DUSHANBE, September 25, 2009, Asia-Plus — Metallurg Stadium, the home of Tajikistan side Regar-TadAZ, has staged the final stages of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President’s Cup 2009.
The competition comprises two semi-finals and a final for the best of AFC’s third-tier club sides. Regar will be attempting to defend their title against Ashgabat, of Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan’s Dordoi-Dynamo and Pakistan WAPDA. The tournament in Tursunzoda is held from September 25 to September 27.
The AFC President”s Cup is an annual international association football competition between domestic clubs sides run by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
Since the tournament began in 2005, the number of teams has increased from 8 to 11.
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.
Since the competition began, the 8 founding nations to take part have been, Tajikistan, Nepal, Taiwan, Bhutan, Kyrgyzstan, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Cambodia. Since 2008, clubs from Bangladesh, Myanmar and Turkmenistan have been invited.
Generally, clubs which represent each nation are the current champions of their domestic football leagues.
