Each tie in the knockout stage, apart from the final, is played over two legs, with each team playing one leg at home. The team that scores more goals on aggregate over the two legs advances to the next round. If the aggregate score is level, the away goals rule is applied, i.e. the team that scores more goals away from home over the two legs advances. If away goals are also equal, extra time will not be played and the winners are decided by a penalty shoot-out.[1]
Qualified teams
The knockout stage involves 32 teams: the 30 teams which enter the competition from this stage, and the two teams which qualify from the preliminary round.
Teams were seeded based on their association rank in their respective region.
The final was played on 21 August 2021 at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, Morocco. The "home" team (for administrative purposes) was determined by an additional draw held after the quarter-final and semi-final draws.
^ abThe advancing teams from the qualifying round were listed as Qualifier A (Al-Riffa) and Qualifier B (JS Saoura) at the time of the first round draw as the identity of the teams had not been confirmed.
^Teams from Syria played their home matches outside the country due to security concerns from the ongoing civil war.
^Teams from Libya played their home matches outside the country due to security concerns from the ongoing civil war.
^The second leg fixture between MC Alger and Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya, originally scheduled to be played on 24 November 2019, was postponed following issues concerning the travels of Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya due to security concerns from the 2019–20 Iraqi protests. The UAFA later announced that the match would take place on 16 December 2019.
