Participation of non-top flight clubs in AFC club competitions
The AFC club competitions are tournaments in which clubs affiliated with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) can participate, including clubs from non-top-flight leagues across Asia. This is a list of non-top-flight clubs that played a match in an AFC club competition.
Clubs are listed when they played at least one AFC match while competing below the highest tier of their domestic league system. A club that began an AFC competition in the top flight but was relegated before a later round is included only for the round or rounds played after its relegation.
Results
Season |
AFC competition |
League tier |
Non-top-flight club |
First round entered |
Final round reached |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2006 |
AFC Champions League |
J2 League (Tier 2) |
Tokyo Verdy |
Group stage |
|
2009 |
AFC Cup |
Oman First Division League (Tier 2) |
Al-Suwaiq |
Group stage |
|
V.League 2 (Tier 2) |
Hanoi ACB |
||||
2011 |
AFC Champions League |
UAE First Division League (Tier 2) |
Emirates Club |
Group stage |
|
2013 |
AFC Cup |
Yemeni Second Division (Tier 2) |
Al-Ahli Taizz |
Qualifying round |
Group stage |
2022 |
AFC Champions League |
K League 2 (Tier 2) |
Jeonnam Dragons |
Group stage |
|
Saudi First Division League (Tier 2) |
Al Faisaly FC |
Round of 16 |
|||
2023–24 |
AFC Champions League |
J2 League (Tier 2) |
Ventforet Kofu |
Group stage |
Round of 16 |