2014 AFC Challenge Cup
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Host country | Maldives |
| Dates | 19–30 May |
| Teams | 8 |
| Venue(s) | 2 (in 2 host cities) |
| Final positions | |
| Champions |
 Palestine (1st title)
|
| Runners-up |  Philippines |
| Third place |  Maldives |
| Fourth place |  Afghanistan |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 16 |
| Goals scored | 35 (2.19 per match) |
| Attendance | 51,500 (3,219 per match) |
| Top scorer(s) |
Ashraf Nu'man (4 goals) |
| Best player |
Murad Ismail Said
|
The 2014 AFC Challenge Cup was the fifth and the final edition of the AFC Challenge Cup, an international football competition for Asian Football Confederation (AFC) member nations that are mainly categorized as "emerging countries" in the now defunct Vision Asia programme. It took place from 19 to 30 May 2014. The winner, Palestine, qualified to the 2015 AFC Asian Cup.
The AFC decided that an automatic qualification place will be given to the tournament's hosts starting from this edition. Four countries then expressed interest in bidding to host the tournament; India,Maldives,Philippines, and Tajikistan. The AFC announced on 13 November 2012 that the Philippines and Maldives were in the final shortlist to host the Finals. The final decision was taken in the AFC Competitions Committee meeting on 28 November 2012, and the hosting rights were given to the Maldives. The Maldives Ministry of Youth and Sports then claimed that they wanted to host the tournament due to the poor facilities they encountered in the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup which the Maldives qualified and competed in.
In mid-November 2013, AFC president Salman Bin Ibrahim Al-Khalifa announced that the Philippines would be the backup hosts "if something goes wrong in Maldives." By 25 November, the AFC proposed - pending the approval of the Executive Committee - to move the tournament from the Maldives to the Philippines if the Maldives do not start the required renovation work by 15 December 2013. The AFC then inspected possible venues in Manila and the Philippine Football Federation claimed that they would be ready to host the tournament if given the nod. Despite this, the Maldives' Ministry of Youth and Sports said they would do everything necessary for the country to host the tournament. On 7 January 2014, the AFC announced that the Maldives would remain as the host of the 2014 AFC Challenge Cup.
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