AFC Asian Cup

The AFC Asian Cup is an international association football tournament run by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). It is the second oldest continental football championship in the world after Copa América. The winning team becomes the champion of Asia and automatically qualifies for the FIFA Confederations Cup.

The Asian Cup had been held once every four years from 1956 until 2004. However, since the Summer Olympic Games and the European Football Championship were also scheduled in the same year as the Asian Cup (2004, 2008, 2012 etc.), the AFC decided to move their championship to a less crowded cycle. After 2004, the tournament was held in 2007 and thereafter will be held every four years.

The Asian Cup has been dominated by the top teams in Asia over the years, typically from East Asia or West Asia. Initially successful teams were Iran, and Korea Republic. Recently Japan and Saudi Arabia are the successful teams and often earned a spot for themselves in the final matches. Other teams which have achieved success at times include Israel (no longer a member of the AFC), Iraq, and Kuwait.

Australia is the most recent nation to join the Asian confederation in 2007.^[1]

Results

Summaries

Note: (RR) = played as round-robin format

Most successful national teams

* as hosts

# Israel was expelled from the AFC in the early 1970s^[2] and eventually became a member of UEFA.

^ Formerly Burma.

^^ Formerly Khmer Republic.

Results of host nations

Results of defending champions

Best performances by region

Awards

Most Valuable Players

Top scorers

Fair Play Awards

Records and statistics

Overall top goalscorers

Hat-tricks

A hat-trick is achieved when the same player scores three or more goals in one match. Listed in chronological order.

Most tournaments appeared

The tabulated below is the players who had appeared more than four times in the history of tournament

AFC Asian Cup winning managers

Score

• Most goals scored in one match, one team: Iran 8–0 South Yemen in 1976
• Most goals scored in one match, both teams: Japan 8–1 Uzbekistan in 2000

Attendance

Participating nations

Legend

• 1st – Champions
• 2nd – Runners-up
• 3rd – Third place
• 4th – Fourth place
• QF – Quarter Finals
• GS – Group stage
• q – Qualified
•     — Hosts

Qualification participating nations by year of first participation

• 2011:None
• 2007: Australia
• 2004: Timor-Leste
• 2000: Palestine,  Laos,  Bhutan,  Mongolia
• 1996: Guam,  Kazakhstan,  Turkmenistan,  Uzbekistan,  Tajikistan,  Kyrgyzstan,  Vietnam,  Yemen,  Maldives
• 1992:None
• 1988:None
• 1984: North Yemen,  Pakistan,  Oman,  Nepal
• 1980: Bangladesh,  Macau,  United Arab Emirates
• 1976: Afghanistan,  South Yemen,  North Korea,  China PR,  Saudi Arabia,  Qatar
• 1972: Brunei,  Iraq,  Sri Lanka,  Jordan,  Lebanon,  Syria,  Kuwait,  Bahrain
• 1968: Thailand,  Japan,  Indonesia,  Burma
• 1964:None
• 1960: Singapore,  Hong Kong,  India,  Pakistan,  Iran
• 1956: South Korea,  Philippines,  Republic of China,  Malaya,  Cambodia,  South Vietnam,  Israel

General Statistics

• Iran holds most Asian Cup statistical records : most games played (58 followed by South Korea,56), most games won (34, followed by South Korea, 27), most goals scored (112, followed by South Korea, 92), best goal difference (+71, followed by Japan, +35). Japan holds records of most Asian Cup titles (4),Iran shares records most Asian Cup final competition participation (12) with South Korea.South Korea holds records of most semi final appearance (9),while Saudi Arabia holds record of finals played (6 followed by South Korea 5, Japan 4 and Iran 3).

References and footnotes

External links

• RSSSF archive
• AFC Asian Cup Official Website