CAFA LigAnaia format (editions I-XI)

This article details the format of CAFA LigAnaia from CAFA LigAnaia I through to CAFA LigAnaia XI.

Format

All CAFA member associations are eligible to enter two teams; with the competition guidelines suggesting the national champions – however that is determined – along with either the "runners up" (assuming the champions are decided via a league or playoff) or a cup winner be designated as an association's two entrant clubs.

LigAnaia organisers have noted that they would be flexible in this regard, however, and would permit any two entrants deemed to be of "sufficient sporting merit", as long as one could reasonably be considered the association's champion.

In the event that the defending champion does not qualify for the subsequent edition via their national association's usual criteria, they are granted an entry into the next edition regardless, in addition to the two allotted to their association.

Qualifying round

In the event that more than thirty-two teams are entered, a qualifying round is held to whittle down the numbers for the group stage. A number of the lowest ranked sides are drawn into two-legged ties – teams from the same association are kept apart – to ensure the total remaining sides after the completion of the qualifying round is thirty-two; for eight groups of four.

If the number of entered teams is below thirty-two, there may or may not be a qualifying round depending on whether there is a need to reduce the field to a suitable number for subsequent stages.

Both teams in each tie play one leg each at home – a neutral venue may be substituted in cases where a team cannot secure a home venue – with a penalty shootout employed to determine a winner if aggregate scores are level after regular time concludes in the second leg.

No extra time is employed, and the away goals rule is not in effect for these ties.

Group stage

Normally, thirty-two teams are drawn into eight groups of four, where each group competes in a double round-robin tournament of its own. The top two teams in each group then progress to the playoff round, with group winners seeded in the draw.

There have been exceptions to this, however, which the LigAnaia organisers may do in cases where the number of entered teams is under thirty-two. For example, CAFA LigAnaia VIII employed eight groups of three instead, while CAFA LigAnaia IX and CAFA LigAnaia X both skipped the group stage entirely.

The tiebreak procedure for the group stage is always as follows: Teams were ranked according to points (3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss). If two or more teams were tied on points, the following tiebreaking criteria were applied, in the order given, to determine the rankings:

1. Points in head-to-head matches among the tied teams;
2. Goal difference in head-to-head matches among the tied teams;
3. Goals scored in head-to-head matches among the tied teams;
4. Goals scored away from home in head-to-head matches among the tied teams;
5. Goal difference in all group matches;
6. Goals scored in all group matches;
7. Away goals scored in all group matches;
8. Wins in all group matches;
9. Coin flip.

Ties were broken in line, that is, the criteria were not recalculated once one team had been separated from the others in cases of ties between more than two teams.

Playoff round

Normally, the top two teams in each group in the group stage progress to the playoff round; a series of two-legged ties to determine which eight teams participate in the final stage.

Both teams in each tie play one leg each at home – a neutral venue may be substituted in cases where a team cannot secure a home venue – with a penalty shootout employed to determine a winner if aggregate scores are level after regular time concludes in the second leg.

No extra time is employed, and the away goals rule is not in effect for these ties.

The seeded team is the home team in the second leg.

Final stage

The final stage of CAFA LigAnaia is a seeded, double-elimination knockout tournament. Teams are seeded in order of their CAFA coëfficient as of the start of the competition. In the first round, the first seed plays against eighth, second plays seventh, and so on.

Winning teams advance through the bracket as normal, but teams that lose drop into a second bracket. Upon losing a second time, teams are eliminated from the competition. In the upper bracket – where teams are yet to lose – the higher seed is the designated home team in every tie (until the final); in the lower bracket – where teams have lost a tie – the lower seed is the designated home team.

The final takes place at a neutral venue, drawn prior to the start of the competition. In cases where a second final is required – i.e. the losing team has not lost previously – it also takes place at a neutral venue, but a different one to the first; also drawn prior to the start of the competition.

All ties are single-legged, with extra time and penalty shootouts employed to determine a winner if scores are level after ninety minutes.