The 2014 AFC Challenge Cup qualification phase determined the teams which advanced to the final tournament. The qualification draw was held on 11 December 2012, in AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.[1]
^Bangladesh originally qualified for the 2014 AFC Challenge Cup, but with Brunei's withdrawal, their result against bottom-placed Northern Mariana Islands were declared void, leaving Turkmenistan and Laos as the best two second-placed teams.
Format
Twenty teams expressed their interest to take part before the deadline of 7 September 2012.[2] The Northern Mariana Islands made their Challenge Cup debut after having been approved by the AFC to participate (the Northern Mariana Islands is an associate member of the AFC).[3]
It was decided that starting from this tournament, an automatic qualification place will be given to the AFC Challenge Cup host.[4] The hosting rights were given to Maldives in the AFC Competitions Committee meeting on 28 November.[5]
The twenty teams involved in the qualification draw were drawn into five groups of four teams, with each group containing one team from each of the following seeding pots.[6] Teams in each group will play a single round-robin at a pre-determined host country. The five group winners plus the two best second-placed teams will qualify for the finals.
Below the table of national teams that participated in this qualifications along with their FIFA ranking (and points) as of 7 November 2012 (in bracket with their numbers of ranking are bolded)
Either chosen not to participate or missed deadline
Notes :
It was reported on 26 October 2012 that Cambodia withdrew, citing financial and competitive concerns.[7] However, they were included in the draw.
Bangladesh were not one of the original 20 teams which the AFC announced as entrants.[2]
Brunei withdrew their participation a day before the AFC Challenge Cup qualifier in Manila citing unavoidable circumstances.[8] The last minute withdrawal puts the country in a possible AFC Challenge Cup ban.[9] Brunei were supposed to be in Group E of the AFC Challenge Cup qualifiers against hosts Philippines, Cambodia and Turkmenistan.
Groups
Groups A, C and D were played 2–6 March 2013, Group B was played 17–21 March 2013, and Group E was played 22–26 March 2013.
In each group, the teams are ranked according to points (3 points for a win, 1 point for a tie, 0 points for a loss) and tie breakers are in following order:[10]
Greater number of points obtained in the group matches between the teams concerned
Goal difference resulting from the group matches between the teams concerned
Greater number of goals scored in the group matches between the teams concerned (Away goals do not apply)
Goal difference in all the group matches
Greater number of goals scored in all the group matches
Fewer score calculated according to the number of yellow and red cards received in the group matches (1 point for each yellow card, 3 points for each red card as a consequence of two yellow cards, 3 points for each direct red card, 4 points for each yellow card followed by a direct red card)
To determine the two best second-placed teams, the following criteria were used:[10]
Number of points obtained in the group matches
Goal difference in the group matches
Greater number of goals scored in the group matches
Fewer score calculated according to the number of yellow and red cards received in the group matches (1 point for each yellow card, 3 points for each red card as a consequence of two yellow cards, 3 points for each direct red card, 4 points for each yellow card followed by a direct red card)
Drawing of lots
For this ranking, the non-participation of Brunei in Group E meant that the results of the matches in the four other groups between the runner-up and the bottom-placed team were declared null and void based on Article 16.1 and Appendix 2 of the tournament regulations.[10][15]
^По дороге на Мальдивы. FFKR.kg (in Russian). Football Federation of Kyrgyz Republic. 4 December 2012. Archived from the original on 8 March 2016. Retrieved 11 December 2012.
