Asian Football Confederation facts for kids
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) is the main group in charge of the sport of association football (soccer) in Asia. It also manages beach soccer and futsal. The AFC was created in 1954 and now has 47 member countries.
A special group for women's soccer, the Asian Ladies Football Confederation (ALFC), was started in 1968 by teams from Taiwan, British Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Singapore. In 1986, this group joined the AFC to manage all of Asian football together.
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| Abbreviation | AFC |
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| Formation | 7 May 1954 |
| Founded at | Manila, Philippines |
| Type | Sports organisation |
| Headquarters | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
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Region served
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Asia |
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Membership
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47 member associations |
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Official language
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Arabic English |
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President
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Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa |
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Vice presidents
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General secretary
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Windsor John |
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Parent organization
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FIFA |
| Subsidiaries |
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Contents
What the AFC Does
The AFC is one of six continental groups that make up FIFA, the world's main football organization. The AFC's job is to organize football tournaments for national teams and clubs across Asia. This helps football grow and become more popular in the region.
The AFC also helps its member countries improve their football programs. They provide training for coaches, referees, and players. Their motto is "The Future is Asia," which shows their goal to make Asian football a major force in the world.
Member Countries
The AFC has 47 member countries, which are grouped into five regions. This helps to organize competitions between nearby countries.
- West Asian Football Federation (WAFF): This region includes 12 countries in the Middle East, such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.
- Central Asian Football Association (CAFA): This region has 6 members, including Iran, Uzbekistan, and Afghanistan.
- South Asian Football Federation (SAFF): This region includes 7 countries like India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.
- East Asian Football Federation (EAFF): This region has 10 members, including football powers like Japan, South Korea, and China.
- ASEAN Football Federation (AFF): This region covers Southeast Asia and includes 12 members, such as Australia, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Some countries, like Israel and Kazakhstan, were once members of the AFC but later moved to UEFA (the European football confederation).
Major AFC Competitions
The AFC organizes many exciting tournaments for both national teams and clubs. These events are watched by millions of fans across Asia and the world.
Tournaments for National Teams
- AFC Asian Cup: This is the biggest football tournament for men's national teams in Asia. It happens every four years, and the winner is crowned the champion of Asia.
- AFC Women's Asian Cup: This is the top tournament for women's national teams in Asia. It also serves as a qualifier for the FIFA Women's World Cup.
- Youth Tournaments: The AFC holds tournaments for younger players, such as the U-23, U-20, and U-17 Asian Cups. These events help discover the future stars of Asian football.
- Futsal and Beach Soccer: The AFC also has championships for futsal (a type of indoor soccer) and beach soccer.
Tournaments for Clubs
- AFC Champions League Elite: This is the most important club competition in Asia. The best clubs from across the continent compete to be named the top team in Asia.
- AFC Champions League Two: This is the second-tier club competition.
- AFC Women's Champions League: Launched in 2024, this is the top tournament for women's football clubs in Asia.
Recent Champions
Here are the recent winners of some of the AFC's biggest tournaments.
| Tournament | Most Recent Winner | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Men's National Teams | ||
| AFC Asian Cup |  Qatar |
2023 |
| Football at the Asian Games |  South Korea |
2022 |
| Women's National Teams | ||
| AFC Women's Asian Cup |  China |
2022 |
| Football at the Asian Games |  Japan |
2022 |
| Men's Clubs | ||
| AFC Champions League Elite | Al Ahli  |
2024-25 |
| Women's Clubs | ||
| AFC Women's Champions League | Wuhan Jiangda  |
2024-25 |
Asian Teams at the World Cup
The AFC holds qualifying matches to decide which Asian teams get to play in the FIFA World Cup. This is a huge honor, and Asian teams have had some memorable moments on the world stage.
South Korea made history in 2002 when they co-hosted the World Cup with Japan and reached the semi-finals. Japan and Australia have also successfully advanced to the knockout stages in recent tournaments. In 2022, six AFC teams competed in the World Cup, the most ever.
For the FIFA Women's World Cup, Japan is the only Asian team to have won the trophy, which they did in 2011. China and Australia have also performed well in the tournament.
See also
In Spanish: Confederación Asiática de Fútbol para niños
