The 2022 AFC Cup qualifying play-offs were played from 5 to 19 April 2022. A total of ten teams competed in the qualifying play-offs to decide three of the 39 places in the group stage of the 2022 AFC Cup.
The following 10 teams, split into five zones (West Asia Zone, Central Asia Zone, South Asia Zone, ASEAN Zone, East Asia Zone), entered the qualifying play-offs, consisting of three rounds:
<section begin=Format /> In the qualifying play-offs, each tie was played as a single match. Extra time and penalty shoot-out were used to decide the winner if necessary.<section end=Format />
The schedule of each round was as follows.
<section begin=Format /> The bracket of the qualifying play-offs for each zone was determined based on each team's association ranking, with the team from the higher-ranked association hosting the match. The three winners of the play-off round advanced to the group stage to join the 36 direct entrants.<section end=Format />
A total of four teams played in the preliminary round 1. <section begin=Preliminary round 1/>
|+South Asia Zone
<section end=Preliminary round 1/>
A total of four teams played in the preliminary round 2: two teams which entered in this round, and two winners of the preliminary round 1. <section begin=Preliminary round 2/>
|+South Asia Zone
<section end=Preliminary round 2/>
A total of six teams played in the play-off round: four teams which entered in this round, and two winners of the preliminary round 2. <section begin=Play-off round/>
|+South Asia Zone
|+ASEAN Zone
|+East Zone
<section end=Play-off round/>