon - 10 Aug 2026
 Central Stallions FC (MNG1) 22 Tainan City FC (TPE1)MFF Football Centre
 Tainan City FC advances on PKs (5-3) 
Tue - 11 Aug 2026
 FC Ulaanbaatar (MNG1) 12 Hang Yuan FC (TPE1)MFF Football Centre
 Fortis FC (BAN1) 10 Muras United FC (KGZ1)Bashundhara Kings Arena
 Paro FC (BHU1) 20 Abu Muslim Farah FC (AFG1)Changlimithang Stadium
 FK Dordoi Bishkek (KGZ1) 11 Homs Al Fidaa SC (SYR1)Dolen Omurzakov Stadium
 Homs Al Fidaa SC advances on PKs (8-7) 
 Al-Ittihad SC Aleppo (SYR1) 10 Bangladesh Police FC (BAN1)King Abdullah II Stadium
Wed - 12 Aug 2026
 Maziya S&RC (MDV1) 03 FK Regar-TadAZ Tursunzoda (TJK1)Changlimithang Stadium
Tue - 8 Sep 2026
 Yangon United FC (MYA1) 21 Ezra FC (LAO1)Thuwunna Stadium
Tue - 15 Sep 2026
 Kasuka FC (BRU1) 21 Karketu Dili FC (TLS1)Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium