The AFC U-20 Asian Cup, formerly known as the AFC Youth Championship and AFC U-19 Championship, is a biennial international association football competition organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) for the men's under-20 national teams of Asia that also serves as a qualification tournament for the FIFA U-20 World Cup. The competition has been held since 1959. Between 1959 and 1978, the tournament was held annually (without qualification); since 1980, it has been held every two years. The 1980 AFC Youth Championship had a qualification stage for first time.

Quick Facts Organising body, Founded ...
AFC U-20 Asian Cup
Organising bodyAFC
Founded1959; 65 years ago (1959)
RegionAsia (including Australia)
Number of teams16
Current champions Uzbekistan
(1st title)
Most successful team(s) South Korea
(12 titles)
2025 AFC U-20 Asian Cup
Close

The tournament has been played in a number of different formats during its existence. Currently, it consists of two stages, similar to the AFC's other Asian Championship competitions. The qualifying stage is open to all AFC members and the final stage is contested between 16 teams. The most recent edition, the 41st, was held in Uzbekistan. The AFC have proposed switching the tournament from under-19 to under-20 starting from 2023.[1] Moreover, the tournament will also be rebranded from the "AFC U-19 Championship" to the "AFC U-20 Asian Cup".[2]

Format

History

Results

  • Coordinate is based on the capital of the country.
Tournament names
  • 1959–2006: AFC Youth Championship
  • 2008–2020: AFC U-19 Championship
  • 2023–present: AFC U-20 Asian Cup
More information Edition, Year ...
Edition Year Hosts Final Third place match
Champions Score Runners-up Third place Score Fourth place
1 1959  Malaya
South Korea
3
Malaya

Japan
3
Hong Kong
2 1960  Malaya
South Korea
4–0
Malaya

Japan
3–2
Indonesia
3 1961  Thailand
Indonesia


Burma
0–0
1

Thailand
2–1
South Vietnam
4 1962  Thailand
Thailand
2–1
South Korea

Indonesia
3–0
Malaya
5 1963  Malaya
South Korea


Burma
2–2
1

Thailand

Hong Kong
2–2
2
6 1964  South Vietnam
Burma


Israel
0–0
1

Malaysia
5–1
South Korea
7 1965  Japan
Israel
5–0
Burma

Malaysia
4–1
Hong Kong
8 1966  Philippines
Israel


Burma
1–1
1

Republic of China[3]

Thailand
0–0
2
9 1967  Thailand
Israel
3–0
Indonesia

Burma
4–0
Singapore
10 1968  South Korea
Burma
4–0
Malaysia

South Korea

Israel
0–0
2
11 1969  Thailand
Burma


Thailand
2–2
1

Iran
2–1
Israel
12 1970  Philippines
Burma
3–0
Indonesia[4]

South Korea
5–0
Japan
13 1971  Japan
Israel
1–0
South Korea

Burma
2–0
Japan
14 1972  Thailand
Israel
1–0
South Korea

Iran
3–0
Thailand
15 1973  Iran
Iran
2–0
Japan

South Korea
3–0
Saudi Arabia
16 1974  Thailand
India


Iran
2–2
1

South Korea
2–1
Thailand
17 1975  Kuwait
Iraq


Iran
0–0
1

Kuwait

North Korea
2–2
2
18 1976  Thailand
Iran


North Korea
0–0
1

South Korea
2–1
Thailand
19 1977  Iran
Iraq
4–3
Iran

Bahrain
3–1
Japan
20 1978  Bangladesh
Iraq


South Korea
1–1
1

North Korea

Kuwait
1–1
2
1979  China Canceled due to problems with the South Korean national team's entry into China
21 1980  Thailand
South Korea
3
Qatar

Japan
3
Thailand
22 1982  Thailand
South Korea
3
China

Iraq
3
United Arab Emirates
23 1985  United Arab Emirates
China
3
Saudi Arabia

United Arab Emirates
3
Thailand
24 1986  Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
2–0
Bahrain

North Korea
1–0
Qatar
25 1988  Qatar
Iraq
1–1
(5–4 p)

Syria

Qatar
2–0
United Arab Emirates
26 1990  Indonesia
South Korea
0–0
(4–3 p)

North Korea

Syria
1–0
Qatar
27 1992  United Arab Emirates
Saudi Arabia
2–0
South Korea

Japan
3–0
United Arab Emirates
28 1994  Indonesia
Syria
2–1
Japan

Thailand
1–1
(3–2 p)

Iraq
29 1996  South Korea
South Korea
3–0
China

United Arab Emirates
2–2
(4–3 p)

Japan
30 1998  Thailand
South Korea
2–1
Japan

Saudi Arabia
3–1
Kazakhstan
31 2000  Iran
Iraq
2–1 (a.e.t.)
Japan

China
2–2 (a.e.t.)
(6–5 p)

Iran
32 2002  Qatar
South Korea
1–0 (a.e.t.)
Japan

Saudi Arabia
4–0
Uzbekistan
33 2004  Malaysia
South Korea
2–0
China

Japan
1–1
(4–3 p)

Syria
34 2006  India
North Korea
1–1 (a.e.t.)
(5–3 p)

Japan

South Korea
2–0
Jordan
Edition Year Hosts Final Losing semi-finalists4
Champions Score Runners-up
35 2008  Saudi Arabia
United Arab Emirates
2–1
Uzbekistan
 Australia and  South Korea
36 2010  China
North Korea
3–2
Australia
 Saudi Arabia and  South Korea
37 2012  United Arab Emirates
South Korea
1–1
(4–1 p)

Iraq
 Australia and  Uzbekistan
38 2014  Myanmar
Qatar
1–0
North Korea
 Myanmar and  Uzbekistan
39 2016  Bahrain
Japan
0–0 (a.e.t.)
(5–3 p)

Saudi Arabia
 Iran and  Vietnam
40 2018  Indonesia
Saudi Arabia
2–1
South Korea
 Japan and  Qatar
2020  Uzbekistan Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic[5]
41 2023  Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan
1–0
Iraq
 Japan and  South Korea
42 2025  China
Close


Notes
1 Title shared.
2 Third place shared.
3 Final tournaments in round-robin format.
4 No third place match played since 2008; losing semi-finalists are listed in alphabetical order.

Successful national teams

More information Team, Champions ...
Team Champions Runners-up Third place Fourth place Semi-finalists Total
(Top 4)
 South Korea 12 (1959, 1960, 1963, 1978, 1980, 1982, 1990, 1996, 1998, 2002, 2004, 2012) 5 (1962, 1971, 1972, 1992, 2018) 6 (1968, 1970, 1973, 1974, 1976, 2006) 1 (1964) 3 (2008, 2010, 2023) 27
 Myanmar 7 (1961, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1970) 1 (1965) 2 (1967, 1971) 1 (2014) 11
 Israel 6 (1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1971, 1972) 1 (1968) 1 (1969) 8
 Iraq 5 (1975, 1977, 1978, 1988, 2000) 2 (2012, 2023) 1 (1982) 1 (1994) 9
 Iran 4 (1973, 1974, 1975, 1976) 1 (1977) 2 (1969, 1972) 1 (2000) 1 (2016) 9
 North Korea 3 (1976, 2006, 2010) 2 (1990, 2014) 3 (1975, 1978, 1986) 8
 Saudi Arabia 3 (1986, 1992, 2018) 2 (1985, 2016) 2 (1998, 2002) 1 (1973) 1 (2010) 9
 Thailand 2 (1962, 1969) 4 (1961, 1963, 1966, 1994) 5 (1972, 1974, 1976, 1980, 1985) 11
 Japan 1 (2016) 6 (1973, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2006) 5 (1959, 1960, 1980, 1992, 2004) 4 (1970, 1971, 1977, 1996) 2 (2018, 2023) 18
 China 1 (1985) 3 (1982, 1996, 2004) 1 (2000) 5
 Indonesia 1 (1961) 2 (1967, 1970) 1 (1962) 1 (1960) 5
 Qatar 1 (2014) 1 (1980) 1 (1988) 2 (1986, 1990) 1 (2018) 6
 Syria 1 (1994) 1 (1988) 1 (1990) 1 (2004) 4
 Uzbekistan 1 (2023) 1 (2008) 1 (2002) 2 (2012, 2014) 5
 United Arab Emirates 1 (2008) 2 (1985, 1996) 3 (1982, 1988, 1992) 6
 India 1 (1974) 1
 Malaysia 3 (1959, 1960, 1968) 2 (1964, 1965) 1 (1962) 6
 Bahrain 1 (1986) 1 (1977) 2
 Australia 1 (2010) 2 (2008, 2012) 3
 Kuwait 2 (1975, 1978) 2
 Hong Kong 1 (1963) 2 (1959, 1965) 3
 Chinese Taipei 1 (1966) 1
 Vietnam
1 (1961) 1 (2016) 2
 Singapore 1 (1967) 1
 Kazakhstan 1 (1998) 1
 Jordan 1 (2006) 1
Total (as of 2023)5032392914164
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Notes:

