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Every AFC Asian Cup Winner (1956–2023)

18 entries · verified 2026-07-20 · free · from the Ball IQ football team

The AFC Asian Cup is the top prize in men's international football across Asia, first contested in 1956 in Hong Kong with just four teams playing a round-robin. It has since grown into a 24-nation tournament and ranks among the oldest continental championships in the world, predating the European Championship by four years.

No single country has dominated the way some nations have in other regions. Japan sit top of the roll of honour with four titles, all won since 1992, while Iran and Saudi Arabia have three each and South Korea — winners of the first two editions — have not lifted it since 1960. Iran are the only side to win three in a row, taking the trophy in 1968, 1972 and 1976.

The most recent edition was the 2023 Asian Cup, which was played in Qatar in January and February 2024 after being moved from its original host, China. Qatar beat Jordan 3–1 in the Lusail final to retain the trophy they first won in 2019, becoming the fifth nation to win consecutive Asian Cups and the first to do so since Japan in 2000 and 2004. The next tournament, in 2027, is scheduled for Saudi Arabia.

YearWinnerRunner-upHost
1956South KoreaIsraelHong Kong
1960South KoreaIsraelSouth Korea
1964IsraelIndiaIsrael
1968IranBurmaIran
1972IranSouth KoreaThailand
1976IranKuwaitIran
1980KuwaitSouth KoreaKuwait
1984Saudi ArabiaChinaSingapore
1988Saudi ArabiaSouth KoreaQatar
1992JapanSaudi ArabiaJapan
1996Saudi ArabiaUnited Arab EmiratesUnited Arab Emirates
2000JapanSaudi ArabiaLebanon
2004JapanChinaChina
2007IraqSaudi ArabiaIndonesia, Malaysia, Thailand & Vietnam
2011JapanAustraliaQatar
2015AustraliaSouth KoreaAustralia
2019QatarJapanUnited Arab Emirates
2023QatarJordanQatar

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Every AFC Asian Cup Winner (1956–2023) — FAQ

Who has won the most AFC Asian Cup titles?
Japan are the most successful nation with four titles (1992, 2000, 2004 and 2011). Iran and Saudi Arabia follow with three each, while South Korea and Qatar have two apiece.
Who won the 2023 AFC Asian Cup?
Qatar won the 2023 AFC Asian Cup, beating Jordan 3–1 in the final in Lusail. The tournament was hosted by Qatar and played in January and February 2024 after being moved from the original host, China.
Has any country won the Asian Cup back-to-back?
Yes. Qatar won consecutive titles in 2019 and 2023, becoming the fifth nation to do so after South Korea, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Japan. Iran went furthest, winning three in a row in 1968, 1972 and 1976 — the only nation to achieve a three-peat.
Where will the next AFC Asian Cup be held?
The 2027 AFC Asian Cup is scheduled to be hosted by Saudi Arabia. As of July 2026 it has not yet been played, so Qatar remain the reigning champions.