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 then returned it to an under-17 tournament starting from 2023.^[1] Moreover, the tournament would also be rebranded from the "AFC U-16 Championship" to the "AFC U-17 Asian Cup".^[2]

AFC U-17 Asian Cup

Organising body	AFC
Founded	1985; 40 years ago (1985)
Region	Asia (including Australia)
Number of teams	16
Current champions	Uzbekistan (2nd title)
Most successful team(s)	Japan (4 titles)
2026 AFC U-17 Asian Cup qualification

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
				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			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
				Champions	Score	Runners-up
13	2008	Uzbekistan		Iran	2–1	South Korea		Japan and  United Arab Emirates
14	2010			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		Uzbekistan	2–0	Saudi Arabia		North Korea and  South Korea
21	2026
22	2027
23	2028

Notes:

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

Most successful national teams

Team	Champions	Runners-up	Third place	Fourth place	Semi-finalists	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)	2 (2018, 2025)	8
North Korea	2 (2010, 2014)	2 (2004, 2006)	—	2 (1986, 1992)	2 (2016, 2025)	8
Saudi Arabia	2 (1985, 1988)	1 (2025)	2 (1986, 1992)	—	—	6
Uzbekistan	2 (2012, 2025)	1 (2010)	—	1 (2002)	1 (2023)	5
China	2 (1992, 2004)	—	3 (1988, 1990, 2002)	—	—	5
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
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 (20 editions)	20	20	12	12	16	80

Note:

• Results as hosts in bold.

Awards

Tournament	Best player	Top goal scorer	Goals	Fair play award
2002 United Arab Emirates	Cha Gi-suk	Unknown		South Korea
2004 Japan	Unknown	Yusef Ahmed	7	Unknown
2006 Singapore	Yoichiro Kakitani	Mohamad Jaafar	6	Japan
2008 Uzbekistan	Lee Jong-ho	Kaveh Rezaei	6	South Korea
2010 Uzbekistan	Timur Khakimov	Timur Khakimov	5	Not awarded
2012 Iran	Taro Sugimoto	Hwang Hee-chan	5	Not awarded
2014 Thailand	Lee Seung-woo	Lee Seung-woo	5	South Korea
2016 India	Mohammed Dawood	Mohammed Dawood	6	Iraq
2018 Malaysia	Jun Nishikawa	Luqman Hakim	5	Japan
2023 Thailand	Gaku Nawata	Gaku Nawata	5	Japan
2025 Saudi Arabia	Sadriddin Khasanov	Asilbek Aliev	5	Saudi Arabia

Participating nations

Legend:

• 1st – Champions
• 2nd – Runners-up
• 3rd – Third place
• 4th – Fourth place
• 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
• XX — 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	GS	3
Australia												•	QF	SF	QF	SF	GS	SF	QF	GS	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	GS	16
Hong Kong	×	•	•	•	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	GS	•	•	•	•	1
India	•	•	•	GS	•	•	GS	•	•	QF	GS	•	GS	•	GS	•	GS	QF	GS	•	9
Indonesia	×	GS	GS	4th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	GS	GS	•	•	×	QF	•	QF	7
Iran	×	•	•	•	•	•	GS	GS	2nd	×	4th	QF	1st	GS	SF	QF	2nd	GS	SF	GS	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	QF	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	×	SF	12
Oman	×	•	•	•	×	3rd	1st	GS	1st	×	QF	•	•	GS	GS	GS	QF	QF	•	GS	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	2nd	12
Singapore	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	GS	GS	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	2
South Korea	•	1st	GS	GS	•	GS	GS	4th	•	1st	QF	QF	2nd	•	QF	2nd	GS	SF	2nd	SF	16
South Yemen	GS	•	•																		1
Syria	•	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	QF	×	4th	QF	QF	QF	SF	•	•	•	•	6
Tajikistan						×	×	•	•	×	•	3rd	DQ	GS	•	•	•	2nd	GS	QF	5
Thailand	4th	•	GS	•	GS	•	2nd	1st	GS	×	GS	•	•	•	GS	GS	GS	GS	QF	GS	13
Timor-Leste											×	×	×	GS	•	×	•	•	×	×	1
Turkmenistan						×	×	•	•	•	•	•	GS	•	×	•	•	×	•	•	1
United Arab Emirates	•	•	•	2nd	GS	GS	•	•	•	QF	•	•	SF	QF	•	•	QF	×	•	QF	8
Uzbekistan						GS	GS	•	•	4th	GS	•	QF	2nd	1st	QF	QF	•	SF	1st	11
Vietnam	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	4th	GS	GS	GS	•	GS	•	•	QF	GS	GS	GS	9
Yemen				×	•	•	•	×	×	2nd	•	GS	DQ	•	GS	•	GS	GS	QF	GS	7

