The 2015 AFC Cup knock-out stage will be played from 26 May to 31 October 2015. A total of 16 teams compete in the knock-out stage to decide the champions of the 2015 AFC Cup.[1]
Qualified teams
The winners and runners-up of each of the eight groups in the group stage qualify for the knock-out stage. Both West Asia Zone and East Asia Zone have eight teams qualify.
In the knock-out stage, the 16 teams play a single-elimination tournament. In the quarter-finals and semi-finals, each tie is played on a home-and-away two-legged basis, while in the round of 16 and final, each tie is played as a single match. The away goals rule (for two-legged ties), extra time (away goals do not apply in extra time) and penalty shoot-out are used to decide the winner if necessary.[1]
In the round of 16, the winners of one group play the runners-up of another group in the same zone, with the group winners hosting the match.[1] The matchups are determined as follows:
West Asia Zone
Winner Group A vs. Runner-up Group C
Winner Group C vs. Runner-up Group A
Winner Group B vs. Runner-up Group D
Winner Group D vs. Runner-up Group B
East Asia Zone
Winner Group E vs. Runner-up Group G
Winner Group G vs. Runner-up Group E
Winner Group F vs. Runner-up Group H
Winner Group H vs. Runner-up Group F
The draw for the quarter-finals is held after the round of 16 is completed. Teams from different zones can be drawn into the same tie, and the "country protection" rule is applied, so teams from the same association cannot be drawn into the same tie.
There is no draw for the semi-finals, with the matchups determined by the quarter-final draw: Winner QF1 vs. Winner QF2 and Winner QF3 vs. Winner QF4, with winners QF2 and QF4 hosting the second leg.
The draw to decide the host team of the final is held after the quarter-final draw.
Match will not be played as scheduled as Pahang players were denied entry into Indonesia due to visa issues. A decision will be made by the AFC regarding the match after an investigation is concluded.[3]