AFC Cup
The AFC Cup ( engl.: AFC Cup ) is after the AFC Champions League second most important Asian club football competition which was organized by the Asian Football Confederation ( AFC) and first held in 2004.
With the restructuring of the Asian competitions in 2004 the clubs from the 14 strongest associations were allowed to play in the AFC Champions League. For the men of the " middle segment " of the AFC Cup has now been introduced in this competition, these associations could muster their respective national champion and cup winner. The background for this division is according to association the big difference between the clubs of the weak and strong associations, which has led in the past to house high defeats for the "small" clubs. The field in the AFC Cup is supposed to be balanced by this mode. In 2008 there was a further restructuring of the Asian tournaments. Since the leagues from Kuwait, Syria and Iraq did not meet the new requirements for the Champions League, play their two representatives from 2009 AFC Cup. With the changes the number of participants from the current 20 was increased to 32 teams. The final will be contested in a game since 2009.
The two finalists qualify, provided they meet the above all economic conditions for participation, for the AFC Champions League next year.