Competition Format
Since the tournament began in 2005, the number of teams has increased from 8 to 11. And then from 11 to 12 teams.
From editions 2005 to 2007, 8 clubs were placed into two groups of 4 teams. Both groups would be played in one host country.
Out of these two groups, the winners and runners up would advance to the semi-final stage, again played in that host country.
In 2008, the tournament was increased to 11 clubs. Therefore a qualification round was created and 11 clubs split into 3 groups. Two groups containing 4 clubs with the 3rd group having 3 clubs.
Each group would then be played in a different country, each having their own host.
The group winners and the best runner up would then qualify for the finals stage, again to be hosted in another country and played at a later date.
In 2011, the tournament was increased to 12 clubs. Therefore the 3 qualification groups are with 4 clubs. Then, the group winners and group runners up qualify for the final stage. Then, the 6 clubs are contested into 2 groups of 3. Next, the top 2 teams qualify for the final which means there is no knockout stage contested
Since the competition began, the 8 founding nations to take part have been, Tajikistan, Nepal, Chinese Taipei, Bhutan, Kyrgyzstan, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Cambodia.
Since 2008, clubs from Bangladesh, Myanmar and Turkmenistan have been invited.
Since 2011, clubs from the Palestinian National Authority have been invited.
Since 2012, clubs from Mongolia have been invited. Other nations that could enter a team, but have yet to do so are: Brunei, Timor-Leste, Philippines, Guam, Laos, Macau, North Korea and Afghanistan.
The AFC President’s Cup in 2011 and 2012 will feature 12 teams in three groups for the Group Stage. The top two teams in each group qualify for the six team finals.
Palestinian Authority clubs are to play in AFC President’s Cup from 2011 onwards.
In March 2012 the AFC announced that the Northern Mariana Islands were approved to participate in the AFC Challenge Cup and AFC President’s Cup if they fulfilled the criteria.
Read more about this topic: AFC President's Cup
Famous quotes containing the word competition:
“Knowledge in the form of an informational commodity indispensable to productive power is already, and will continue to be, a major—perhaps the major—stake in the worldwide competition for power. It is conceivable that the nation-states will one day fight for control of information, just as they battled in the past for control over territory, and afterwards for control over access to and exploitation of raw materials and cheap labor.”
—Jean François Lyotard (b. 1924)