▁champions , ▁were ▁ex cluded ▁from ▁particip ating ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 4 ▁A FC ▁Challenge ▁Cup . ▁ ▁Qual ified ▁nations ▁ ▁Draw ▁The ▁eight ▁particip ating ▁teams ▁were ▁drawn ▁into ▁two ▁brackets ▁of ▁the ▁group ▁stage . ▁To ▁prepare ▁for ▁this , ▁the ▁teams ▁were ▁separated ▁into ▁four ▁p ots ▁of ▁two ▁teams ▁each ▁based ▁on ▁their ▁performance ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁edition ▁of ▁the ▁tournament ▁with ▁the ▁exception ▁of ▁hosts ▁being ▁placed ▁in ▁Pot ▁ 1 . ▁ ▁The ▁final ▁draw ▁was ▁held ▁at ▁the ▁Parad ise ▁Island ▁Res ort ▁in ▁the ▁M ald ives ▁on ▁ 1 2 ▁February ▁ 2 0 1 4 . ▁ ▁Squad s ▁ ▁Each ▁team ▁can ▁name ▁a ▁squad ▁of ▁ 2 3 ▁players . ▁ ▁Group ▁stage ▁ ▁T ie - bre aking ▁criteria ▁The ▁teams ▁are ▁ranked ▁according ▁to ▁points ▁( 3 ▁points ▁for ▁a ▁win , ▁ 1 ▁point ▁for ▁a ▁tie , ▁ 0 ▁points ▁for ▁a ▁loss ) ▁and ▁tie ▁break ers ▁are ▁in ▁following ▁order : ▁Gre ater ▁number ▁of ▁points ▁obtained ▁in ▁the ▁group ▁matches ▁between ▁the ▁teams ▁concerned ; ▁Go al ▁difference ▁resulting ▁from ▁the ▁group ▁matches ▁between ▁the ▁teams ▁concerned ; ▁Gre ater ▁number ▁of ▁goals ▁scored ▁in ▁the ▁group ▁matches ▁between ▁the ▁teams ▁concerned ; ▁Go al ▁difference ▁in ▁all ▁the ▁group ▁matches ; ▁Gre ater ▁number ▁of ▁goals ▁scored ▁in ▁all ▁the ▁group ▁matches ; ▁K icks ▁from ▁the ▁penalty ▁mark ▁if ▁only ▁two ▁teams ▁are ▁involved