The AFC Asian Cup is a football tournament run by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). The winning team becomes the champion of Asia and automatically qualifies for the FIFA Confederations Cup.
The AFC Asian Cup is a football tournament run by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). The winning team becomes the champion of Asia and automatically qualifies for the FIFA Confederations Cup. The Asian Cup had been held once every four years from 1956 until 2004. However, since the Summer Olympic Games and the European Football Championship were also scheduled in the same year as the Asian Cup, the AFC decided to move their championship to a less crowded cycle. After 2004, the tournament was held in 2007, and will be held every four years henceforth from then.
The Asian Cup has been dominated by the top teams in Asia over the years, typically from East Asia or West Asia. Teams such as South Korea, Iran, Japan, and Saudi Arabia have earned a spot for themselves in the final matches almost every year. Israel, who were successful in the early competitions, now compete in Europe.
