Organising body | AFC |
---|---|
Founded | 1975 |
Region | Asia |
Number of teams | 12 (finals) 35 (qualifiers) |
Qualifier for | FIFA Women's World Cup |
Current champions | China (9th title) |
Most successful team(s) | China (9 titles) |
2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup |
The AFC Women's Asian Cup (formerly known as the AFC Women's Championship) is a quadrennial competition in women's football for national teams which belong to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). It is the oldest women's international football competition and premier women's football competition in the AFC region for national teams. The competition is also known as the Asian Women's Football Championship and the Asian Women's Championship. 20 tournaments have been held, with the current champions being China PR. The competitions until 2026 also serve as Asian qualifying tournament for the FIFA Women's World Cup.
The competition was set up by the Asian Ladies Football Confederation (ALFC), a part of the AFC responsible for women's football. The first competition was held in 1975 and was held every two years after this, except for a period in the 1980s where the competition was held every three years. The ALFC was initially a separate organisation but was absorbed into the AFC in 1986.
From 1975 to 1981, matches were 60 minutes in duration. [1]
The competition has been dominated by countries from the Pacific Rim or Eastern Asia (including East and Southeast Asia), with the China women's national football team having won 9 times, including a series of 7 consecutive victories as of 2022 edition. Countries from Central and West Asia have been rather less successful, with only Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Jordan and Iran having qualified so far. Eastern Asia has also been far more frequent in participating in the FIFA Women's World Cup, with five strongest women's teams of Asia (China, North Korea, Japan, Australia and South Korea) hail from this part.
The tournament frequency changed to every 4 years effective from 2010, [2] after AFC had announced that the Asian Cup will additionally serve as the qualification rounds of the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup. [3]
Until 2003, teams were invited by the AFC to compete. From 2006, a separate qualification was established and the number of teams will be decided by the merit by qualification process. The name of the tournament was also changed to as the "AFC Women's Asian Cup", to reflect the change and reforms of the competition.
The tournament was expanded from eight teams to twelve starting from the 2022 edition. [4]
On 20 August 2023, AFC has decided to shift the AFC Women's Asian Cup to non-FIFA Women's World Cup odd years, which will see the edition after the upcoming 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup takes place in 2029 instead of 2030. [5]
On 13 September 2024, AFC announced the change in the format of their women's national team competitions, including a new qualifying format for the Women's Asian Cup. In addition, the Women's Asian Cup will no longer serve as Asian qualifying tournament for the FIFA Women's World Cup from 2031 and instead serve as qualification for AFC Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament since 2028. [6]
All of the 47 members of the AFC who have a women's national team are eligible to participate in the qualification tournament.
Starting from 2022 edition, a total of twelve teams participate in the final tournament including the hosts, top three finishers of the previous edition and eight teams from the qualification tournament. [4]
Rank | Nation | Champions | Runners-up | Third Place | Fourth Place | Semi-finalists | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | China | 9 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 15 |
2 | North Korea | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 9 |
3 | Chinese Taipei | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 9 |
4 | Japan | 2 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 15 |
5 | Australia | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 |
6 | Thailand | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 |
7 | New Zealand | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
8 | India | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
9 | South Korea | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 5 |
10 | Hong Kong | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
11 | Malaysia | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
Singapore | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | |
13 | Indonesia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
14 | Philippines | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Total | 20 | 20 | 21 | 17 | 2 | 80 |
Team | 1975 (6) | 1977 (6) | 1980 (6) | 1981 (8) | 1983 (6) | 1986 (7) | 1989 (8) | 1991 (9) | 1993 (8) | 1995 (11) | 1997 (11) | 1999 (15) | 2001 (14) | 2003 (14) | 2006 (9) | 2008 (8) | 2010 (8) | 2014 (8) | 2018 (8) | 2022 (12) | 2026 (12) | Years |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Australia | 3rd | OFC member | 3rd | OFC member | 2nd | 4th | 1st | 2nd | 2nd | QF | Q | 8 | ||||||||||
China | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 3rd | 2nd | 1st | 2nd | 4th | 3rd | 3rd | 1st | Q | 15 | |||||
Chinese Taipei | 1st | 1st | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 3rd | 4th | 2nd | GS | GS | GS | GS | QF | 14 | |||||||
Guam | GS | GS | GS | GS | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
Hong Kong | GS | GS | 3rd | 4th | GS | GS | 4th | GS | GS | GS | GS | GS | GS | GS | 14 | |||||||
India | 2nd | 3rd | 2nd | GS | GS | GS | GS | GS | WD [f] | 9 | ||||||||||||
Indonesia | 4th | GS | 4th | GS | GS | 5 | ||||||||||||||||
Iran | GS | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Japan | GS | GS | 2nd | 3rd | 2nd | 3rd | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 2nd | 4th | 4th | 3rd | 3rd | 1st | 1st | SF | Q | 17 | |||
Jordan | GS | GS | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||
Kazakhstan | Part of Soviet Union | GS | GS | GS | UEFA member | 3 | ||||||||||||||||
North Korea | GS | 4th | 2nd | 2nd | 3rd | 1st | 1st | 3rd | 1st | 2nd | 10 | |||||||||||
South Korea | GS | GS | 4th | GS | GS | 4th | 3rd | GS | GS | GS | 4th | 5th | 2nd | Q | 13 | |||||||
Malaysia | 4th | GS | 3rd | GS | GS | GS | GS | GS | GS | 9 | ||||||||||||
Myanmar | GS | GS | GS | GS | GS | 5 | ||||||||||||||||
Nepal | GS | GS | GS | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||
New Zealand | 1st | OFC member | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||
Philippines | GS | GS | GS | GS | GS | GS | GS | GS | 6th | SF | 10 | |||||||||||
Singapore | GS | 3rd | GS | 4th | GS | GS | GS | 7 | ||||||||||||||
Thailand | 2nd | 2nd | 2nd | 1st | 3rd | GS | GS | GS | GS | GS | GS | GS | GS | GS | 5th | 4th | QF | 17 | ||||
Uzbekistan | Part of Soviet Union | GS | GS | GS | GS | GS | 5 | |||||||||||||||
Vietnam | GS | GS | GS | GS | GS | GS | 6th | GS | QF | 9 |
Rank | Team | Part | M | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | China | 15 | 75 | 61 | 5 | 9 | 367 | 38 | +329 | 188 |
2 | Japan | 17 | 81 | 55 | 6 | 20 | 365 | 60 | +305 | 171 |
3 | Chinese Taipei | 14 | 64 | 38 | 6 | 20 | 175 | 84 | +91 | 120 |
4 | North Korea | 10 | 53 | 36 | 6 | 11 | 242 | 38 | +204 | 114 |
5 | Thailand | 17 | 69 | 34 | 2 | 33 | 115 | 171 | −56 | 104 |
6 | South Korea | 13 | 54 | 28 | 7 | 19 | 157 | 77 | +80 | 91 |
7 | Australia | 8 | 40 | 21 | 6 | 13 | 88 | 43 | +45 | 69 |
8 | India | 9 | 36 | 16 | 4 | 16 | 63 | 61 | +2 | 52 |
9 | Hong Kong | 14 | 57 | 11 | 4 | 42 | 26 | 191 | −165 | 37 |
10 | Vietnam | 9 | 33 | 11 | 1 | 21 | 39 | 92 | −53 | 34 |
11 | Singapore | 7 | 27 | 7 | 1 | 19 | 21 | 115 | −94 | 22 |
12 | Uzbekistan | 5 | 16 | 7 | 0 | 9 | 15 | 64 | −49 | 21 |
13 | Malaysia | 9 | 34 | 5 | 3 | 26 | 20 | 161 | −141 | 18 |
14 | Philippines | 10 | 36 | 5 | 2 | 29 | 22 | 187 | −165 | 17 |
15 | Indonesia | 5 | 17 | 4 | 1 | 12 | 17 | 77 | −60 | 13 |
16 | New Zealand | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 3 | +8 | 12 |
17 | Kazakhstan | 3 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 16 | 39 | −23 | 8 |
18 | Myanmar | 5 | 17 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 16 | 56 | −40 | 8 |
19 | Guam | 4 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 5 | 112 | −107 | 3 |
20 | Iran | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 12 | −12 | 1 |
21 | Jordan | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 29 | −24 | 0 |
22 | Nepal | 3 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 67 | −66 | 0 |
Year | Most Valuable Player | Top Scorer | Goals | Best goalkeeper | Fairplay Award |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2006 | Ma Xiaoxu | Yūki Nagasato Jung Jung-suk | 7 | Not awarded | China |
2008 | Homare Sawa | Ri Kum-suk | 7 | Japan | |
2010 | Jo Yun-mi | Kozue Ando Homare Sawa Jo Yun-mi Yoo Young-a | 3 | China | |
2014 | Aya Miyama | Yang Li Park Eun-sun | 6 | Japan | |
2018 | Mana Iwabuchi | Li Ying | 7 | Japan | |
2022 | Wang Shanshan | Sam Kerr | 7 | Zhu Yu | South Korea |
The Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) is one of the six continental confederations of international association football. The OFC has 13 members, 11 of which are full members and two which are associate members not affiliated with FIFA. It promotes the game in Oceania and allows the member nations to qualify for the FIFA World Cup.
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) is the governing body of association football, beach soccer, and futsal in most countries and territories in Asia. The AFC was formed in 1954. It has 47 members. The Asian Ladies Football Confederation (ALFC) was the section of AFC that managed women's association football in Asia. The group was independently founded in April 1968 in a meeting involving Taiwan, British Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Singapore. In 1986, ALFC merged with AFC.
The Guam national football team represents Guam, an overseas territory of the United States, in international football and is controlled by the Guam Football Association. They are affiliated with the Asian Football Confederation's East Asian Football Federation region.
