2012 AFC Cup group stage
The 2012 AFC Cup group stage was contested by a total of 32 teams. They included:
- 28 teams which directly entered the 2012 AFC Cup group stage
- 3 losers of the 2012 AFC Champions League qualifying play-off final round
- 1 winner of the 2012 AFC Cup qualifying play-off
In each group, teams played each other home-and-away in a round-robin format. The matchdays were 6–7 March, 20–21 March, 3–4 April, 10–11 April, 24–25 April, and 8–9 May 2012. The winners and runners-up of each group advanced to the knockout stage.
Tiebreakers
The teams are ranked according to points and tie breakers are in following order:- 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;
- Goal difference in all the group matches;
- Greater number of goals scored in all the group matches;
- Kicks from the penalty mark if only two teams are involved and they are both on the field of play;
- Fewer score calculated according to the number of yellow and red cards received in the group matches;
- Drawing of lots.
Groups
Each team had been numbered from 1 to 4, the numbers determine the order of the fixtures:- Match Day 1: 1 vs 4, 3 vs 2
- Match Day 2: 2 vs 1, 4 vs 3
- Match Day 3: 1 vs 3, 4 vs 2
- Match Day 4: 3 vs 1, 2 vs 4
- Match Day 5: 4 vs 1, 2 vs 3
- Match Day 6: 1 vs 2, 3 vs 4
Group A
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;Notes
- Note 1: Due to the political crisis in Syria, the AFC requested Syrian clubs to play their home matches at neutral venues.
Group B
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;Notes
- Note 2: Due to the political crisis in Yemen, the AFC requested Yemeni clubs to play their home matches at neutral venues.
Group C
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Group D
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Group E
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;Notes
- Note 3: Due to the political crisis in Yemen, the AFC requested Yemeni clubs to play their home matches at neutral venues.
- Note 4: Due to the political crisis in Syria, the AFC requested Syrian clubs to play their home matches at neutral venues.
Group F
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Group G
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Group H
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