  • Bold Italic indicates hosts for that year.
  • Total (41 editions): 9 editions shared champions, 5 editions shared third place, and 6 editions with no third place match.

Records and statistics

Awards

More information Tournament, Most Valuable Player ...
Close

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
  • — Country not affiliated to AFC at that time
  • — Country did not exist or national team was inactive
  •      – Hosts
  •      – Not affiliated to FIFA
More information Nation ...
Nation Federation of Malaya
1959
Federation of Malaya
1960
Thailand
1961
Thailand
1962
Federation of Malaya
1963
South Vietnam
1964
Japan
1965
Philippines
1966
Thailand
1967
South Korea
1968
Thailand
1969
Philippines
1970
Japan
1971
Thailand
1972
Iran
1973
Thailand
1974
Kuwait
1975
Thailand
1976
Iran
1977
Bangladesh
1978
 Afghanistan ××××××××××××××××GS×QFGS
 Australia
 Bahrain ××××××××××××××GS×QF×3rdQF
 Bangladesh ××××××××××××××××GS×GSGS
 Bhutan ××××××××××××××××××××
 Brunei ×××××××××××GS×GS×GSGS×××
 Cambodia ××××GS××××××××GS×GS××××
 China ××××××××××××××××QFQF×GS
 Chinese Taipei ××GS××××3rdGSGSGSGSGSGS×GS××××
 Guam ××××××××××××××××××××
 Hong Kong 4th××GS3rd×4thQFGSGSGSQFGSGSGSQFQFGSGS×
 India ××××GSGSGSQFQFGS××QFGSGS1stGSGSQFGS
 Indonesia ×4th1st3rd××××2nd×GS2ndGSQFGS×GSQF×QF
 Iran ××××××××××3rdQFQF3rd1st1st1st1st2ndQF
 Iraq ××××××××××××××××1stQF1st1st
 Israel ×××××1st1st1st1st3rd4thQF1st1st××××××
 Japan 3rd3rdGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSQF4th4thQF2ndQFGSGS4thGS
 Jordan ××××××××××××××××××GSGS
 Kazakhstan
 Kuwait ××××××××××××QF×××3rdGS×3rd
 Kyrgyzstan
 Laos ××××××××××GSQF×GS×GS××××
 Lebanon ××××××××××××××QF×××××
 Macau ××××××××××××××××××××
 Malaysia 2nd2ndGS4thGS3rd3rdQFGS2ndQFGSQFGSGSQFGSGSGSGS
 Maldives ××××××××××××××××××××
 Mongolia ××××××××××××××××××××
 Myanmar 6thGS1stGS1st1st2nd1st3rd1st1st1st3rdQFQFGSGSQF××
   Nepal ××××××××××××GSGS×GS××××
 North Korea ××××××××××××××××3rd1st×3rd
 Oman ××××××××××××××××××××
 Pakistan ×××GS××××××××××GS×××××
 Palestine ××××××××××××××××××××
 Philippines 9thGS××GS×GSGSGSR2GSGSGSGS×GSGS×××
 Qatar ××××××××××××××××××××
 Saudi Arabia ××××××××××××××4th×××QFQF
 Singapore 7thGSGSGSGS××GS4thGSGSGSGSQFQFQFGSGSGSGS
 South Korea 1st1stGS2nd1st4thGSQFGS3rdQF3rd2nd2nd3rd3rd×3rdQF1st
 South Yemen ××××××××××QF×××
 Sri Lanka 8th×GS×GS××GSQF×GSGS×××××GS×GS
 Syria ××××××××××××××××GS×××
 Tajikistan
 Thailand 5thGS3rd1st3rdGSGS3rdQFR21stGSGS4thQF4th×4th××
 East Timor
 Turkmenistan
 United Arab Emirates ××××××××××××××××××××
 Uzbekistan
 Vietnam ××4thGSGSGSGS×QFGSQFGSGS××GS××××
 Yemen ×××××××××××××××××××GS
Close
More information Nation, Total ...
Nation Thailand
1980
Thailand
1982
United Arab Emirates
1985
Saudi Arabia
1986
Qatar
1988
Indonesia
1990
United Arab Emirates
1992
Indonesia
1994
South Korea
1996
Thailand
1998
Iran
2000
Qatar
2002
Malaysia
2004
India
2006
Saudi Arabia
2008
China
2010
United Arab Emirates
2012
Myanmar
2014
Bahrain
2016
Indonesia
2018