The Chinese Taipei national football team represents Taiwan in international football and is controlled by the Chinese Taipei Football Association. Despite never qualifying for the FIFA World Cup, Chinese Taipei, then known as Republic of China, reached the semi-finals of the 1960 and 1968 AFC Asian Cups, finishing third in the former. The side also won gold at the 1954 and 1958 Asian Games, although the players in the team originated from British Hong Kong.
The Sri Lanka national football team represents Sri Lanka in Association football and is administered by Football Federation of Sri Lanka, the governing body of football in Sri Lanka. They have been a member of FIFA since 1952 and a member of AFC since 1954. Sri Lanka's home stadium is the Sugathadasa Stadium in Colombo. The Sri Lankan team was known as the Ceylon national football team until 1972 when Ceylon was renamed Sri Lanka.
The AFC Challenge Cup was an international football competition for Asian Football Confederation (AFC) member countries that were categorised as "emerging countries" in the "Vision Asia" programme. It was created by former AFC president Mohammed Bin Hammam as the AFC's plan for a continent-wide programme to raise the standards of Asian football. The AFC Challenge Cup was created for teams to experience playing in a continental competition, with the possibility to win an AFC trophy and potentially discover new talents.
The OFC Women's Nations Cup is a women's association football tournament for national teams who belong to the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC). It was held every three years from 1983 to 1989. Currently, the tournament is held at irregular intervals. Of the 12 tournaments that have been held, New Zealand won six of them.
The AFC U-17 Women's Asian Cup, founded as the AFC U-17 Women's Championship and later the AFC U-16 Women's Championship, before changing to its current name after the 2019 edition, is a biennial women's football tournament for youth teams organised by the Asian Football Confederation. It further serves as the qualifying competition for the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup. The AFC agreed to the proposal for switching the tournament from under-16 to under-17 starting from 2022. Thus, the tournament was rebranded from the "AFC U-16 Women's Championship" to the "AFC U-17 Women's Asian Cup".
The India women's national football team represents India at women's international football competitions and is governed by the All India Football Federation. Under the global jurisdiction of FIFA and governed in Asia by the AFC. India is also part of the South Asian Football Federation. The team was one of the best in Asia in the mid-1970s to early 1980s, when they became runners-up in the 1979 and the 1983 AFC Women's Asian Cup.
The Tajikistan women's national football team represents Tajikistan in women's association football. The team is governed by the Tajikistan Football Federation (FFT) and competes in AFC and CAFA women's competitions. The team is currently ranked 144th in the world by FIFA.
The AFC Women's Futsal Asian Cup, previously the AFC Women's Futsal Championship, is the premier national women's futsal competition of the Asian Football Confederation nations. Iran have won both editions held to date.
The 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup was the 20th edition of the AFC Women's Asian Cup, the quadrennial international women's football tournament in Asia competed by the national teams in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
The Philippines has competed in ten editions of the AFC Women's Asian Cup, the top tournament for women's national teams organized by members of the Asian Football Confederation. The Philippine first competed in 1981, when the tournament was still known as the "AFC Women's Championship". The national team competed again in 1983 before skipping the next three editions.
The 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification process determined 30 of the 32 teams which will play in the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, with the co-hosts Australia and New Zealand qualifying automatically. It is the ninth FIFA Women's World Cup, the quadrennial international women's football world championship tournament. The tournament is the first Women's World Cup to be hosted in multiple countries, the third by an AFC member association after the 1991 and 2007 Women's World Cups in China, the first to be held in the Southern Hemisphere, the first senior FIFA tournament in Oceania, and also the first FIFA tournament to be hosted across multiple confederations.
The 2022 AFC U-20 Women's Asian Cup was originally to be held as the 11th edition of the AFC U-20 Women's Asian Cup, the biennial international youth football championship organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) for the women's under-20 national teams of Asia, before being cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 2022 AFC U-17 Women's Asian Cup was originally to be held as the 9th edition of the AFC U-17 Women's Asian Cup, the biennial international youth football championship organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) for the women's under-17 national teams of Asia, before being cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup qualification was the qualification tournament for the 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup.
The play-off round of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup qualification was played between 7 and 12 October 2021. It was originally scheduled for 3–8 September, 13 October and 17 November 2020, but the AFC changed the dates due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Asia.
The 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup will be the 21st edition of the AFC Women's Asian Cup, the quadrennial international football tournament in Asia competed by the women's national teams in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
The 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup Final was a football match between China PR and South Korea that took place on 6 February 2022. The match determined the winner of the 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup at DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, India. It was the 20th final of the AFC Women's Asian Cup, a quadrennial tournament that consists of the women's national teams from the Asian Football Confederation to determine the best women's football country in Asia.
The AFC stages the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2014 (Qualifiers) (hereafter the "Competition") for the senior women's national teams once every four (4) years. (In Section 1)[ permanent dead link ]