The 2021 AFC Champions League knockout stage was played from 13 September to 23 November 2021. [1] A total of 16 teams competed in the knockout stage to decide the champions of the 2021 AFC Champions League. [2]
The group winners and three best runners-up in the group stage from each region advanced to the round of 16, with both West Region (Groups A–E) and East Region (Groups F–J) having eight qualified teams.
Region | Group | Winners | Runners-up (best three from each region) |
---|---|---|---|
West Region | A | ![]() | ![]() |
B | ![]() | ![]() | |
C | ![]() | — | |
D | ![]() | — | |
E | ![]() | ![]() | |
East Region | F | ![]() | ![]() |
G | ![]() | ![]() | |
H | ![]() | — | |
I | ![]() | ![]() | |
J | ![]() | — |
If two group winners played each other, the group winner marked with * hosted the match. [3]
Combination according to the three qualified teams One-leg matches (13–14 September 2021)
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Combinations according to the three qualified teams One-leg matches (14–15 September 2021)
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In the knockout stage, the 16 teams played a single-elimination tournament, with the teams split into the two regions until the final. All ties were played as a single-leg match (Regulations Article 9.1). [4] Extra time and penalty shoot-out were used to decide the winners if necessary (Regulations Article 9.3 and 10.1). [2]
The schedule of each round was as follows. [1]
Round | Date |
---|---|
Round of 16 | 13–15 September 2021 |
Quarter-finals | 16–17 October 2021 |
Semi-finals | 19–20 October 2021 |
Final | 23 November 2021 |
The bracket of the knockout stage was determined as follows:
Round | Format |
---|---|
Round of 16 | Matchups within East region and West region decided by a series of permutations, |
Quarter-finals | Matchups decided by a draw
|
Semi-finals |
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Final |
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Round of 16 | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Final | |||||||||||
14 September – Sharjah | ||||||||||||||
![]() | 1 (4) | |||||||||||||
16 October – Riyadh (Mrsool) | ||||||||||||||
![]() | 1 (5) | |||||||||||||
![]() | 1 | |||||||||||||
14 September – Al Rayyan (Qatar) | ||||||||||||||
![]() | 5 | |||||||||||||
![]() | 1 | |||||||||||||
19 October – Riyadh (Mrsool) | ||||||||||||||
![]() | 0 | |||||||||||||
![]() | 1 | |||||||||||||
14 September – Dushanbe | ||||||||||||||
![]() | 2 | |||||||||||||
![]() | 0 | |||||||||||||
16 October – Riyadh (Prince) | ||||||||||||||
![]() | 1 | |||||||||||||
![]() | 0 | |||||||||||||
13 September – Dubai (UAE) | ||||||||||||||
![]() | 3 | |||||||||||||
![]() | 0 | |||||||||||||
23 November – Riyadh (King) | ||||||||||||||
![]() | 2 | |||||||||||||
![]() | 2 | |||||||||||||
15 September – Jeonju | ||||||||||||||
![]() | 0 | |||||||||||||
![]() | 1 (4) | |||||||||||||
17 October – Jeonju | ||||||||||||||
![]() | 1 (2) | |||||||||||||
![]() | 2 | |||||||||||||
14 September – Ulsan | ||||||||||||||
![]() | 3 | |||||||||||||
![]() | 0 (3) | |||||||||||||
20 October – Jeonju | ||||||||||||||
![]() | 0 (2) | |||||||||||||
![]() | 1 (4) | |||||||||||||
15 September – Osaka | ||||||||||||||
![]() | 1 (5) | |||||||||||||
![]() | 0 | |||||||||||||
17 October – Jeonju | ||||||||||||||
![]() | 1 | |||||||||||||
![]() | 3 | |||||||||||||
14 September – Toyota | ||||||||||||||
![]() | 0 | |||||||||||||
![]() | 4 | |||||||||||||
![]() | 2 | |||||||||||||
The round of 16 was played over one leg, with the matchups determined by the combination tables based on which group runners-up qualified.
Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
---|---|---|
Istiklol ![]() | 0–1 | ![]() |
Sharjah ![]() | 1–1 (a.e.t.) (4–5 p) | ![]() |
Esteghlal ![]() | 0–2 | ![]() |
Al-Nassr ![]() | 1–0 | ![]() |
Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
---|---|---|
Ulsan Hyundai ![]() | 0–0 (a.e.t.) (3–2 p) | ![]() |
Nagoya Grampus ![]() | 4–2 | ![]() |
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors ![]() | 1–1 (a.e.t.) (4–2 p) | ![]() |
Cerezo Osaka ![]() | 0–1 | ![]() |
Istiklol ![]() | 0–1 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Live Report Stats Report | Torabi ![]() |
Sharjah ![]() | 1–1 (a.e.t.) | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Bernard ![]() | Live Report Stats Report | Kharbin ![]() |
Penalties | ||
4–5 |
Esteghlal ![]() | 0–2 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Live Report Stats Report |
|
Al-Nassr ![]() | 1–0 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Aboubakar ![]() | Live Report Stats Report |
Ulsan Hyundai ![]() | 0–0 (a.e.t.) | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Live Report Stats Report | ||
Penalties | ||
3–2 |
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors ![]() | 1–1 (a.e.t.) | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Gustavo ![]() | Live Report Stats Report | Teerasil ![]() |
Penalties | ||
4–2 |
The quarter-finals were played over one leg, with the matchups and home team decided by draw held on 17 September at 15:00 (UTC+8) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
---|---|---|
Al-Wahda ![]() | 1–5 | ![]() |
Persepolis ![]() | 0–3 | ![]() |
Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
---|---|---|
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors ![]() | 2–3 (a.e.t.) | ![]() |
Pohang Steelers ![]() | 3–0 | ![]() |
Al-Wahda ![]() | 1–5 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Matar ![]() | Live Report Stats Report |
|
Persepolis ![]() | 0–3 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Live Report Stats Report |
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Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors ![]() | 2–3 (a.e.t.) | ![]() |
---|---|---|
| Live Report Stats Report |
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Pohang Steelers ![]() | 3–0 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
| Live Report Stats Report |
The semi-finals were played over one leg.
Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
---|---|---|
Al-Nassr ![]() | 1–2 | ![]() |
Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
---|---|---|
Ulsan Hyundai ![]() | 1–1 (a.e.t.) (4–5 p) | ![]() |
Al-Nassr ![]() | 1–2 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Talisca ![]() | Live Report Stats Report |
|
Ulsan Hyundai ![]() | 1–1 (a.e.t.) | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Yun Il-lok ![]() | Live Report Stats Report | Grant ![]() |
Penalties | ||
4–5 |
The final was played over a single leg on 23 November. The host was determined on a rotational basis, with the match hosted by team from the West Region in odd-numbered years (Regulations 9.1.2). [2]
Al-Hilal ![]() | 2–0 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
| Live Report Stats Report |