# AFC U-17 Asian Cup

The AFC U-17 Asian Cup, formerly known as the AFC U-16 Championship and AFC U-17 Championship, is a football competition, organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) held once every two years for Asian under-17 teams that also serves as a qualification tournament for the FIFA U-17 World Cup. The top 4 countries qualify to participate in the FIFA U-17 World Cup. Up to 2000, the tournament was for U-16 teams. Between 2002 and 2006 it was held as an under-17 tournament. Between 2008 and 2020, it was switched back to a U-16 Championship. The AFC has proposed switching back to an under-17 tournament starting from 2023. Moreover, the tournament will also be rebranded from the "AFC U-16 Championship" to the "AFC U-17 Asian Cup".
On 24 May 2024, AFC announced that the tournament will be held annually from 2026.

## Results
### Tournament names

* 1985–2000: AFC U-16 Championship
* 2002–2006: AFC U-17 Championship
* 2008–2020: AFC U-16 Championship
* 2023–present: AFC U-17 Asian Cup
| Edition | Year | Host | Final | Final | Final | | Third place match | Third place match | Third place match |
| Edition | Year | Host | Champions | Score | Runners-up | | Third place | Score | Fourth place |
| 1 | 1985 | Qatar | Saudi Arabia | 0–0 (a.e.t.) (4–3 p) | Qatar | | Iraq | 1–0 | Thailand |
| 2 | 1986 | Qatar | South Korea | 0–0 (5–4 p) | Qatar | | Saudi Arabia | 2–0 | North Korea |
| 3 | 1988 | Thailand | Saudi Arabia | 2–0 | Bahrain | | China | 1–1 (4–3 p) | Iraq |
| 4 | 1990 | United Arab Emirates | Qatar | 2–0 | United Arab Emirates | | China | 5–0 | Indonesia |
| 5 | 1992 | Saudi Arabia | China | 2–2 (a.e.t.) (8–7 p) | Qatar | | Saudi Arabia | 2–1 | North Korea |
| 6 | 1994 | Qatar | Japan | 1–0 (a.e.t.) | Qatar | | Oman | 3–2 | Bahrain |
| 7 | 1996 | Thailand | Oman | 1–0 | Thailand | | Bahrain | 0–0 (4–1 p) | Japan |
| 8 | 1998 | Qatar | Thailand | 1–1 (a.e.t.) (3–2 p) | Qatar | | Bahrain | 5–1 | South Korea |
| 9 | 2000 | Vietnam | Oman | 1–0 | Iran | | Japan | 4–2 | Vietnam |
| 10 | 2002 | United Arab Emirates | South Korea | 1–1 (5–3 p) | Yemen | | China | 1–0 | Uzbekistan |
| 11 | 2004 | Japan | China | 1–0 | North Korea | | Qatar | 2–1 | Iran |
| 12 | 2006 | Singapore | Japan | 4–2 (a.e.t.) | North Korea | | Tajikistan | 3–3 (a.e.t.) (5–4 p) | Syria |
| Edition | Year | Host | Final | Final | Final | | Losing semi-finalists | Losing semi-finalists | Losing semi-finalists |
| Edition | Year | Host | Champions | Score | Runners-up | | Losing semi-finalists | Losing semi-finalists | Losing semi-finalists |
| 13 | 2008 | Uzbekistan | Iran | 2–1 | South Korea | | Japan and United Arab Emirates | Japan and United Arab Emirates | Japan and United Arab Emirates |
| 14 | 2010 | Uzbekistan | North Korea | 2–0 | Uzbekistan | | Australia and Japan | Australia and Japan | Australia and Japan |
| 15 | 2012 | Iran | Uzbekistan | 1–1 (3–1 p) | Japan | | Iran and Iraq | Iran and Iraq | Iran and Iraq |
| 16 | 2014 | Thailand | North Korea | 2–1 | South Korea | | Australia and Syria | Australia and Syria | Australia and Syria |
| 17 | 2016 | India | Iraq | 0–0 (4–3 p) | Iran | | Japan and North Korea | Japan and North Korea | Japan and North Korea |
| 18 | 2018 | Malaysia | Japan | 1–0 | Tajikistan | | Australia and South Korea | Australia and South Korea | Australia and South Korea |
| — | 2020 | Bahrain | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic |
| 19 | 2023 | Thailand | Japan | 3–0 | South Korea | | Iran and Uzbekistan | Iran and Uzbekistan | Iran and Uzbekistan |
| 20 | 2025 | Saudi Arabia | | | | | | | |
Notes:
* a.e.t.: after extra time
* p: after penalty shoot-out
* $^1$ No third place match was played.

