VIENTIANE (29 March 2013) – Laos have made the final round of the AFC Challenge Cup 2014 alongside Turkmenistan as the two best runners-up to join group winners Afghanistan, Myanmar, Philippines, Kyrgyzstan and Palestine.
The non-participation of Brunei in Group E meant that the results of the matches in the four other groups between the runner-up and the bottom-placed team were declared null and void based on Article 16.1 and Appendix 2 of the tournament regulations.
The affected matches were as follows:
Group A: India 2-1 Chinese Taipei
Group B: Macau 0-3 Tajikistan
Group C: Laos 1-1 Mongolia
Group D Bangladesh 4-0 Northern Mariana Islands
With these results no longer being factored into the outcome, Laos emerged as the best of the second-placed team with four points.
Turkmenistan, AFC Challenge Cup runners-up in 2012 and 2010, took the second ticket to the Maldives, with their superior goal difference separating them from 2008 champions India, Bangladesh and inaugural winners Tajikistan, who all finished with three points.
Teams finishing second in their respective groups:
| Teams finished 2nd | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
| India (Group A) | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| Tajikistan (Group B) | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 6 |
| Laos (Group C) | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 5 |
| Bangladesh (Group D) | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Turkmenistan (Group E) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 3 |
Standing of teams finishing second in their respective groups:
| Teams finished 2nd | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
| Laos (Group C) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 4 |
| Turkmenistan (Group E) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 3 |
| India (Group A) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| Bangladesh (Group D) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Tajikistan (Group B) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