2023

2025
Total
 Afghanistan ××××××××××××DQ××3
 Australia Part of OFCQFSF2ndSFGSGSQFQF8
 Bahrain ×2ndGSGSGSQF9
 Bangladesh 5th×××GSGS×6
 Bhutan ××××××××××××××0
 Brunei ××××××××××4
 Cambodia ××××××××××××××××3
 China 2nd1stGS2ndGS3rdQF2ndQFQFQFGSQFGSGSQFQ19
 Chinese Taipei ××Part of OFCGS10
 Guam ××××××××××××0
 Hong Kong ×××××16
 India GS×GSGS×GSGSQFGSGS22
 Indonesia GS×GSGS×GSGS×QFGS19
 Iran ×××××GS×GS4thGSGSGSGSQFGSSFQF21
 Iraq ×3rd1st××4th×GS1stQFQFGSGS2ndGSQFGS2nd18
 Israel Part of OFC and later UEFA9
 Japan 3rdGSGS3rd2nd4th2nd2nd2nd3rd2ndQFQFQFQF1stSFSF38
 Jordan ×××××××××4thGSGSQFGSQF8
 Kazakhstan ×GS4thPart of UEFA2
 Kuwait ××GSGSGSGS×8
 Kyrgyzstan ××GS×××GS2
 Laos ×××××××××GS5
 Lebanon ××××××××GS×2
 Macau ×××××0
 Malaysia ××QFGSGS23
 Maldives ×××××0
 Mongolia ××××××××××××××××0
 Myanmar ××××××××××SF19
   Nepal ×××GS×4
 New Zealand OFC memberGSOFC member1
 North Korea ×DQ×3rdGS2nd××××××1stQF1stGS2ndGSGS×13
 Northern Mariana Islands Not member of AFC××××0
 Oman ×××GSGSGS3
 Pakistan ××GS××××3
 Palestine ×××××××××××DQ0
 Philippines ××××××××13
 Qatar 2nd×4th3rd4thGSGSGSGSGSQFGS1stGSSFGS15
 Saudi Arabia ×2nd1st×1st×3rd3rdQFQFSFGS2nd1stGS15
 Singapore ××18
 South Korea 1st1stGSGS1st2ndGS1st1stGS1st1st3rdSFSF1stGSGS2ndSF39
 South Yemen ×××1
 Sri Lanka ×××GS××××××10
 Syria ×2nd3rd1stGSQF4thGSGSQF×GS11
 Tajikistan ××GSGSQFQFGS5
 Thailand 4th4thGS3rdGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSQFGSQF33
 East Timor ××DQ×××0
 Turkmenistan ×ו•×0
 United Arab Emirates ×4th3rd4th4th3rdGSQFGS1stQFGSQFGSGS14
 Uzbekistan ××4thQF2ndQFSFSFQF1st8
 Vietnam ××××××××GSGSGSGSGSGSSFGSGS20
 Yemen ××××××GSGSGSGSGS6
Close

