AFC Asian Cup qualifiers

The AFC Asian Cup qualification[n 1] is the process that a national association football team goes through to qualify for the final tournament of AFC Asian Cup. The qualification reduces the large field of eligible entrants from 47 to just 24 for the finals.

AFC Asian Cup qualifiers
Founded1956
RegionAsia and Australia (AFC)
Number of teams46 (currently)
47 (overall)
Qualifier forAFC Asian Cup
WebsiteOfficial website
2023 AFC Asian Cup qualification

The hosts receive automatic berths, and in 1972 to 2015 (except 1976), so did the defending champions.

Format evolution

Over the past century, AFC Asian Cup has seen various changes in its qualification format as well as the number of teams participating.

Number of teams entering qualification

1956
1960
1964
1968
1972
1976
1980
1984
1988
1992
1996
2000
2004



2007
2011
2015
2019
2023
Total entrants 191818192631313024223542432527204646
Played at least one match 61041413151721202033242445
Qualified via qualification 23135398861010141210112323
Qualified without playing 2[lower-alpha 1]13[lower-alpha 2]2[lower-alpha 1]13[lower-alpha 2]12222224650[lower-alpha 3]0[lower-alpha 3]
Total finalists 44446610101081212161616162424
  1. 1 team qualified by walkover
  2. 2 teams qualified by walkover
  3. The host qualified automatically for the Asian Cup but participated the qualification as World Cup qualifier.

1956

The 19 teams were divided in to three different zones based upon their location. In each zone, the teams played in a two legged Knockout format. The four winners of first round advanced to the next round. The two winners in the second round advanced to final which decided the team participating in the final tournament along with the hosts.

1960–1972

From 1960, the format had a slight change. The participating teams were again divided into zones based upon their location. The teams in their zones played against each other once, in a round robin format. The group topper of each zone advanced to the final tournament along with the hosts.

1972–1980

Starting from 1972, the format saw another change. Instead of zones, the teams were now divided into groups, with two teams instead of one advancing to the final tournament along with the hosts. Also the number of teams participating in the final tournament was increased to six and then to ten in 1980.

1984 & 1988

For a brief period, the teams were divided into groups not based on their location. This saw teams from all zones competing against each other in Asian Cup qualifiers for the first time since its inception. Two teams from each group qualified for the final tournament, along with the winners of previous edition who received a direct entry and as well as the hosts.

1992–2000

The format was reverted to an older one where teams were segregated based upon their location, but this time the number of participating nations increased. Winners of previous edition and the hosts were joined by the winner of each groups in qualifiers. The number of participants in the final tournament was increased to 12.

2004 & 2007

The tournament started from the preliminary round where the lower ranked teams played against each other, the winners of this round qualified for the qualifying round. In the qualifying round, top two teams from each group qualified for the final tournament. Participation of teams in the final tournament increased from 12 to 16.

2011 & 2015

The hosts, previous edition's winners, runner-up and third placed sides automatically qualified for the final tournament. AFC Challenge Cup winners(2) were also awarded a slot in the final tournament. The remaining ten slots were decided by the qualifying tournament in which the lower ranked teams played in preliminary rounds and the winners advanced to the qualifying round. In the qualifying round, the top two teams from each group received a berth in the final tournament.

2019–present

The proposal to merge the preliminary qualification rounds for FIFA World Cup qualifiers with those for the Asian Cup was ratified by the AFC Competitions Committee.[1]

The tournament was expanded to 24 teams from previous number of 16.

