About  AFC Asian Cup

The AFC Asian Cup (referred to as the Asian Cup) is a continental-level national team championship hosted by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), held every four years. 

Cup History

In 1956, the first Asian Cup was held in Hong Kong, with 4 teams participating, and the South Korean men's national football team won the championship. From 1968 to 1988, countries in West Asia and the Middle East dominated the Asian Cup titles. In 1992, Japan, as the host, lifted the Asian Cup trophy for the first time on home soil. At the 1996 UAE Asian Cup, the number of teams in the final tournament expanded from 8 to 12. At the 2004 Asian Cup, the number of finalists was expanded to 16, and the host Chinese team lost to Japan in the final, claiming the runner-up. Due to potential scheduling conflicts with major events such as the Olympic Games and the European Championship, the Asian Cup originally scheduled for 2008 was advanced to 2007. The 2007 Asian Cup was held in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam, marking the first time the Asian Cup was co-hosted by more than one country/region. It was also Australia’s first Asian Cup after joining the AFC. Eventually, Iraq, as a dark horse, won the championship that year. At the 2015 Asian Cup, the host Australian team defeated South Korea in the final to claim their first Asian Cup title in team history. Starting from the 2019 Asian Cup, the number of teams in the final tournament was expanded to 24. The 2023 Asian Cup was originally scheduled to be held in China but was postponed to January 2024 in Qatar due to the pandemic. On February 10, 2024, in the Asian Cup final, Qatar defeated Jordan to successfully defend their title.

Since the inception of the Asian Cup, as of 2024, Japan tops Asia with 4 titles, while Saudi Arabia and Iran are tied for second with 3 titles each.