Summary (1959–2023)

More information Rank, Team ...
RankTeamPartMWDLGFGAGDPoints
1 South Korea391901124632376150+226382
2 Japan38173743069304236+68252
3 Myanmar199460151924284+158195
4 Iran219255172018974+115182
5 Thailand33138522462227214+13180
6 Iraq188141211915680+76144
7 Saudi Arabia157243131614679+67142
9 Malaysia2388351341159161−2118
10 China197631192610995+14112
11 North Korea13653115199861+37108
12 Indonesia1873271432115123−895
13 Qatar1562289259898093
14 India228022164295145−5082
15 Syria1147229167150+2175
16 Uzbekistan840201286245+1772
17 Vietnam2206919133774142−6870
18 United Arab Emirates14561815238380+369
19 Hong Kong16602093196132−3669
20 Australia834161085736+2158
21 Singapore18671674479190−11155
22 Bahrain9371410134744+352
23 Kuwait836121594944+551
24 Jordan82957172456−3222
25 Chinese Taipei103556243098−6821
26 Philippines1346533832161−12918
27 Laos5164482029−916
28 Tajikistan5174491530−1516
29 Yemen372443171945−2615
30 Sri Lanka1036423035152−11714
31 Cambodia3113171426−1210
32 Pakistan3113081235−239
33 Kazakhstan2102261525−108
34 Bangladesh62115151053−438
35 Lebanon27133513−86
36 Oman310046320−174
37 Kyrgyzstan26033213−113
38   Nepal4121011647−413
39 Afghanistan310028431−272
40 New Zealand414004213−110
41 Brunei4130013394−910
Close

1 No longer an AFC member.
2 Represented South Vietnam from 1959 to 1974.
3 Representing South Yemen in 1975 and North Yemen in 1978.
4 Not an AFC member: participated in tournament as part of intercontinental play-off to qualify for the 1993 FIFA World Youth Championship.

FIFA U-20 World Cup performances

Legend
  • 1st – Champions
  • 2nd – Runners-up
  • 3rd – Third place
  • 4th – Fourth place
  • QF – Quarter-finals
  • R2 – Round 2
  • R1 – Round 1
  •      – Hosts
  •      – Not affiliated to AFC
  • q – Qualified for upcoming tournament
More information Team, Total ...
TeamTunisia
1977
Japan
1979
Australia
1981
Mexico
1983
Soviet Union
1985
Chile
1987
Saudi Arabia
1989
Portugal
1991
Australia
1993
Qatar
1995
Malaysia
1997
Nigeria
1999
Argentina
2001
United Arab Emirates
2003
Netherlands
2005
Canada
2007
Egypt
2009
Colombia
2011
Turkey
2013
New Zealand
2015
South Korea
2017
Poland
2019
Argentina
2023
Chile
2025
Total
 AustraliaOFC memberR1R1R13
 BahrainR11
 ChinaR1QFR1R2R25
 IndonesiaR11
 IranR1R1R13
 IraqR1QFR14thR15
 JapanR1QFQF2ndR1QFR2R2R2R2R111
 JordanR11
 KazakhstanPart of Soviet UnionR1UEFA member1
 MalaysiaR11
 MyanmarR11
 North KoreaR1R1R13
 Qatar2ndR1R1R14
 Saudi ArabiaR1R1R1R1R1R1R2R2R19
 South KoreaR1R14thQFR1R1R1R2R1R1QFR2QFR22nd4th16
 SyriaR1QFR1R24
 United Arab EmiratesR2QFQF3
 UzbekistanPart of Soviet UnionR1R1QFQFR25
 VietnamR11
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See also

References

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