AFC Women's Asian Cup

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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. 21 tournaments have been held, with the current champions being Japan. Most competitions between 1991 and 2026 also served as the Asian qualifying tournament for the FIFA Women's World Cup.

Organiser(s)AFC
Founded1975; 51 years ago (1975)
RegionAsia
Teams12 (finals)
35 (qualifiers)
Quick facts Organiser(s), Founded ...
AFC Women's Asian Cup
Organiser(s)AFC
Founded1975; 51 years ago (1975)
RegionAsia
Teams12 (finals)
35 (qualifiers)
Qualifier forFIFA Women's World Cup
Related competitionsAFC Asian Cup
Current champions Japan (3rd title)
Most championships China (9 titles)
2029 AFC Women's Asian Cup
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History

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 from 2028.[6]

Trophy

The current AFC Women’s Asian Cup trophy was manufactured by London-based company, Thomas Lyte.[7] First presented in 2018, the trophy is made from 5.5kg of sterling silver, and sits at 52.5cm in height. The six handles represent the six countries which took part in the inaugural competition in 1975. The base of the trophy is decorated with the images of eight modern female footballers.

Qualification

Format

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]

Results

Tournament names
  • 1975–1983: Asian Cup Women's Tournament
  • 1986–2003: AFC Women's Championship
  • 2006–present: AFC Women's Asian Cup
More information Edition, Year ...
Edition Year Hosts Final Third place playoff or losing semi-finalists Teams
Champions Score Runners-up Third place Score Fourth place
1 1975 Hong Kong
New Zealand
3–1
Thailand

Australia[a]
5–0
Malaysia
6
2 1977 Republic of China
Taiwan
[b]
3–1
Thailand

Singapore
2–0
Indonesia
6
3 1980 India
Taiwan
2–0
India S[c]
 Hong Kong and Western Australia Western Australia[d] 6
4 1981 Hong Kong
Mulan Taipei
[e]
5–0
Thailand

India
2–0
Hong Kong
8
5 1983 Thailand
Thailand
3–0
India

Malaysia
0–0
(5–4 p)

Singapore
6
6 1986 Hong Kong
China
2–0
Japan

Thailand
3–0
Indonesia
7
7 1989 Hong Kong
China
1–0
Chinese Taipei

Japan
3–1
Hong Kong
8
8 1991 Japan
China
5–0
Japan

Chinese Taipei
0–0 (a.e.t.)
(5–4 p)

North Korea
9
9 1993 Malaysia
China
3–0
North Korea

Japan
3–0
Chinese Taipei
9
10 1995 Malaysia
China
2–0
Japan

Chinese Taipei
0–0 (a.e.t.)
(3–0 p)

South Korea
11
11 1997 China
China
2–0
North Korea

Japan
2–0
Chinese Taipei
11
12 1999 Philippines
China
3–0
Chinese Taipei

North Korea
3–2
Japan
15
13 2001 Taiwan
North Korea
2–0
Japan

China
8–0
South Korea
14
14 2003 Thailand
North Korea
2–1 (a.e.t./g.g.)
China

South Korea
1–0
Japan
14
15 2006 Australia
China
2–2 (a.e.t.)
(4–2 p)

Australia

North Korea
3–2
Japan
9
16 2008 Vietnam
North Korea
2–1
China

Japan
3–0
Australia
8
17 2010 China
Australia
1–1 (a.e.t.)
(5–4 p)

North Korea

Japan
2–0
China
8
18 2014 Vietnam
Japan
1–0
Australia

China
2–1
South Korea
8
19 2018 Jordan
Japan
1–0
Australia

China
3–1
Thailand
8
20 2022 India
China
3–2
South Korea
 Japan and  Philippines 12
21 2026 Australia
Japan
1–0
Australia
 China and  South Korea 12
22 2029 Uzbekistan 12
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Teams reaching the top four

More information Nation, Champions ...
Nation Champions Runners-up Third place Fourth place Semi-finalists Total
 China9231116
 Japan3453116
 North Korea332109
 Chinese Taipei322209
 Australia[f]141118
 Thailand131106
 New Zealand100001
 India021003
 South Korea011316
 Malaysia001102
 Singapore001102
 Hong Kong000213
 Indonesia000202
 Philippines000011
Total21211818682
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Overall team records

In this ranking 3 points are awarded for a win, 1 for a draw and 0 for a loss. As per statistical convention in football, matches decided in extra time are counted as wins and losses, while matches decided by penalty shoot-outs are counted as draws. Teams are ranked by total points, then by goal difference, then by goals scored.

