The AFC U23 Asian Cup page brings key competition data together in one place. Visitors can follow live scores, fixtures, results, standings, and player and team statistics, with information available across the competition’s recorded seasons.
Latest played matches, AFC U23 Asian Cup
Final
3rd place
Semi-finals
Quarter-finals
Group Stage - 3
AFC U23 Asian Cup Standings
AFC U23 Asian Cup Statistics
Top scorers 2025
| # | Player | Goals |
|---|
Top assists 2025
| # | Player | Assists |
|---|
Top key passes
Top tackles
Top yellow cards
Top red cards
AFC U23 Asian Cup teams participation since 2020
History
| Team | Nb participations |
|---|---|
| Japan U23 | 3 |
| Korea Republic U23 | 3 |
| UAE U23 | 3 |
| Iraq U23 | 3 |
| Australia U23 | 3 |
| Jordan U23 | 3 |
| Kuwait U23 | 3 |
| Malaysia U23 | 3 |
| Qatar U23 | 3 |
| Saudi Arabia U23 | 3 |
| Tajikistan U23 | 3 |
| Thailand U23 | 3 |
| Uzbekistan U23 | 3 |
| Vietnam U23 | 3 |
| China PR U23 | 2 |
| Indonesia U23 | 2 |
| Iran U23 | 2 |
| Turkmenistan U23 | 2 |
| Afghanistan U23 | 1 |
| Bahrain U23 | 1 |
| Bangladesh U23 | 1 |
| Brunei U23 | 1 |
| Cambodia U23 | 1 |
| Chinese Taipei U23 | 1 |
| Hong Kong U23 | 1 |
| India U23 | 1 |
| Korea DPR U23 | 1 |
| Kyrgyz Republic U23 | 1 |
| Laos U23 | 1 |
| Lebanon U23 | 1 |
| Macao U23 | 1 |
| Maldives U23 | 1 |
| Mongolia U23 | 1 |
| Myanmar U23 | 1 |
| Nepal U23 | 1 |
| Oman U23 | 1 |
| Pakistan U23 | 1 |
| Palestine U23 | 1 |
| Philippines U23 | 1 |
| Singapore U23 | 1 |
| Sri Lanka U23 | 1 |
| Syria U23 | 1 |
| Timor-Leste U23 | 1 |
| Yemen U23 | 1 |
AFC U23 Asian Cup top scorer teams
AFC U23 Asian Cup About
AFC U23 Asian Cup is an Asian international cup competition for under-23 football, forming part of the AFC pathway for developing national-team players and measuring emerging talent across the continent. It is distinct from the senior AFC Asian Cup: its defining feature is the age-based eligibility of the players involved and its emphasis on the next generation of international football.
Purpose and place in Asian football
The competition exists to provide meaningful, high-level international matches for under-23 teams. It gives players an important stage between youth football and senior international competition, while allowing national associations to test the strength of their developing squads against opponents from across Asia. Strong performances can raise the profile of a generation of players and help establish the depth and identity of a national team.
The tournament is associated with the Asian Football Confederation, commonly known as the AFC. Its continental scope brings together teams from different football cultures, giving the competition a role that extends beyond a single domestic league or national system. The result is a tournament built around international representation, regional variety and the development of elite young footballers.
How qualification and entry work
Participation is based on the competition regulations for each edition. Those regulations determine which national teams may enter, how preliminary access is organised and which players satisfy the under-23 eligibility requirements. They also establish the finals draw, squad conditions, match schedule and procedures for deciding progression.
Because these details can be adjusted between editions, the qualification route and eligibility rules should be read alongside the regulations for the relevant tournament. This is particularly important for age-group football, where cut-off dates and squad criteria can affect which players are eligible even when they remain within the broad under-23 category.
Format, progression and match decisions
A cup competition of this kind is structured to combine a first phase that rewards consistency with later matches in which a single result can determine a team’s progress. The exact number of teams, groups, qualifying places and knockout rounds is edition-specific and should not be assumed to be identical across the competition’s history.
The tournament regulations also define the points system, ranking criteria and tie-break procedures used when teams finish level. In the elimination phase, those regulations establish how a winner is determined if a match remains level after normal time, including whether extra time and a penalty shoot-out are used. These rules are central to understanding the standings and progression in any particular edition.
Calendar and sporting significance
The AFC U23 Asian Cup is played as a scheduled continental tournament rather than as a conventional league. Its calendar therefore centres on the relevant edition, with qualification, preparation and finals phases arranged under the AFC’s competition timetable. National teams must balance selection, player development and results, making squad planning especially important in an age-restricted event.
The principal prize is continental recognition at under-23 level, but the competition’s significance is broader. It offers players a route towards senior international football, gives coaches a demanding assessment of their squads and provides supporters with an early view of future national-team leaders. For that reason, the AFC U23 Asian Cup is both a competitive cup and an important development platform in Asian football.