Host country Bangladesh Venue(s) 3 (in 2 host cities) Runners-up Sri Lanka | Dates 1 April – 16 April Champions Tajikistan (1st title) Matches played 31 | |
The 2006 AFC Challenge Cup was held between April 1 and April 16, 2006 in Bangladesh. Sixteen teams were split into four groups, the top two in each group qualifying for the quarterfinals, and from then on a straight knockout contest. There was no qualification stage. The cup winner was Tajikistan. The fair play award was won by Sri Lanka and Tajikistani Ibrahim Rabimov won the most valuable player award.
Contents
Selection of teams
The AFC classed seventeen nations as emerging associations, which need time to develop their football. They were selected in August, 2005 to take part. Laos, Mongolia, and Timor-Leste were initially selected to participate, but were later replaced by Bangladesh and India of the developing associations class, reducing the number of participating teams to sixteen.
Hosts and stadia
The AFC decided at its annual meeting, that Bangladesh would host the opening ceremony and that Nepal would host the final unless Bangladesh makes it into the last two, in which case it would be held in Dhaka, its capital. It was originally planned that the teams in Groups A and B would play their games in Nepal and that teams in Groups C and D would play in Bangladesh, but due to the political unrest that shook Nepal, it was decided that only Bangladesh would host the tournament. The Challenge Cup was originally scheduled to take place between March 26 to April 9, 2006 but was changed to avoid clashes with Bangladesh's Independence Day on March 26. The two stadia that were selected to be used during this tournament were: the Bangabandhu Stadium in Dhaka and the MA Aziz Stadium in Chittagong. However, the Bangladesh Army Stadium in Dhaka was later used to make-up the matches that were abandoned due to heavy rain.
Teams
Some teams did not take part with their 'main' national squad, as noted below:
Group stage
All times are Bangladesh Standard Time (BST) – UTC+6
Tie-breaking criteria
Where two or more teams end the group stage with the same number of points, their ranking is determined by the following criteria:
- points earned in the matches between the teams concerned;
- goal difference in the matches between the teams concerned;
- number of goals scored in the group matches between the teams concerned;
- goal difference in all group matches;
- number of goals scored in all group matches;
- kicks from the penalty mark (if only two teams are level and they are both on the field of play);
- fewer yellow and red cards received in the group matches;
- drawing of lots by the organising committee.