## Most successful national teams

| Team | Champions | Runners-up | Third place | Fourth place | Semifinalist | Total |
| Japan | 4 (1994, 2006, 2018, 2023) | 1 (2012) | 1 (2000) | 1 (1996) | 3 (2008, 2010, 2016) | 10 |
| South Korea | 2 (1986, 2002) | 3 (2008, 2014, 2023) | — | 1 (1998) | 1 (2018) | 7 |
| North Korea | 2 (2010, 2014) | 2 (2004, 2006) | — | 2 (1986, 1992) | 1 (2016) | 7 |
| China | 2 (1992, 2004) | — | 3 (1988, 1990, 2002) | — | — | 5 |
| Saudi Arabia | 2 (1985, 1988) | — | 2 (1986, 1992) | — | — | 4 |
| Oman | 2 (1996, 2000) | — | 1 (1994) | — | — | 3 |
| Qatar | 1 (1990) | 5 (1985, 1986, 1992, 1994, 1998) | 1 (2004) | — | — | 7 |
| Iran | 1 (2008) | 2 (2000, 2016) | — | 1 (2004) | 2 (2012, 2023) | 6 |
| Uzbekistan | 1 (2012) | 1 (2010) | — | 1 (2002) | 1 (2023) | 4 |
| Thailand | 1 (1998) | 1 (1996) | — | 1 (1985) | — | 3 |
| Iraq | 1 (2016) | — | 1 (1985) | 1 (1988) | 1 (2012) | 4 |
| Bahrain | — | 1 (1988) | 2 (1996, 1998) | 1 (1994) | — | 4 |
| Tajikistan | — | 1 (2018) | 1 (2006) | — | — | 2 |
| United Arab Emirates | — | 1 (1990) | — | — | 1 (2008) | 2 |
| Yemen | — | 1 (2002) | — | — | — | 1 |
| Syria | — | — | — | 1 (2006) | 1 (2014) | 2 |
| Indonesia | — | — | — | 1 (1990) | — | 1 |
| Vietnam | — | — | — | 1 (2000) | — | 1 |
| Australia | — | — | — | — | 3 (2010, 2014, 2018) | 3 |
| Total (19 editions) | 19 | 19 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 76 |
Note:
* Results as hosts in bold.

## Awards

| Tournament | Best player | Top goal scorer | Goals | Fair play award |
| 1959–2000 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| 2002 | Cha Gi-suk | Unknown | Unknown | South Korea |
| 2004 | Unknown | Yusef Ahmed | 7 | Unknown |
| 2006 | Yoichiro Kakitani | Mohamad Jaafar | 6 | Japan |
| 2008 | Lee Jong-ho | Kaveh Rezaei | 6 | South Korea |
| 2010 | Timur Khakimov | Timur Khakimov | 5 | Not awarded |
| 2012 | Taro Sugimoto | Hwang Hee-chan | 5 | Not awarded |
| 2014 | Lee Seung-woo | Lee Seung-woo | 5 | South Korea |
| 2016 | Mohammed Dawood | Mohammed Dawood | 6 | Iraq |
| 2018 | Jun Nishikawa | Luqman Hakim | 5 | Japan |
| 2023 | Gaku Nawata | Gaku Nawata | 5 | Japan |

