Twenty-eight teams came out of the pots to be slotted into eight groups of four teams each. Four teams that miss out on the AFC Champions League will complete the line-up. Five groups are in the West and three in the East.

2010 AFC Cup runners-up Kuwait’s Al Qadsia were placed in Group B alongside the AFC Champions League Play-off 1 loser, Yemen’s Al Saqr and Uzbekistan’s Shurtan.

Inaugural AFC Cup champions Al Jaish from Syria and Jordan champions Al Faisaly, who won two consecutive titles in 2005 and 2006 and were runners-up to Shabab Al Ordun in 2007, look strong in Group C to take the top two berths after being slotted with Al Nasr (Kuwait) and Iraqi champions Duhok.

In Group E, attention will be focused on Syrian giants Al Karamah, who finished runners-up in the 2006 AFC Champions League and 2010 edition of the AFC Cup, and 2009 Iraq champions Arbil after they were pooled with Al Ahed of Lebanon and the winner of Oman’s Sultan Cup between Fnjaa and Al Oruba.

2009 AFC Cup winners Kuwait SC will battle it out for one of the top two spots, which guarantees a place in the Round of 16, with Al Talaba (Iraq), Al Wehdat (Jordan) and Al Suwaiq (Oman).

Group A will see AFC Champions League Play-off (West) 2 loser, Al Ansar (Lebanon), Nasaf (Uzbekistan) and Al Tilal (Yemen).

In the East division, focus will be on Group H with South China (Hong Kong) and Chonburi FC (Thailand) in the fray with East Bengal (India) and Persipura Jayapura (Indonesia).

Group F comprises Hong Kong’s TSW Pegasus, Song Lam Nghe An of Vietnam, Maldives side VB and ACL Play-off 2 (East) loser.

Completing the groupings is Group G with Maldivian outfit Victory, ACL Play-off 1 (East) loser, Singapore’s Tampines Rovers and Hanoi T&T (Vietnam).

The group stage kicks off on March 1 and culminates on May 11. The Round of 16 will be played on May 24 and 25.

The two-legged quarter-finals take place on September 13 and September 27. The semi-finals will be held on October 4 and 18, followed by the one-off final on October 29.

THE GROUPINGS

WEST

Group A
ACL Play-off 2 (West), Al Ansar (LIB), Nasaf (UZB), Al Tilal (YEM)

Group B
Al Qadsia (KUW), ACL Play-off 1 (West), Al Saqr (YEM), Shurtan (UZB)

Group C
Al Faisaly (JOR), Duhok (IRQ), Al Nasr (KUW), Al Jaish (SYR)

Group D
Al Suwaiq (OMA), Al Wehdat (JOR), Al Talaba (IRQ), Kuwait SC (KUW)

Group E
Al Ahed (LIB), Fnjaa or Al Oruba (OMA), Al Karamah (SYR), Arbil (IRQ)

EAST

Group F
ACL Play-off 2 (East), TSW Pegasus (HKG), Song Lam Nghe An (VIE), VB (MDV)

Group G
ACL Play-off 1 (East), Tampines Rovers (SIN), Victory (MDV), Hanoi T&T (VIE),

Group H
South China (HKG), Chonburi (THA), Kingfisher East Bengal (IND), Persipura Jayapura (IDN)