Al Ahed FC will begin the defence of their AFC Cup title in Group A following the completion of the draw for the 2020 edition at AFC House in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday.
Al Ahed will have Bahrain’s Manama Club, Al Jaish of Syria and the winner of the West Zone Play-off for the company as the Lebanese side will seek to make it back-to-back AFC titles after defeating DPR Korea’s 4.25 SC in 2019 final.
A total 48 teams will be vying for the 2020 AFC Cup, with the group stage divided into five zones.
The 2020 season kicks off with the preliminary stage on January 22 with the final scheduled for November 7.
The stakes for the upcoming edition have been raised even higher after the AFC Executive Committee’s decision to allocate the 2020 AFC Cup winners with a guaranteed spot in the play-off stage of the 2021 AFC Champions League.
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GROUP STAGE DRAW
WEST ZONE
Group A
Al Ahed FC (LIB)
Manama Club (BHR)
Al Jaish (SYR)
Play-off winner (OMA/PLE)
Group B
Al Faisaly / Al Wehdat (JOR)
Al Ansar (LIB)
Kuwait SC / Al Salmiya SC(KUW)
Al Wathba (SYR)
Group C
Riffa / Muharraq Club (BHR)
Al Jazeera (JOR)
Dhofar Club (OMA)
Qadsia SC (KUW)
CENTRAL ZONE
Group D
FC Istiklol / FC Regar-Tadaz (TJK)
Altyn Asyr FC (TKM)
Dordoi FC (KGZ)
Play-off winner (TJK/TKM/KGZ)
SOUTH ZONE
Group E
Chennai City FC / FC Goa (IND)
TC Sports Club (MDV)
Bashundhara Kings (BAN)
Play-off winner (IND/MDV/BAN/BHU/SRI)
ASEAN ZONE
Group F
Ho Chi Minh FC (VIE)
Hougang United FC (SIN)
Lao Toyota FC (LAO)
Play-off winner (MYA/BRU)
Group G
Ceres Negros FC (PHI)
Than Quang Ninh (VIE)
Bali United FC / IDN Third Club (IDN)
Play-off winner (LAO/CAM)
Group H
Tampines Rovers FC / Geylang Int. FC (SIN)
Kaya FC-Iloilo (PHI)
Shan United / Ayeyawady United FC (MYA)
Play-off winner (IDN/TLS)
EAST ZONE
Group I
Wofoo Tai Po FC (HKG)
Tatung FC (TPE)
MUST CPK (MAC)
Play-off winner (HKG/TPE/MNG)