The qualification structure is as follows:[1][2]

  • First round: A total of 12 teams (teams ranked 35–46) played home-and-away over two legs. The six winners advanced to the second round.
  • Second round: A total of 40 teams (teams ranked 1–34 and six first round winners) were divided into eight groups of five teams to play home-and-away round-robin matches.
    • The eight group winners and the four best group runners-up advanced to the third round of FIFA World Cup qualification as well as qualified for the AFC Asian Cup finals.
    • The next 16 highest ranked teams (the remaining four group runners-up, the eight third-placed teams and the four best group fourth-placed teams) advanced directly to the third round of Asian Cup qualification.
    • The remaining 12 teams entered the play-off round to contest the remaining eight spots in the third round of Asian Cup qualification.[3]
  • Play-off round: At a Competition Committee meeting in November 2014, it was decided that a play-off round of qualifying would be introduced into the qualification procedure.[4] There were two rounds of home-and-away two-legged play-off matches to determine the final eight qualifiers for the third round.
  • Third round: The 24 teams were divided into six groups of four to play home-and-away round-robin matches, and they competed for the remaining slots of the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.

The play-off round represented a change from the initially announced qualification format – which saw the remaining fourth-placed teams and the four best group fifth-placed teams also advance to the third round.[1]

All-time table
Key
Team has won the Asian Cup
Team has qualified for the main tournament through a qualifying process
Team has qualified for the main tournament only automatically as host
Team has not qualified for the main tournament
Team is not a member of AFC but has won the Asian Cup
Defunct team has qualified for the main tournament only by walkover
Team is not a member of AFC and is not eligible for the main tournament

Teams in bold are currently participating or are yet to start in the 2023 qualification.

The table is updated as of 2019 qualification.

Rank Team Part Pld W D L GF GA Dif Pts
1  Iran 11614610517533+142148
2  China PR 11523510714823+125115
3  Thailand 147034122414196+45114
4  South Korea 1250365916423+141113
5  United Arab Emirates 1048348613227+105110
6  Qatar 10503461011637+79108
7  Syria 125931111711260+52104
8  Saudi Arabia 740334313017+113103
9  Oman 9533071612454+7097
10  Hong Kong 1679242134106113–793
11  Iraq 84128858832+5692
12  Jordan 10532613149449+4591
13  Kuwait 105025151011045+6590
14  Bahrain 1054276218055+2587
15  Japan 73627459217+7585
16  Malaysia 1666221529114112+281
17  Uzbekistan 73625568530+5580
18  North Korea 7452311117048+2280
19  Vietnam 11552292410086+1475
20  Lebanon 746189196363063
21  Indonesia 12511711237773+462
22  Yemen 95916103369114–4558
23  Singapore 126316103767114–4758
24  India 1052157305998–3952
25  Turkmenistan 42814594737+1047
26  Myanmar 534145155273–2147
27  Chinese Taipei 9461432967109–4245
28  Australia 31813234211+3141
29  Palestine 429115135836+2238
30  Tajikistan 427105123844–635
31  Kyrgyzstan 423103103537–233
32  Cambodia 53283213387–5427
33  Philippines 834742332101–6925
34  Sri Lanka 731712325102–7722
35  Bangladesh 8404102827113–8622
36  Afghanistan 53056192588–6321
37  Maldives 534522732107–7517
38  Pakistan 1037442922101–7916
39  Macau 62242162152–3114
40  Bhutan 330422421161–14014
41  Kazakhstan 2840499012
42  Israel 16321108+211
43  Laos 31732121361–4811
44  Mongolia 373131210+210
45    Nepal 62822249123–1148
46  Guam 4162113586–817
47  Brunei 5131111456–524
48  South Yemen 1301214–31
49  Timor-Leste 2160016466–620

Participating teams

Only teams that played at least one match are considered for the purposes of first appearance. Teams that withdrew prior to the qualification, or that qualified to the World Cup by walkover due to other teams' withdrawals, are not considered.