As of 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup
More information Rank, Team ...
Rank Team Part M W D L GF GA GD Points
1 China16806551037741+336200
2 Japan18876162039461+333189
3 Chinese Taipei15694062217993+86126
4 North Korea11583961325642+214123
5 Thailand176934233115171−56104
6 South Korea14593182017384+89101
7 Australia9462571410049+5182
8 India1039164196577−1252
9 Hong Kong14571144226191−16537
10 Vietnam933111213992−5334
11 Uzbekistan62180131978−5924
12 Philippines1141723226198−17223
13 Singapore727711921115−9422
14 Malaysia934532620161−14118
15 Indonesia51741121777−6013
16 New Zealand14400113+812
17 Kazakhstan392251639−238
18 Myanmar51722131656−408
19 Guam41510145112−1073
20 Iran26015021−211
21 Bangladesh13003011−110
22 Jordan26006529−240
23 Nepal3100010166−650
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Comprehensive team results by tournament

More information Team, 1975 (6) ...
Team Hong Kong
1975
(6)
Taiwan
1977
(6)
India
1980
(6)
Hong Kong
1981
(8)
Thailand
1983
(6)
Hong Kong
1986
(7)
Hong Kong
1989
(8)
Japan
1991
(9)
Malaysia
1993
(8)
Malaysia
1995
(11)
China
1997
(11)
Philippines
1999
(15)
Taiwan
2001
(14)
Thailand
2003
(14)
Australia
2006
(9)
Vietnam
2008
(8)
China
2010
(8)
Vietnam
2014
(8)
Jordan
2018
(8)
India
2022
(12)
Australia
2026
(12)
Uzbekistan
2029
(12)
Years
 Australia 3rd OFC
member
SF OFC member 2nd 4th 1st 2nd 2nd QF 2nd 9
 Bangladesh N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a GS 1
 China 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 3rd 2nd 1st 2nd 4th 3rd 3rd 1st SF 16
 Chinese Taipei N/a 1st 1st 1st N/a N/a 2nd 3rd 4th 3rd 4th 2nd GS GS GS GS N/a N/a N/a QF QF 15
 Guam N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a GS GS GS GS N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a 4
 Hong Kong GS GS SF 4th GS GS 4th GS GS GS GS GS GS GS N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a 14
 India N/a N/a 2nd 3rd 2nd N/a N/a N/a N/a GS GS GS GS GS N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a WD[g] GS 10
 Indonesia N/a 4th N/a GS N/a 4th GS N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a GS N/a 5
 Iran N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a GS GS 2
 Japan N/a GS N/a GS N/a 2nd 3rd 2nd 3rd 2nd 3rd 4th 2nd 4th 4th 3rd 3rd 1st 1st SF 1st 18
 Jordan N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a GS GS N/a N/a 2
 Kazakhstan Part of  Soviet Union N/a N/a GS GS GS N/a UEFA member 3
 North Korea N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a GS 4th 2nd N/a 2nd 3rd 1st 1st 3rd 1st 2nd N/a N/a N/a QF 11
 South Korea N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a GS GS 4th GS GS 4th 3rd GS GS GS 4th 5th 2nd SF 14
 Malaysia 4th N/a GS N/a 3rd GS N/a GS GS GS N/a GS GS N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a 9
 Myanmar N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a GS GS N/a GS GS N/a GS N/a 5
 Nepal N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a GS GS N/a N/a N/a N/a GS N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a 3
 New Zealand 1st OFC member 1
 Philippines N/a N/a N/a GS GS N/a N/a N/a GS GS GS GS GS GS N/a N/a N/a N/a 6th SF QF 11
 Singapore GS 3rd N/a GS 4th N/a N/a GS N/a N/a N/a N/a GS GS N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a 7
 Thailand 2nd 2nd 2nd 1st 3rd GS GS GS GS GS GS GS GS GS 5th 4th QF N/a 17
 Uzbekistan Part of  Soviet Union N/a N/a GS GS GS GS GS N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a QF Q 7
 Vietnam N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a GS GS GS GS GS GS 6th GS QF GS 10
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Awards

More information Year, Most Valuable Player ...
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Winning coaches

See also

Notes

  1. Australia was represented by a team largely from the St. George club and the New South Wales state team.[8] These games were recognised as official Australian international fixtures in 2023.
  2. Competes as Chinese Taipei since 1981, in compliance with the International Olympic Committee's Nagoya Resolution in 1979. Previously referred to as the Republic of China.[9]
  3. Host country India had two teams that played in this competition: India N and India S
  4. The match was cancelled as the Hong Kong team had already booked their flights home before kickoff, failing which they would have had to stay in India for a further four days for the next available flight to Hong Kong, which was impossible due to scheduling and logistical issues. Both teams were awarded joint third place.
  5. The team competed under the club name "Mulan Taipei". Chinese Taipei requested two other national teams to compete under the club name as well.[10]
  6. Include Western Australia
  7. India failed to name the required 13 players and were unable to play their match of the group stage against Chinese Taipei due to them having only fewer than 13 players left with the remaining team members testing positive for COVID-19. They were considered to have withdrawn from the competition, and all previous matches played by them were considered "null and void" and would not be considered in determining the final group rankings.[11]

References

Further reading

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