Summary (1985–2025)

Rank	Team	Part	M	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Points
1	Japan	17	80	49	13	18	197	92	+105	160
2	South Korea	16	74	41	14	19	160	77	+83	137
3	Iran	13	59	30	11	18	111	67	+44	101
4	China	16	65	28	17	20	113	85	+28	101
5	Qatar	11	49	27	12	10	82	47	+35	93
6	North Korea	12	58	24	16	18	95	72	+23	88
7	Saudi Arabia	13	54	25	10	19	90	58	+32	85
8	Uzbekistan	11	52	25	10	17	91	96	−5	85
9	Oman	11	46	20	7	19	79	68	+11	67
10	Iraq	10	44	19	9	16	61	49	+12	66
11	Australia	8	33	18	4	11	66	52	+14	58
12	Thailand	13	50	17	7	26	71	84	−13	58
13	Bahrain	7	33	13	8	12	53	46	+7	47
14	United Arab Emirates	8	31	11	9	11	51	52	–1	42
15	Syria	6	27	10	9	8	39	33	+6	39
16	Yemen	8	27	8	6	13	32	39	−7	30
17	Tajikistan	5	22	7	7	8	28	45	−17	28
18	Vietnam	9	31	6	8	17	35	71	−36	26
19	India	9	30	6	7	17	36	68	−32	25
20	Indonesia	8	25	5	5	15	23	59	−36	20
21	Malaysia	6	19	5	2	12	21	41	−20	17
22	Kuwait	6	22	4	3	15	28	50	−22	15
23	Bangladesh	6	20	3	3	14	16	59	−43	12
24	Myanmar	4	12	2	2	8	12	36	−24	8
25	Jordan	3	10	1	4	5	8	23	−15	7
26	Laos	3	9	2	0	7	11	25	−14	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	3	9	1	0	8	4	34	−30	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	Timor-Leste	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 – Quarter-finals
• R2 – Round 2
• GS – Group stage
•      – 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				GS														2
China	QF		GS	GS	GS					GS	QF										6
India																	GS				1
Indonesia																			GS	Q	2
Iran									GS				R2		R2		QF		R2		5
Iraq															GS		R2				2
Japan					QF	GS			GS			GS	GS	QF	R2		R2	R2	R2	Q	11
North Korea											QF	R2		GS		R2	GS			Q	6
Oman						4th	QF		GS												3
Qatar	GS	QF		4th	GS	GS		QF			GS									Q	8
Saudi Arabia	QF	GS	1st																	Q	4
South Korea		QF								GS		GS	QF			R2		QF	GS	Q	8
Syria												R2				GS					2
Tajikistan	Part of Soviet Union											R2						GS		Q	3
Thailand							GS	GS													2
United Arab Emirates				GS									R2		GS					Q	4
Uzbekistan	Part of Soviet Union													QF	R2				QF	Q	4
Yemen										GS											1

See also

• AFC U-17 Women's Asian Cup
• FIFA U-17 World Cup
• AFC U-20 Asian Cup
• AFC U-23 Asian Cup