## Participating nations
### Legend

* 1st – Champion
* 2nd – 2nd
* 3rd – 3rd
* 4th – 4th
* 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
* XX — Country did not exist or national team was inactive
* – Hosts
* – Not affiliated to FIFA
| Nation | 1985 | 1986 | 1988 | 1990 | 1992 | 1994 | 1996 | 1998 | 2000 | 2002 | 2004 | 2006 | 2008 | 2010 | 2012 | 2014 | 2016 | 2018 | 2023 | 2025 | Total |
| Afghanistan | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | • | × | × | • | DQ | • | • | GS | GS | Q | 3 |
| Australia | | | | | | | | | | | | • | QF | SF | QF | SF | GS | SF | QF | Q | 8 |
| Bahrain | • | GS | 2nd | • | GS | 4th | 3rd | 3rd | • | • | • | • | GS | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 7 |
| Bangladesh | × | GS | • | • | GS | • | • | GS | GS | × | GS | GS | DQ | • | • | × | • | • | • | • | 6 |
| China | GS | • | 3rd | 3rd | 1st | GS | GS | • | GS | 3rd | 1st | QF | GS | GS | GS | GS | • | • | GS | Q | 16 |
| Timor-Leste | | | | | | | | | | | × | × | × | GS | • | × | • | • | × | × | 1 |
| Hong Kong | × | • | • | • | × | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | GS | • | • | • | • | 1 |
| India | • | • | • | GS | • | • | GS | • | • | QF | GS | • | GS | • | GS | • | GS | QF | GS | • | 9 |
| Indonesia | × | GS | GS | 4th | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | GS | GS | • | • | × | QF | • | Q | 7 |
| Iran | × | • | • | • | • | • | GS | GS | 2nd | × | 4th | QF | 1st | GS | SF | QF | 2nd | GS | SF | Q | 13 |
| Iraq | 3rd | • | 4th | × | × | GS | × | GS | • | • | QF | GS | DQ | QF | SF | • | 1st | GS | • | • | 10 |
| Japan | GS | • | GS | × | • | 1st | 4th | GS | 3rd | GS | GS | 1st | SF | SF | 2nd | QF | SF | 1st | 1st | Q | 17 |
| Jordan | × | • | • | GS | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | QF | × | • | • | GS | • | • | 3 |
| Kuwait | •• | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | GS | • | QF | • | • | GS | QF | GS | × | × | • | • | 5 |
| Kyrgyzstan | | | | | | × | × | • | • | • | • | • | DQ | • | • | • | GS | • | • | • | 1 |
| Laos | × | × | × | × | × | × | • | • | • | • | GS | DQ | • | • | GS | • | • | • | GS | • | 3 |
| Malaysia | × | • | • | • | • | • | × | • | • | • | GS | • | GS | • | • | QF | GS | GS | GS | • | 6 |
| Myanmar | × | GS | × | × | × | × | × | • | GS | GS | • | GS | × | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 4 |
| Nepal | • | × | • | • | • | × | × | • | GS | × | • | GS | • | • | • | GS | × | • | • | • | 3 |
| North Korea | × | 4th | GS | • | 4th | • | • | GS | × | • | 2nd | 2nd | DQ | 1st | GS | 1st | SF | QF | × | Q | 12 |
| Oman | × | • | • | • | × | 3rd | 1st | GS | 1st | × | QF | • | • | GS | GS | GS | QF | QF | • | Q | 11 |
| Pakistan | × | × | × | × | • | × | × | • | • | GS | × | • | • | • | • | • | × | × | × | × | 1 |
| Qatar | 2nd | 2nd | GS | 1st | 2nd | 2nd | • | 2nd | • | QF | 3rd | • | • | • | • | GS | • | • | GS | • | 11 |
| Saudi Arabia | 1st | 3rd | 1st | •• | 3rd | GS | • | • | • | • | • | QF | QF | • | GS | GS | GS | • | QF | Q | 12 |
| Singapore | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | GS | GS | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 2 |
| South Korea | • | 1st | GS | GS | • | GS | GS | 4th | • | 1st | QF | QF | 2nd | • | QF | 2nd | GS | SF | 2nd | Q | 16 |
| South Yemen | GS | • | • | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 |
| Syria | • | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | QF | × | 4th | QF | QF | QF | SF | • | • | • | • | 6 |
| Tajikistan | | | | | | × | × | • | • | × | • | 3rd | DQ | GS | • | • | • | 2nd | GS | Q | 5 |
| Thailand | 4th | • | GS | • | GS | • | 2nd | 1st | GS | × | GS | • | • | • | GS | GS | GS | GS | QF | Q | 13 |
| Turkmenistan | | | | | | × | × | • | • | • | • | • | GS | • | × | • | • | × | • | • | 1 |
| United Arab Emirates | • | • | • | 2nd | GS | GS | • | • | • | QF | • | • | SF | QF | • | • | QF | × | • | Q | 8 |
| Uzbekistan | | | | | | GS | GS | • | • | 4th | GS | • | QF | 2nd | 1st | QF | QF | • | SF | Q | 11 |
| Vietnam | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | 4th | GS | GS | GS | • | GS | • | • | QF | GS | GS | Q | 9 |
| Yemen | | | | × | • | • | • | × | × | 2nd | • | GS | DQ | • | GS | • | GS | GS | QF | Q | 7 |