First appearance in qualification by team
Year Debuting teams Successor teams Renamed teams
Teams No. CT
1956  Cambodia[upper-alpha 1],  Malaya[upper-alpha 2],  Philippines,  Republic of China[upper-alpha 3],  South Korea,  South Vietnam[upper-alpha 4] 6 6
1960  Hong Kong[lower-alpha 1],  India[lower-alpha 2],  Iran[lower-alpha 2],  Israel[lower-alpha 3],  Pakistan[lower-alpha 2],  Singapore[lower-alpha 2] 6 12
1964  Thailand[lower-alpha 4] 1 13  Malaysia[upper-alpha 2]
1968  Burma[lower-alpha 5][upper-alpha 5],  Indonesia[lower-alpha 6],  Japan[lower-alpha 5] 3 16
1972  Bahrain,  Brunei,  Ceylon[lower-alpha 7][upper-alpha 6],  Iraq,  Jordan,  Kuwait[lower-alpha 8],  Lebanon,  Syria 8 24  Khmer Republic[upper-alpha 1]
1976  Afghanistan[lower-alpha 9],  China PR,  North Korea,  Qatar,  Saudi Arabia 5 29
1980  Bangladesh[lower-alpha 10],  Macau,  United Arab Emirates 3 32  Sri Lanka[upper-alpha 6]
1984    Nepal[lower-alpha 11],  North Yemen[upper-alpha 7],  Oman 3 35
1988  South Yemen[lower-alpha 12] 1 36
1992 0 36  Chinese Taipei[upper-alpha 3]
1996  Guam,  Kazakhstan,  Kyrgyzstan,  Maldives[lower-alpha 13],  Tajikistan,  Turkmenistan,  Uzbekistan 7 43  Yemen[upper-alpha 7]
 Vietnam[upper-alpha 4]		  Myanmar[upper-alpha 5]
2000  Bhutan,  Laos[lower-alpha 11],  Mongolia,  Palestine 4 47  Cambodia[upper-alpha 1]
2004  Timor-Leste 1 48
2007  Australia 1 49
2011 0 49
2015 0 49
2019 0 49
2023 0 49
Teams' entries prior to their actual debuts in qualification
  1. Qualified automatically for the 1956 Asian Cup as host.
  2. Withdrew from the 1956 qualification before playing.
  3. Qualified by walkover for the 1956 finals.
  4. Withdrew from the 1956 and 1960 qualification before playing.
  5. Withdrew from the 1956, 1960 and 1964 qualification before playing.
  6. Withdrew from the 1956 and 1964 qualification before playing. In 1960 Indonesia declined to participate due to an AFC membership dispute
  7. Withdrew from the 1956, 1960, 1964 and 1968 qualification before playing.
  8. Withdrew from the 1968 qualification before playing.
  9. Withdrew from the 1956, 1960, 1964 1968 and 1972 qualification before playing.
  10. Withdrew from the 1976 qualification before playing.
  11. Withdrew from the 1972, 1976 and 1980 qualification before playing.
  12. Qualified automatically for the 1976 finals. Withdrew from the 1980 and 1984 qualification before playing.
  13. Withdrew from the 1992 qualification before playing.
Successor and renamed teams
  1. Cambodia was renamed as Khmer Reublic in the 1972 qualification, then entered the 1980 qualification as  Democratic Kampuchea but withdrew. And in the 2000 qualification again using the name Cambodia
  2. Malaya was succeeded by Malaysia from the 1964 qualification.
  3. The Republic of China became officially known as Chinese Taipei from the 1992 qualification.
  4. South Vietnam was succeeded by Vietnam from the 1996 qualification.
  5. Burma was renamed as Myanmar from the 1996 qualification.
  6. Ceylon was renamed as Sri Lanka from the 1980 qualification.
  7. North Yemen was succeeded by Yemen from the 1994 qualification.

Teams that have never qualified for the finals tournament and droughts
See also: AFC Asian Cup records and statistics § Teams yet to qualify for finals

See also

Notes
  1. The notation used in the logo for the qualifiers is "AFC Asian Qualifiers"

References
  1. "ExCo approves expanded AFC Asian Cup finals". AFC. 16 April 2014. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  2. "AFC Asian Cup 2019 Competition Regulations". AFC.
  3. "World Cup draw looms large in Asia". FIFA.com. 13 April 2015. Archived from the original on 16 April 2015. Completing the tournament's qualifying contenders will be the next 16 highest ranked teams, with the remaining 12 sides battling it out in play-off matches to claim the last eight spots.
  4. "AFC Competitions Committee meeting". Asian Football Confederation. 28 November 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
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