List of AFC national association football teams by nickname

The following is a list of nicknames of Asian Football Confederation (AFC) national association football teams.

Nicknames

• Nicknames in italics are commonly used in English.

Men's

Team	Nickname	English translation	Notes	Ref.
Afghanistan	شیر های خراسان Širhâi Khorasan	The Lions of Khorasan	Afghanistan in general and the Khorasan region in particular is referred to as the "Land of Lions".	[1]
Australia	Socceroos		Blend word formed by "Soccer" and "Kangaroos".	[2]
Bahrain	الذئب الأحمر	Men in Red	Red is one of the national colours of Bahrain.	[3]
Bangladesh	Bengal Tigers		The Bengal tiger is the national animal of Bangladesh.	[4]
Bhutan	Dragon Boys		Referring to the "Thunder Dragon", known locally as the "Druk", a national symbol of Bhutan.	[5]
Brunei	Tebuan	The Wasps/Hornets	Referring to the team's yellow and black kits, which are also the colours of the flag of Brunei.	[3]
Cambodia	អ្នកចម្បាំងអង្គរ	Angkor Warriors	Angkor was the capital city of the Khmer Empire, which flourished from approximately the 9th to 15th centuries. It was also one of the world's early megacities.	[3] [6]
	គោព្រៃកម្ពុជា	Koupreys of Cambodia	The kouprey is a little-known wild bovine species that resides mainly in the forests of Cambodia.	[7]
China	龍之隊	Dragon Team	The dragon is an important symbol of Chinese culture.	[8]
	中國隊	Team China		[3]
Chinese Taipei	藍翼軍團	Blue Wings	Referring to Taiwan's blue home kit, as well as the Taiwan blue magpie which is present on the Chinese Taipei Football Association logo.	[9]
Guam	Matao	The Noblemen	"Matao" is the Chamorro word for nobility.	[10]
Hong Kong	勁揪	The Strength	A popular slang term in Hong Kong which translated means "strong, powerful and/or sturdy"	[3]
	蛟龍	The Dragons	The dragon is an important symbol in Chinese culture and is also used by Hong Kongers to show their pride.
India	The Blue Tigers		The colour blue, present on the Ashoka Chakra symbol on India's flag, as well as the Bengal tiger are national symbols of India.	[3]
Indonesia	Merah Putih	The Red and Whites	Referring to the Indonesian flag.	[3]
	Garuda		The Garuda, a mythical bird, is a national symbol of Indonesia.	[3]
	Tim Garuda	Team Garuda
	Penggawa Garuda	Garuda Guardians
Iran	تیم ملی Team Melli	The National Team	Literally meaning "the national team" in Persian.	[2]
	یوز های آسیایی	Cheetahs of Asia	Refers to the Asiatic cheetah native to Iran.	[11]
Iraq	اسود الرافدين Usood Al-Rafidain	Lions of Mesopotamia	Found in the ancient Arabian Peninsula, the Asiatic lion, otherwise known as the Mesopotamian lion, has great significance in Arab and Islamic culture.	[12]
Japan	サムライ・ブルー	Samurai Blue	The samurai is a well-known symbol of Japan, while the Japanese national team's colours are predominantly blue.	[13] [14]
Jordan	النشامى An-Nashama	The Chivalrous Ones	"An-Nashama" means "The Chivalrous Ones" in Arabic.	[15]
Kuwait	الأزرق Al-Azraq	The Blues	Blue is the color of the Kuwaiti national team's kits.	[3]
Kyrgyzstan	Ак шумкарлар	White Falcons	Falconry is an ancient trademark of the Kyrgyz nomads that roamed the steppes of Central Asia.	[16]
Laos	ທິມຊາດ Thim Xad	The National Team	"Thim Xad" literally means "The National Team" in Lao.	[3]
	ລ້ານຊ້າງ Lan Xang	Million Elephants	Laos is known as the "Land of a Million Elephants", referring to both the importance of elephants in Laotian culture and the Kingdom of Lan Xang, the first united Laotian state and one of the largest kingdoms in Southeast Asian history.	[3]
Lebanon	رجال الأرز	The Cedars	The cedar is an important national symbol of Lebanon and appears on the country's flag.	[17] [18]
