AFC U-17 Asian Cup

AFC U-17 Asian Cup
Organising body	AFC
Founded	1985; 39 years ago
Region	Asia (including Australia)
Number of teams	16
Current champions	Japan (4th title)
Most successful team(s)	Japan (4 titles)
	2025 AFC U-17 Asian Cup

The AFC U-17 Asian Cup, formerly known as the AFC U-16 Championship and AFC U-17 Championship, is a football competition, organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) held once every two years for Asian under-17 teams that also serves as a qualification tournament for the FIFA U-17 World Cup. The top 4 countries qualify to participate in the FIFA U-17 World Cup. Up to 2000, the tournament was for U-16 teams. Between 2002 and 2006 it was held as an under-17 tournament. Between 2008 and 2020, it was switched back to a U-16 Championship. The AFC has proposed switching back to an under-17 tournament starting from 2023.^[1] Moreover, the tournament will also be rebranded from the "AFC U-16 Championship" to the "AFC U-17 Asian Cup".^[2]

On 24 May 2024, AFC announced that the tournament will be held annually from 2026.^[3]

Results

Tournament names

1985–2000: AFC U-16 Championship
2002–2006: AFC U-17 Championship
2008–2020: AFC U-16 Championship
2023–present: AFC U-17 Asian Cup

Edition	Year	Host	Final			Third place match
Edition	Year	Host	Champions	Score	Runners-up	Third place	Score	Fourth place
1	1985	Qatar	Saudi Arabia	0–0 (a.e.t.) (4–3 p)	Qatar	Iraq	1–0	Thailand
2	1986	Qatar	South Korea	0–0 (5–4 p)	Qatar	Saudi Arabia	2–0	North Korea
3	1988	Thailand	Saudi Arabia	2–0	Bahrain	China	1–1 (4–3 p)	Iraq
4	1990	United Arab Emirates	Qatar	2–0	United Arab Emirates	China	5–0	Indonesia
5	1992	Saudi Arabia	China	2–2 (a.e.t.) (8–7 p)	Qatar	Saudi Arabia	2–1	North Korea
6	1994	Qatar	Japan	1–0 (a.e.t.)	Qatar	Oman	3–2	Bahrain
7	1996	Thailand	Oman	1–0	Thailand	Bahrain	0–0 (4–1 p)	Japan
8	1998	Qatar	Thailand	1–1 (a.e.t.) (3–2 p)	Qatar	Bahrain	5–1	South Korea
9	2000	Vietnam	Oman	1–0	Iran	Japan	4–2	Vietnam
10	2002	United Arab Emirates	South Korea	1–1 (5–3 p)	Yemen	China	1–0	Uzbekistan
11	2004	Japan	China	1–0	North Korea	Qatar	2–1	Iran
12	2006	Singapore	Japan	4–2 (a.e.t.)	North Korea	Tajikistan	3–3 (a.e.t.) (5–4 p)	Syria
Edition	Year	Host	Final			Losing semi-finalists¹
Edition	Year	Host	Champions	Score	Runners-up	Losing semi-finalists¹
13	2008	Uzbekistan	Iran	2–1	South Korea	Japan and United Arab Emirates
14	2010	Uzbekistan	North Korea	2–0	Uzbekistan	Australia and Japan
15	2012	Iran	Uzbekistan	1–1 (3–1 p)	Japan	Iran and Iraq
16	2014	Thailand	North Korea	2–1	South Korea	Australia and Syria
17	2016	India	Iraq	0–0 (4–3 p)	Iran	Japan and North Korea
18	2018	Malaysia	Japan	1–0	Tajikistan	Australia and South Korea
—	2020	Bahrain	Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
19	2023	Thailand	Japan	3–0	South Korea	Iran and Uzbekistan
20	2025	Saudi Arabia

Notes:

a.e.t.: after extra time
p: after penalty shoot-out
¹ No third place match was played.

