AFC Asian Cup
Founded | 1956 |
---|---|
Region | Asia (AFC) |
Number of teams | 16 |
Current champions | ![]() |
Most successful team(s) | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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The AFC Asian Cup is an international association football tournament run by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). 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. Traditionally successful teams are 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, Kuwait, China and the United Arab Emirates.
Australia is the most recent nation to join the Asian confederation in 2007.[1]
Results
Most successful national teams
Team | Champions | Runners-up | Third-place | Fourth-place |
---|---|---|---|---|
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3 (1984, 1988, 1996) | 3 (1992, 2000, 2007) | - | - |
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3 (1968*, 1972, 1976*) | - | 4 (1980, 1988, 1996, 2004) | 1 (1984) |
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3 (1992*, 2000, 2004) | - | - | 1 (2007) |
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2 (1956, 1960*) | 3 (1972, 1980, 1988) | 3 (1964, 2000, 2007) | - |
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1 (1964*) | 2 (1956, 1960) | 1 (1968) | - |
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1 (1980*) | 1 (1976) | 1 (1984) | 1 (1996) |
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1 (2007) | - | - | 1 (1976) |
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- | 2 (1984, 2004*) | 2 (1976, 1992) | 2 (1988, 2000) |
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- | 1 (1996*) | - | 1 (1992) |
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- | 1 (1964) | - | - |
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- | 1 (1968) | - | - |
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- | - | 1 (1960) | 1 (1968) |
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- | - | 1 (1956*) | 1 (1964) |
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- | - | 1 (1972*) | - |
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- | - | - | 2 (1956,1960) |
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- | - | - | 1 (2004) |
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- | - | - | 1 (1972) |
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- | - | - | 1 (1980) |
- * as hosts
- # Israel was expelled from the AFC in the early 1970s[citation needed] and eventually became a member of UEFA.
- ^ Formerly Burma.
Summaries
- Notes
Performances by host nations
Year | Host nation | Finish |
---|---|---|
1956 | ![]() |
Third place |
1960 | ![]() |
Champions |
1964 | ![]() |
Champions |
1968 | ![]() |
Champions |
1972 | ![]() |
Third place |
1976 | ![]() |
Champions |
1980 | ![]() |
Champions |
1984 | ![]() |
Group stage |
1988 | ![]() |
Group stage |
1992 | ![]() |
Champions |
1996 | ![]() |
Runner-up |
2000 | ![]() |
Group stage |
2004 | ![]() |
Runner-up |
2007 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Quarter-final Group stage Group stage Group stage |
2011 | ![]() |
To be decided |
2015 | ![]() |
To be decided |
Best performances by region
Federation (Region) | Best performance |
---|---|
WAFF (West Asia) | 9 titles, won by Saudi Arabia (3), Iran (3), Kuwait (1), Iraq (1) , Israel (1) |
EAFF (East Asia) | 5 titles, won by Japan (3), Korea Republic (2) |
AFF (Southeast Asia) | Runner-up (Myanmar, 1968) |
SAFF (Central and South Asia) | Runner-up (India, 1964) |
Awards
Most Valuable Players
Year | Player |
---|---|
1956 | No Award |
1960 | No Award |
1964 | No Award |
1968 | No Award |
1972 | No Award |
1976 | No Award |
1980 | No Award |
1984 | ![]() |
1988 | ![]() |
1992 | ![]() |
1996 | ![]() |
2000 | ![]() |
2004 | ![]() |
2007 | ![]() |
Top scorers
Year | Player | Goals |
---|---|---|
1956 | ![]() |
4 |
1960 | ![]() |
4 |
1964 | ![]() ![]() |
2 |
1968 | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
4 |
1972 | ![]() |
5 |
1976 | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
3 |
1980 | ![]() ![]() |
7 |
1984 | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
3 |
1988 | ![]() |
3 |
1992 | ![]() |
3 |
1996 | ![]() |
8 |
2000 | ![]() |
6 |
2004 | ![]() ![]() |
5 |
2007 | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
4 |
Fair Play Awards
Year | Nations |
---|---|
1996 | ![]() |
2000 | ![]() |
2004 | ![]() |
2007 | ![]() |
Records and statistics
Overall top goalscorers
Hat-tricks
Player | Result | Goals | Tournament | Round |
---|---|---|---|---|
Hossein Kalani | ![]() ![]() |
34', 70', 78' | 1972 | Group stage |
Ali Jabbari | ![]() ![]() |
80', 86', 88' | 1972 | Group stage |
Gholam Hossein Mazloumi | ![]() ![]() |
63', 74', 80' | 1976 | Group stage |
Behtash Fariba | ![]() ![]() |
11', 34', 80', 82' | 1980 | Group stage |
Choi Soon-Ho | ![]() ![]() |
26', 53', 78' (pen.) | 1980 | Group stage |
Ali Daei | ![]() ![]() |
66', 76', 83', 89' (pen.) | 1996 | Quarter-finals |
Akinori Nishizawa | ![]() ![]() |