Macau	A Equipa Verde	The Green Team	Green is the color of the flag of Macau.	[3]
Malaysia	Harimau Malaya	Malayan Tigers	The Malayan tiger is the national animal of Malaysia.	[19]
Maldives	Red Snappers		The red snapper is a species of fish usually seen in the Maldives.	[20]
Mongolia	Xөx чононууд Khökh Chononuud	Blue Wolves	Mongolia is known as the "Land of the Eternal Blue Sky". A species of wolf is native to the country.	[3]
Myanmar	Chinthe		The Chinthe is a mythical lion, regularly seen outside pagodas in Myanmar. It is considered an important cultural and national symbol of the country.	[21]
Nepal	The Gorkhali		A national symbol of Nepal, the Gurkhas represent chivalry and courage.	[3]
North Korea	천리마	Chollima	The Chollima is a mythical horse and a national symbol of North Korea.	[13]
Oman	الأحمر	The Reds	Referring to the Omani team's red kits.	[3]
	سامبا الخليج	Gulf Samba		[22]
Pakistan	شاہین Shaheen	The Falcons		[23]
Palestine	الفدائيون Fedayeen	Freedom Fighters	Referring to the Palestinian fedayeen.	[24]
Philippines	Azkals		Stylised form of "askal", a Tagalog slang for a stray or mixed-breed dog. The nickname, adopted in the 2010s, represents tenacity and resilience and is also a reference to the mixed heritage of many Filipino players.	[25] [26]
Qatar	العنابي	The Maroons	From the national flag of Qatar.	[3]
Saudi Arabia	الصقور العربية الصقور الخضر	Arabian Falcons The Green Falcons	Falconry is an important aspect of Arab culture, as well as the Bedouins that came before them. The colour green comes from the Saudi flag.	[2]
	الأخضر	The Green Men		[27]
Singapore	The Lions		"Singapore" means "Lion City" in Sanskrit.	[3]
South Korea	붉은 악마	Red Devils	The Taegeuk on the South Korean flag represents the balance of yin and yang, while the tiger is a symbol of bravery and strength.	[2]
	태극 전사	Taegeuk Warriors		[13]
	아시아의 호랑이	Asian Tigers		[3]
Sri Lanka	Golden Lions		Derived from the lion symbol on the Sri Lankan flag.	[3]
Syria	نسور قاسيون	Qasioun Eagles	Mount Qasioun is a mountain overlooking the city of Damascus	[28]
Tajikistan	Шерҳои Форсӣ	Persian Lions	The ancient Persian symbol of the Lion comprises two images - a lion and the sun. The lion represents divinity, royalty and the mighty lineage of the kings.	[29]
	Тими мунтахаб	The National Team		[3]
Thailand	ช้างศึก	War Elephants	The elephant is an important symbol in Thai culture.	[30]
East Timor	O Sol Nascente	The Rising Sun	Timor Leste is known as the land of the rising sun.	[3]
	The Little Samba Nation		East Timor was dubbed "The Little Samba Nation" for its use of naturalised Brazilians in its national team.	[3]
	Lafaek	The Crocodiles	Crocodiles are revered in East Timor, where they are honoured with shrines across the country.	[3]
Turkmenistan	Aхал-теке	Akhal-Teke	The Akhal-Teke is the national emblem of Turkmenistan.	[3]
United Arab Emirates	عيال زايد	Sons of Zayed	Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan was the founding father of the United Arab Emirates.	[31]
	الصقور	The Eagles	The Arab Eagle is displayed on the emblem of the UAE.	[3]
Uzbekistan	Oq boʻrilar	White Wolves	The grey wolf is a national symbol of Uzbekistan.	[32]
Vietnam	Những Chiến Binh Sao Vàng	Golden Star Warriors	Derived from the "golden star" on the Vietnamese flag.	[33] [34]
Yemen	اليمن السعيد	The Happy Yemen	Ancient historians refer to Yemen as "Arabia Felix", meaning "Happy" or "Fortunate Arabia" in Latin. In a country torn apart by civil war, happiness is also what Yemenis hope their national team will bring after every win.	[3]