Successful national teams

Team	Champions	Runners-up	Third place	Fourth place	Semifinalist	Total
Japan	4 (1994, 2006, 2018, 2023)	1 (2012)	1 (2000)	1 (1996)	3 (2008, 2010, 2016)	10
South Korea	2 (1986, 2002)	3 (2008, 2014, 2023)	—	1 (1998)	1 (2018)	7
North Korea	2 (2010, 2014)	2 (2004, 2006)	—	2 (1986, 1992)	1 (2016)	7
China	2 (1992, 2004)	—	3 (1988, 1990, 2002)	—	—	5
Saudi Arabia	2 (1985, 1988)	—	2 (1986, 1992)	—	—	4
Oman	2 (1996, 2000)	—	1 (1994)	—	—	3
Qatar	1 (1990)	5 (1985, 1986, 1992, 1994, 1998)	1 (2004)	—	—	7
Iran	1 (2008)	2 (2000, 2016)	—	1 (2004)	2 (2012, 2023)	6
Uzbekistan	1 (2012)	1 (2010)	—	1 (2002)	1 (2023)	4
Thailand	1 (1998)	1 (1996)	—	1 (1985)	—	3
Iraq	1 (2016)	—	1 (1985)	1 (1988)	1 (2012)	4
Bahrain	—	1 (1988)	2 (1996, 1998)	1 (1994)	—	4
Tajikistan	—	1 (2018)	1 (2006)	—	—	2
United Arab Emirates	—	1 (1990)	—	—	1 (2008)	2
Yemen	—	1 (2002)	—	—	—	1
Syria	—	—	—	1 (2006)	1 (2014)	2
Indonesia	—	—	—	1 (1990)	—	1
Vietnam	—	—	—	1 (2000)	—	1
Australia	—	—	—	—	3 (2010, 2014, 2018)	3
Total (19 editions)	19	19	12	12	14	76

Note:

Results as hosts in bold.

Awards

Tournament	Best player	Top goal scorer	Goals	Fair play award
1959–2000	Unknown
2002^[4]	Cha Gi-suk	Unknown		South Korea
2004	Unknown	Yusef Ahmed	7	Unknown
2006	Yoichiro Kakitani	Mohamad Jaafar	6	Japan
2008	Lee Jong-ho	Kaveh Rezaei	6	South Korea
2010	Timur Khakimov	Timur Khakimov	5	Not awarded
2012	Taro Sugimoto	Hwang Hee-chan	5	Not awarded
2014	Lee Seung-woo	Lee Seung-woo	5	South Korea
2016	Mohammed Dawood	Mohammed Dawood	6	Iraq
2018	Jun Nishikawa	Luqman Hakim	5	Japan
2023	Gaku Nawata	Gaku Nawata	5	Japan

Participating nations

Legend:

1st – Champion
2nd – 2nd
3rd – 3rd
4th – 4th
SF – Semi-finalists
QF – Quarter finals
GS – Group stage
q – Qualified for upcoming tournament
DQ – Disqualified
•• – Qualified but withdrew
• – Did not qualify
× – Did not enter
× – Withdrew / Banned / Entry not accepted by FIFA
— Country not affiliated to AFC at that time
XX — Country did not exist or national team was inactive
– Hosts
– Not affiliated to FIFA