14', 25', 49' | 2000 | Group stage |
Naohiro Takahara | ![]() ![]() |
18', 20', 57' | 2000 | Group stage |
Lee Dong-Gook | ![]() ![]() |
30', 76', 90+1' | 2000 | Group stage |
Mohammad Al-Shalhoub | ![]() ![]() |
35', 78', 86' | 2000 | Group stage |
Ali Karimi | ![]() ![]() |
10', 20', 77' | 2004 | Quarter-finals |
Most tournaments appeared
The tabulated below is the players who had appeared more than four times in the history of tournament.
Player | App. | Years |
---|---|---|
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4 | 1996, 2000, 2004, 2007 |
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4 | 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004 |
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4 | 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996 |
AFC Asian Cup winning managers
Year | Head coach | Champions |
---|---|---|
1956 | ![]() |
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1960 | ![]() |
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1964 | ![]() |
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1968 | ![]() |
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1972 | ![]() |
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1976 | ![]() |
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1980 | ![]() |
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1984 | ![]() |
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1988 | ![]() |
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1992 | ![]() |
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1996 | ![]() |
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2000 | ![]() |
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2004 | ![]() |
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2007 | ![]() |
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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
Year | Host nation | Mpd | Total Att. | Avg Att. |
---|---|---|---|---|
1992 | ![]() |
16 | 316,496 | 19,781 |
1996 | ![]() |
26 | 398,008 | 15,308 |
2000 | ![]() |
26 | 230,490 | 8,865 |
2004 | ![]() |
32 | 1,020,050 | 31,877 |
2007 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
32 | 724,222 | 22,632 |
Participating nations
Team | ![]() 1956 |
![]() 1960 |
![]() 1964 |
![]() 1968 |
![]() 1972 |
![]() 1976 |
![]() 1980 |
![]() 1984 |
![]() 1988 |
![]() 1992 |
![]() 1996 |
![]() 2000 |
![]() 2004 |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() 2007 |
![]() 2011 |
![]() 2015 |
Years |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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QF | q | q | 3 | |||||||||||||
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GS | 4th | GS | q | - | 4 | |||||||||||
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GS | - | 1 | ||||||||||||||
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2nd | - | 1 | ||||||||||||||
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4th | - | 1 | ||||||||||||||
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3rd | GS | 2nd | 4th | 3rd | QF | 4th | 2nd | GS | q | - | 10 | |||||
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3rd | 4th | - | 2 | |||||||||||||
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3rd | 4th | 5th | - | 3 | ||||||||||||
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2nd | GS | q | - | 3 | ||||||||||||
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GS | GS | GS | GS | - | 4 | |||||||||||
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1st | 1st | 1st | 3rd | 4th | 3rd | GS | 3rd | QF | 3rd | QF | q | - | 12 | |||
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GS | 4th | QF | QF | QF | 1st | q | - | 7 | ||||||||
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2nd | 2nd | 1st | 3rd | 4 | ||||||||||||
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GS | 1st | QF | 1st | 1st | 4th | q | - | 7 | ||||||||
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QF | q | - | 2 | |||||||||||||
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4th | GS | q | - | 3 | ||||||||||||
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1st | 1st | 3rd | 2nd | 2nd | GS | 2nd | QF | 3rd | QF | 3rd | q | - | 12 | |||
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GS | 2nd | 1st | 3rd | GS | 4th | QF | GS | q | - | 9 | ||||||
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GS | - | 1 | ||||||||||||||
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GS | GS | GS | - | 3 | ||||||||||||
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GS | GS | - | 2 | |||||||||||||
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GS | GS | GS | GS | QF | GS | GS | q | - | 8 | |||||||
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1st | 1st | 2nd | 1st | 2nd | GS | 2nd | q | - | 8 | |||||||
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GS | - | 1 | ||||||||||||||
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GS | - | 1 | ||||||||||||||
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GS | GS | GS | GS | q | - | 5 | ||||||||||