Women's

Team	Nickname	English translation	Notes	Ref.
Australia	Matildas		From the Australian folk song "Waltzing Matilda".	[35]
China	铿锵玫瑰	The Steel Roses	In the 1999 World Cup final match, the Chinese team lost to the United States on penalties. After that loss, the Chinese team was nicknamed "Steel Roses" by their fans.	[36]
Chinese Taipei	木蘭女足	Team Mulan	This nickname was given by General Zheng Weiyuan, chairman of the CTFA in 1977, in praise of the folk heroine Mulan.	[37]
India	The Blue Tigresses		The colour blue, present on the Ashoka Chakra symbol on India's flag, as well as the Bengal tiger are national symbols of India.	[3]
Japan	なでしこジャパン	Nadeshiko Japan	"Nadeshiko" is a floral metaphor, representing the characteristics of an ideal Japanese woman.	[14]
Lebanon	صبايا الأرز	The Lady Cedars	The cedar is an important national symbol of Lebanon and appears on the country's flag flag.	[38] [39]
Philippines	Malditas	Feisty Ladies	The nickname was adopted in 2005 under the tutelage of coach Ernest Nierras. It is meant to reflect the team's gutsy and feisty nature. "Maldita" in Filipino slang could alternatively mean "bratty" hence coach Marlon Maro in 2021 proposed the discontinue the usage of the nickname.	[40] [41] [42]
	Filipinas	Filipino women	Nickname officially adopted by the federation in March 2022 to replace Malditas.	[43]
South Korea	태극 낭자	Taegeuk Ladies	The Taegeuk is an important national symbol of South Korea.
Thailand	ชบาแก้ว	Chaba Kaew	Referring to the female elephant character in Khan Kluay .	[44]
Vietnam	Những Nữ Chiến Binh Sao Vàng	Golden Star Warriors	Derived from the "golden star" on Vietnam's flag.	[45] [46]