Nation	1985	1986	1988	1990	1992	1994	1996	1998	2000	2002	2004	2006	2008	2010	2012	2014	2016	2018	2023	2025	Total
Afghanistan	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	×	×	•	DQ	•	•	GS	GS	Q	3
Australia												•	QF	SF	QF	SF	GS	SF	QF	Q	8
Bahrain	•	GS	2nd	•	GS	4th	3rd	3rd	•	•	•	•	GS	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	7
Bangladesh	×	GS	•	•	GS	•	•	GS	GS	×	GS	GS	DQ	•	•	×	•	•	•	•	6
China	GS	•	3rd	3rd	1st	GS	GS	•	GS	3rd	1st	QF	GS	GS	GS	GS	•	•	GS	Q	16
East Timor											×	×	×	GS	•	×	•	•	×	×	1
Hong Kong	×	•	•	•	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	GS	•	•	•	•	1
India	•	•	•	GS	•	•	GS	•	•	QF	GS	•	GS	•	GS	•	GS	QF	GS	•	9
Indonesia	×	GS	GS	4th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	GS	GS	•	•	×	QF	•	Q	7
Iran	×	•	•	•	•	•	GS	GS	2nd	×	4th	QF	1st	GS	SF	QF	2nd	GS	SF	Q	13
Iraq	3rd	•	4th	×	×	GS	×	GS	•	•	QF	GS	DQ	QF	SF	•	1st	GS	•	•	10
Japan	GS	•	GS	×	•	1st	4th	GS	3rd	GS	GS	1st	SF	SF	2nd	QF	SF	1st	1st	Q	17
Jordan	×	•	•	GS	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	QF	×	•	•	GS	•	•	3
Kuwait	••	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	GS	•	QF	•	•	GS	QF	GS	×	×	•	•	5
Kyrgyzstan						×	×	•	•	•	•	•	DQ	•	•	•	GS	•	•	•	1
Laos	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	•	GS	DQ	•	•	GS	•	•	•	GS	•	3
Malaysia	×	•	•	•	•	•	×	•	•	•	GS	•	GS	•	•	QF	GS	GS	GS	•	6
Myanmar	×	GS	×	×	×	×	×	•	GS	GS	•	GS	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	4
Nepal	•	×	•	•	•	×	×	•	GS	×	•	GS	•	•	•	GS	×	•	•	•	3
North Korea	×	4th	GS	•	4th	•	•	GS	×	•	2nd	2nd	DQ	1st	GS	1st	SF	QF	×	Q	12
Oman	×	•	•	•	×	3rd	1st	GS	1st	×	QF	•	•	GS	GS	GS	QF	QF	•	Q	11
Pakistan	×	×	×	×	•	×	×	•	•	GS	×	•	•	•	•	•	×	×	×	×	1
Qatar	2nd	2nd	GS	1st	2nd	2nd	•	2nd	•	QF	3rd	•	•	•	•	GS	•	•	GS	•	11
Saudi Arabia	1st	3rd	1st	••	3rd	GS	•	•	•	•	•	QF	QF	•	GS	GS	GS	•	QF	Q	12
Singapore	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	GS	GS	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	2
South Korea	•	1st	GS	GS	•	GS	GS	4th	•	1st	QF	QF	2nd	•	QF	2nd	GS	SF	2nd	Q	16
South Yemen	GS	•	•																		1
Syria	•	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	QF	×	4th	QF	QF	QF	SF	•	•	•	•	6
Tajikistan						×	×	•	•	×	•	3rd	DQ	GS	•	•	•	2nd	GS	Q	5
Thailand	4th	•	GS	•	GS	•	2nd	1st	GS	×	GS	•	•	•	GS	GS	GS	GS	QF	Q	13
Turkmenistan						×	×	•	•	•	•	•	GS	•	×	•	•	×	•	•	1
United Arab Emirates	•	•	•	2nd	GS	GS	•	•	•	QF	•	•	SF	QF	•	•	QF	×	•	Q	8
Uzbekistan						GS	GS	•	•	4th	GS	•	QF	2nd	1st	QF	QF	•	SF	Q	11
Vietnam	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	4th	GS	GS	GS	•	GS	•	•	QF	GS	GS	Q	9
Yemen				×	•	•	•	×	×	2nd	•	GS	DQ	•	GS	•	GS	GS	QF	Q	7

Summary (1985–2023)

