AFC U-17 Asian Cup

The AFC U-17 Asian Cup, formerly known as the AFC U-17 Championship, is an annual continental football competition for under-17 men's national teams of Asian Football Confederation members. This tournament was founded in 1985 as the AFC U-16 Championship before increasing the age limit by a year by the 2002 edition, a decision AFC ultimately reversed in 2008 before returning to an under-17 event and adopting its current name in 2023.

Traditionally held in September or October, the tournament's kickoff month can vary. Additionally, the AFC U-17 Asian Cup began as a biennial competition before switching to an annual schedule from 2026 onward.

Sixteen teams compete each year, with all but the hosts qualifying through a preliminary tournament—although hosts may participate, they are guaranteed a spot. The participants are divided into four groups of four, and the first round follows a single round-robin format. This means each country faces every other side in their group once, with only the top two from each group progressing to the knockout stage.

The knockout stage begins with the quarterfinals, followed by the semifinals, and culminates in the final. All knockout matches are single-elimination, and when matches end in a draw after normal time, extra time and — if there is still no clear winner — penalty shootouts determine a winner.

The AFC U-17 Asian Cup also serves as Asia’s FIFA U-17 World Cup qualifying tournament. All eight quarterfinalists (excluding potential hosts) earn tickets to the U-17 World Cup.

Qatar hosted the first two editions of the tournament, which was then known as the AFC U-16 Championship, making the final and losing on both occasions. Saudi Arabia claimed the first title in 1985 and became the first team to win multiple championships two years later. China, South Korea, and North Korea have also seen success, while Japan has established itself as a dominant force in the competition.