See also

• List of national association football teams by nickname

References

1. "Thornico Karma Cases "The Lions of Khorasan"". www.christianstadil.com. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
2. "World Cup '06: Team Nickname Guide". NYTimes.com. The New York Times Company. 8 July 2011. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
3. "Football (Soccer) Team Nicknames". Topendsports.com.
4. "Bengal Tigers show their teeth". FIFA.com. 2 April 2013. Archived from the original on 12 February 2015.
5. "Know Your Rivals: Bhutan National Football Team | Goal.com". www.goal.com. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
6. "Angkor Warriors hold off Pakistani threat to advance". Khmer Times. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
7. "Kouprey Kampuchea" . Retrieved 2 July 2019.
8. Tupas, Cedelf P. "PH Azkals, China Dragons coaches put friendship aside". sports.inquirer.net. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
9. 挺足球 (16 August 2023). "中華足協公布國家隊暱稱「Blue Wings」藍翼軍團、應援口號「Aka La Lima」永不言敗". yahoo!運動. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
10. Mike Nauta Jr. (1 June 2012). "Guam men's national soccer team now known as 'Matao'". Marianas Variety. Guam. Archived from the original on 17 March 2014. Retrieved 2 June 2012.
11. "Iran's World Cup kits unveiled [PHOTOS]" . Retrieved 9 September 2021.
12. Howard, Michael (30 July 2007). "Iraqis savour rare taste of unity as Lions of Mesopotamia triumph". Guardian.co.uk. London: Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 15 January 2011.
13. Grove, Daryl (19 June 2010). "An explanation: 2010 World Cup team nicknames". Yahoo! Sports. Yahoo! Inc. Archived from the original on 26 October 2012. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
14. AFP (23 November 2010). "Blue Samurai inspired by Nadeshiko victory". FIFA.com . Archived from the original on 26 November 2010. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
15. "رئيس الاتحاد الأردنى لكرة القدم يساند منتخب النشامى بعد الخروج من كأس آسيا". اليوم السابع. 20 January 2019. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
16. "Azkals battle debutant Kyrgyz Republic in must-win duel". philstar.com. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
17. ""رجال الأرز قادمون".. قلوبنا مع "الأبطال"!". Mustaqbal (in Arabic). 9 January 2019. Archived from the original on 12 January 2019. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
18. "AFC Asian Cup 2019: Official slogans for all the teams announced". 12 December 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
19. Ooi Kin Fai (3 April 2017). "FAM reverts team name back to Harimau Malaya". Goal.com. Retrieved 3 April 2017.
20. Goff, Steven (1 October 2010). "Soccer brainstorming: raindrops, dropping names". Washington Post. Retrieved 15 January 2011.
21. "Football (Soccer) Team Nicknames". affsuzukicup.com.
22. "البحث عن لؤلؤة "سامبا الخليج"!!". جريدة الشرق. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
23. Dey, Aneesh (21 June 2023). "SAFF Championship 2023: Pakistan's foreign players in the spotlight ahead of titanic clash against India". Sportstar. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
24. "Surprise-packets Palestine prepare for Socceroos upset". The World Game. Retrieved 9 February 2019.
25. "Azkals The Philippine National Football Team Wiki". Archived from the original on 14 May 2014. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
26. "About the Philippine Azkals". The Philippine Azkals Official Website. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
27. Adewuyi, Lolade (25 May 2010). "Nigeria 0-0 Saudi Arabia: Lack Lustre Super Eagles Held By Green Falcons". Goal.com. Retrieved 15 January 2011.
28. ghossoun (25 November 2018). "Survey: Syria's Qasioun Eagles capable of reaching playoffs of 2019 AFC Asia Cup finals". Syrian Arab News Agency. Retrieved 9 February 2019.
29. "Azkals survive Persian Lions in AFC qualifiers". The Manila Times Online. 14 June 2017. Retrieved 9 February 2019.
30. "Thailand's last stand". FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 15 May 2008. Archived from the original on 11 November 2012. Retrieved 15 January 2011.
31. "Account Suspended". Koratimez.com. Archived from the original on 16 November 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
32. Ghoshal, Amoy (3 November 2010). "2011 Asian Cup: Know your rivals - How did Uzbekistan qualify?". Goal.com. Retrieved 15 January 2011.
33. Linh Pham (20 January 2019). "Vietnam football team: when Golden Star warriors get emboldened". hanoitimes.vn.
34. VFF (25 May 2021). "Chủ tịch nước Nguyễn Xuân Phúc chúc các chiến binh sao vàng giành vé vào vòng loại thứ ba World Cup 2022" (in Vietnamese). vff.org.vn.
35. "Teams of the Decades | Women's 1990-1999". MyFootball. 21 December 2013. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
36. FIFA.com. "FIFA Women's World Cup France 2019™ - News - China's new boss eyes transformation with Steel Roses". www.fifa.com. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
37. Chinese Television System. "【16釐米膠卷】台灣木蘭女足光榮戰史 珍貴膠卷影像曝光". news.cts.com.tw/ (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Retrieved 11 June 2020.
38. Lebanon, Football. "صبايا الأرز تهز شباك هونغ كونغ بسداسية نظيفة". football-lebanon.com. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
39. "Perfect Jordan retain West Asian title". www.the-afc.com. Retrieved 18 January 2019.
40. "A National Athlete and her Happy Feet". Seminar Philippines. 9 September 2012. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
41. "The Malditas grabbing football by the balls". The Philippine Star. 14 October 2011. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
42. Ramos, Gerry (5 October 2021). "Philippine women's football team sheds 'Malditas' moniker". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
43. Terrado, Reuben (1 April 2022). "Call us Filipinas: PWNT officially sheds Malditas moniker". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
44. wcii_yee (13 August 2018). "ชบาแก้ว แบโผรายชื่อ 20 แข้ง ลุยศึกเอเชียนเกมส์ ครั้งที่ 18". ข่าวสด (in Thai). Retrieved 9 February 2019.
45. "Xin cám ơn những Nữ chiến binh Sao Vàng!" (in Vietnamese). phunuonline. 8 December 2019.
46. "Vui xuân mới, thêm những động lực mới với các "Nữ chiến binh sao vàng"" (in Vietnamese). baohoabinh.com.vn. 28 January 2020.