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3rd | GS | GS | GS | GS | GS | - | 6 | |||||||||
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GS | - | 1 | ||||||||||||||
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GS | GS | GS | 4th | 2nd | GS | GS | q | - | 8 | |||||||
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GS | GS | QF | QF | q | - | 5 | ||||||||||
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4th* | 4th* | QF | - | 3 | ||||||||||||
Total | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 12 | 12 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 |
- * : as South Vietnam
Qualification Participating Nations by First Participate year
- 2011:None
- 2007:
Australia
- 2004:
East Timor
- 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,
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
Team | Part | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Dif |
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11 | 54 | 31 | 17 | 6 | 106 | 40 | +66 |
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11 | 50 | 23 | 14 | 13 | 79 | 53 | +26 |
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7 | 38 | 18 | 13 | 7 | 57 | 32 | +25 |
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6 | 31 | 17 | 9 | 5 | 58 | 31 | +27 |
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9 | 44 | 16 | 12 | 16 | 72 | 50 | +22 |
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8 | 36 | 15 | 10 | 11 | 45 | 38 | +7 |
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7 | 29 | 9 | 7 | 13 | 23 | 39 | -16 |
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6 | 25 | 9 | 6 | 10 | 27 | 30 | -3 |
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4 | 13 | 9 | 0 | 4 | 28 | 15 | +13 |
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4 | 14 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 20 | 26 | -6 |
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4 | 15 | 6 | 2 | 7 | 11 | 18 | -7 |
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7 | 25 | 4 | 11 | 10 | 24 | 34 | -9 |
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2 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 12 | 17 | -5 |
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3 | 13 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 17 | 24 | -7 |
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4 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 28 | -18 |
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1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 4 | +1 |
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2 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 10 | -5 |
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6 | 20 | 1 | 8 | 11 | 15 | 45 | -30 |
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1 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | -1 |
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2 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 6 | -1 |
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3 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 20 | -13 |
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1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 5 | +2 |
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2 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 12 | -7 |
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1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | -1 |
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1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 7 | -3 |
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1 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 10 | -2 |
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3 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 9 | 23 | -14 |
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1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 7 | -4 |
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1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 6 | -2 |
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2 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 21 | -13 |
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1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 9 | -9 |
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1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 17 | -15 |
- Iran holds almost all major Asian Cup final competition records : most games played (54 followed by South Korea,50), most games won (31, followed by South Korea, 23), most goals scored (106, followed by South Korea, 79), best goal difference (+66, followed by Japan, +27). Iran shares records of most Asian Cup titles (3) with Saudi Arabia and Japan and most Asian Cup final competition participation (11) with South Korea and most semi final appearance (8) with Japan, while Saudi Arabia holds record of finals played (6 followed by South Korea 5 and Iran 3).