Rank	Team	Part	M	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Points
1	Japan	16	76	48	11	17	189	85	+104	155
2	South Korea	15	69	39	12	18	150	73	+77	129
3	Iran	12	56	30	10	16	107	60	+47	100
4	China	15	62	27	17	18	109	81	+28	98
5	Qatar	11	49	27	12	10	82	47	+35	93
6	North Korea	11	53	22	14	17	83	66	+17	80
7	Saudi Arabia	12	48	23	8	17	82	48	+34	77
8	Uzbekistan	10	46	19	10	17	74	93	−19	67
9	Iraq	10	44	19	9	16	61	49	+12	66
10	Oman	10	43	19	6	18	73	62	+11	63
11	Thailand	12	47	17	7	23	69	75	−6	58
12	Australia	7	30	17	3	10	62	47	+15	54
13	Bahrain	7	33	13	8	12	53	46	+7	47
14	Syria	6	27	10	9	8	39	33	+6	39
15	United Arab Emirates	7	28	10	8	10	47	47	0	38
16	Yemen	7	24	7	6	11	29	34	−5	27
17	India	9	30	6	7	17	36	68	−32	25
18	Vietnam	8	28	6	5	17	32	68	−36	23
19	Tajikistan	4	18	5	6	7	21	38	−17	21
20	Malaysia	6	19	5	2	12	21	41	−20	17
21	Kuwait	6	22	4	3	15	28	50	−22	15
22	Bangladesh	6	20	3	3	14	16	59	−43	12
23	Indonesia	7	21	2	5	14	16	52	−36	11
24	Jordan	3	10	1	4	5	8	23	−15	7
25	Laos	3	9	2	0	7	11	25	−14	6
26	Myanmar	4	12	1	3	8	12	34	−22	6
27	Nepal	3	10	1	2	7	6	31	−25	5
28	Kyrgyzstan	1	3	1	0	2	2	11	−9	3
29	Afghanistan	2	6	1	0	5	4	24	−20	3
30	South Yemen	1	3	0	2	1	4	5	−1	2
31	Singapore	2	6	0	2	4	3	18	−15	2
32	Pakistan	1	3	0	1	2	2	6	−4	1
33	Hong Kong	1	3	0	0	3	0	6	−6	0
34	East Timor	1	3	0	0	3	1	9	−8	0
35	Turkmenistan	1	3	0	0	3	1	12	−11	0

Men's U-17 World Cup Qualifiers

Legend

1st – Champions
2nd – Runners-up
3rd – Third place
4th – Fourth place
QF – Quarterfinals
R2 – Round 2
R1 – Round 1
– Hosts
– Not affiliated to AFC
q – Qualified for upcoming tournament

Team	1985	1987	1989	1991	1993	1995	1997	1999	2001	2003	2005	2007	2009	2011	2013	2015	2017	2019	2023	2025	Total
Australia	OFC member													R2		R2		R2			3
Bahrain			4th				R1														2
China	QF		R1	R1	R1					R1	QF										6
India																	R1				1
Indonesia																			R1		1
Iran									R1				R2		R2		QF		R2		5
Iraq															R1		R2				2
Japan					QF	R1			R1			R1	R1	QF	R2		R2	R2	R2		10
North Korea											QF	R2		R1		R2	R1				5
Oman						4th	QF		R1												3
Qatar	R1	QF		4th	R1	R1		QF			R1									Q	8
Saudi Arabia	QF	R1	1st																		3
South Korea		QF								R1		R1	QF			R2		QF	R1		7
Syria												R2				R1					2
Tajikistan	Part of Soviet Union											R2						R1			2
Thailand							R1	R1													2
United Arab Emirates				R1									R2		R1						3
Uzbekistan	Part of Soviet Union													QF	R2				QF		3
Yemen										R1											1

References

^ "AFC Competitions Committee recommends changes to youth competitions". AFC. 26 November 2018.
^ "AFC rebrands age group championships to AFC Asian Cups". AFC. 2 October 2020.
^ "Pivotal reforms approved by AFC Competitions Committee". Asian Football Confederation. 24 May 2024. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
^ -아시아청소년축구- 한국, 16년만에 우승. Naver (in Korean). Yonhap News Agency. 2002-09-23. Retrieved 2024-10-29.

Sources

Garin, Erik; Stokkermans, Karel. "Asian U-16 Championships". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation.

[1] "AFC Competitions Committee recommends changes to youth competitions". AFC. 26 November 2018.

[2] "AFC rebrands age group championships to AFC Asian Cups". AFC. 2 October 2020.

[3] "Pivotal reforms approved by AFC Competitions Committee". Asian Football Confederation. 24 May 2024. Retrieved 24 May 2024.

[4] -아시아청소년축구- 한국, 16년만에 우승. Naver (in Korean). Yonhap News Agency. 2002-09-23. Retrieved 2024-10-29.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

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