## Summary (1985–2023)

| Rank | Team | Part | M | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Points |
| 1 | Japan | 16 | 76 | 48 | 11 | 17 | 189 | 85 | +104 | 155 |
| 2 | South Korea | 15 | 69 | 39 | 12 | 18 | 150 | 73 | +77 | 129 |
| 3 | Iran | 12 | 56 | 30 | 10 | 16 | 107 | 60 | +47 | 100 |
| 4 | China | 15 | 62 | 27 | 17 | 18 | 109 | 81 | +28 | 98 |
| 5 | Qatar | 11 | 49 | 27 | 12 | 10 | 82 | 47 | +35 | 93 |
| 6 | North Korea | 11 | 53 | 22 | 14 | 17 | 83 | 66 | +17 | 80 |
| 7 | Saudi Arabia | 12 | 48 | 23 | 8 | 17 | 82 | 48 | +34 | 77 |
| 8 | Uzbekistan | 10 | 46 | 19 | 10 | 17 | 74 | 93 | −19 | 67 |
| 9 | Iraq | 10 | 44 | 19 | 9 | 16 | 61 | 49 | +12 | 66 |
| 10 | Oman | 10 | 43 | 19 | 6 | 18 | 73 | 62 | +11 | 63 |
| 11 | Thailand | 12 | 47 | 17 | 7 | 23 | 69 | 75 | −6 | 58 |
| 12 | Australia | 7 | 30 | 17 | 3 | 10 | 62 | 47 | +15 | 54 |
| 13 | Bahrain | 7 | 33 | 13 | 8 | 12 | 53 | 46 | +7 | 47 |
| 14 | Syria | 6 | 27 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 39 | 33 | +6 | 39 |
| 15 | United Arab Emirates | 7 | 28 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 47 | 47 | 0 | 38 |
| 16 | Yemen | 7 | 24 | 7 | 6 | 11 | 29 | 34 | −5 | 27 |
| 17 | India | 9 | 30 | 6 | 7 | 17 | 36 | 68 | −32 | 25 |
| 18 | Vietnam | 8 | 28 | 6 | 5 | 17 | 32 | 68 | −36 | 23 |
| 19 | Tajikistan | 4 | 18 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 21 | 38 | −17 | 21 |
| 20 | Malaysia | 6 | 19 | 5 | 2 | 12 | 21 | 41 | −20 | 17 |
| 21 | Kuwait | 6 | 22 | 4 | 3 | 15 | 28 | 50 | −22 | 15 |
| 22 | Bangladesh | 6 | 20 | 3 | 3 | 14 | 16 | 59 | −43 | 12 |
| 23 | Indonesia | 7 | 21 | 2 | 5 | 14 | 16 | 52 | −36 | 11 |
| 24 | Myanmar | 4 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 12 | 36 | −24 | 8 |
| 25 | Jordan | 3 | 10 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 23 | −15 | 7 |
| 26 | Laos | 3 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 11 | 25 | −14 | 6 |
| 27 | Nepal | 3 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 31 | −25 | 5 |
| 28 | Kyrgyzstan | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 11 | −9 | 3 |
| 29 | Afghanistan | 2 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 24 | −20 | 3 |
| 30 | South Yemen | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 5 | −1 | 2 |
| 31 | Singapore | 2 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 18 | −15 | 2 |
| 32 | Pakistan | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 6 | −4 | 1 |
| 33 | Hong Kong | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 | −6 | 0 |
| 34 | Timor-Leste | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 9 | −8 | 0 |
| 35 | Turkmenistan | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 12 | −11 | 0 |

## Men's U-17 World Cup Qualifiers
### Legend

* 1st – Champions
* 2nd – Runners-up
* 3rd – Third place
* 4th – Fourth place
* QF – Quarterfinals
* R2 – Round 2
* R1 – Round 1
* – Hosts
* – Not affiliated to AFC
* q – Qualified for upcoming tournament
| Team | 1985 | 1987 | 1989 | 1991 | 1993 | 1995 | 1997 | 1999 | 2001 | 2003 | 2005 | 2007 | 2009 | 2011 | 2013 | 2015 | 2017 | 2019 | 2023 | 2025 | Total |
| Australia | OFC member | OFC member | OFC member | OFC member | OFC member | OFC member | OFC member | OFC member | OFC member | OFC member | OFC member | | | R2 | | R2 | | R2 | | | 3 |
| Bahrain | | | 4th | | | | R1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 |
| China | QF | | R1 | R1 | R1 | | | | | R1 | QF | | | | | | | | | | 6 |
| India | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | R1 | | | | 1 |
| Indonesia | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | R1 | | 1 |
| Iran | | | | | | | | | R1 | | | | R2 | | R2 | | QF | | R2 | | 5 |
| Iraq | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | R1 | | R2 | | | | 2 |
| Japan | | | | | QF | R1 | | | R1 | | | R1 | R1 | QF | R2 | | R2 | R2 | R2 | | 10 |
| North Korea | | | | | | | | | | | QF | R2 | | R1 | | R2 | R1 | | | | 5 |
| Oman | | | | | | 4th | QF | | R1 | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 |
| Qatar | R1 | QF | | 4th | R1 | R1 | | QF | | | R1 | | | | | | | | | Q | 8 |
| Saudi Arabia | QF | R1 | 1st | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 |
| South Korea | | QF | | | | | | | | R1 | | R1 | QF | | | R2 | | QF | R1 | | 7 |
| Syria | | | | | | | | | | | | R2 | | | | R1 | | | | | 2 |
| Tajikistan | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | | | | | | | | R2 | | | | | | R1 | | | 2 |
| Thailand | | | | | | | R1 | R1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 |
| United Arab Emirates | | | | R1 | | | | | | | | | R2 | | R1 | | | | | | 3 |
| Uzbekistan | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | | | | | | | | | | QF | R2 | | | | QF | | 3 |
| Yemen | | | | | | | | | | R1 | | | | | | | | | | | 1 |