The AFC U-20 Asian Cup, formerly known as the AFC Youth Championship and AFC U-19 Championship, is a biennial international association football competition organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) for the men's under-20 national teams of Asia that also serves as a qualification tournament for the FIFA U-20 World Cup. The competition has been held since 1959. Between 1959 and 1978, the tournament was held annually (without qualification); since 1980, it has been held every two years. The 1980 AFC Youth Championship had a qualification stage for first time.

The tournament has been played in a number of different formats during its existence. Currently, it consists of two stages, similar to the AFC's other Asian Championship competitions. The qualifying stage is open to all AFC members and the final stage is contested between 16 teams. The most recent edition, the 42nd, was held in China. The AFC switched the tournament from under-19 to under-20 starting from 2023. Moreover, the tournament was also rebranded from the "AFC U-19 Championship" to the "AFC U-20 Asian Cup".

Results

Coordinate is based on the capital of the country.

YearHostsFinalThird place matchChampionsScoreRunners-upThird placeScoreFourth place1195933219604–03–2 31961 0–012–1419622–13–0519632–21 2–22 619640–01 5–1719655–04–1819661–11 0–02 919673–04–01019684–00–02 1119692–212–11219703–0 5–01319711–02–01419721–03–01519732–03–01619742–21 2–11719750–012–22 1819760–01 2–11919774–3 3–12019781–11 1–12 —1979Canceled due to problems with the South Korean national team's entry into China2119803322198233231985332419862–01–02519881–12–02619900–01–02719922–03–02819942–11–12919963–02–23019982–13–13120002–1 2–2 3220021–0 4–03320042–01–13420061–1 2–0YearHostsFinalLosing semi-finalists4ChampionsScoreRunners-up3520082–1 and 3620103–2 and 3720121–1 and 3820141–0 and 3920160–0 and 4020182–1 and —2020Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic4120231–0 and 4220251–1 and 432027–442029–

Notes 1 Title shared. 2 Third place shared. 3 Final tournaments in round-robin format. 4 No third place match played since 2008; losing semi-finalists are listed in alphabetical order.

Teams reaching the top four

TeamChampionsRunners-upThird placeFourth placeSemi-finalistsTotal(top 4)12 (1959, 1960, 1963, 1978, 1980, 1982, 1990, 1996, 1998, 2002, 2004, 2012)5 (1962, 1971, 1972, 1992, 2018)6 (1968, 1970, 1973, 1974, 1976, 2006)1 (1964)4 (2008, 2010, 2023, 2025)287 (1961, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1970)1 (1965)2 (1967, 1971)–1 (2014)116 (1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1971, 1972)–1 (1968)1 (1969)–85 (1975, 1977, 1978, 1988, 2000)2 (2012, 2023)1 (1982)1 (1994)–94 (1973, 1974, 1975, 1976)1 (1977)2 (1969, 1972)1 (2000)1 (2016)93 (1986, 1992, 2018)3 (1985, 2016, 2025)2 (1998, 2002)1 (1973)1 (2010)103 (1976, 2006, 2010)2 (1990, 2014)3 (1975, 1978, 1986)––82 (1962, 1969)–4 (1961, 1963, 1966, 1994)5 (1972, 1974, 1976, 1980, 1985) –111 (2016)6 (1973, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2006)5 (1959, 1960, 1980, 1992, 2004)4 (1970, 1971, 1977, 1996)3 (2018, 2023, 2025)191 (1985)3 (1982, 1996, 2004)1 (2000)––51 (1961)2 (1967, 1970)1 (1962)1 (1960)–51 (2014)1 (1980)1 (1988)2 (1986, 1990)1 (2018)61 (1994)1 (1988)1 (1990)1 (2004)–41 (2023)1 (2008)–1 (2002)2 (2012, 2014)51 (2025)1 (2010)––2 (2008, 2012)41 (2008)–2 (1985, 1996)3 (1982, 1988, 1992)–61 (1974)––––1–3 (1959, 1960, 1968)2 (1964, 1965)1 (1962)–6–1 (1986)1 (1977)––2––2 (1975, 1978)––2––1 (1963)2 (1959, 1965)–3––1 (1966)––1–––1 (1961)1 (2016)2–––1 (1967)–1–––1 (1998)–1–––1 (2006)–1Total (as of 2025)5133392916168

Notes:

Bold Italic indicates hosts for that year. Total (42 editions): Nine editions shared champions, five editions shared third place, and eight editions with no third place match.

Awards TournamentMost Valuable PlayerTop goalscorerGoalsFair play award1978 BangladeshUnknown Haris Mohammed7Unknown1980 Thailand Choi Soon-ho Choi Soon-ho4Unknown1996 South Korea Kim Do-kyun Wang Peng6Unknown1998 Thailand Shinji Ono Lee Dong-gook Masashi Motoyama5Unknown2000 IranUnknown Emad Mohammed 4Unknown2002 Qatar Kim Dong-hyunUnknown2004 Malaysia Park Chu-young Park Chu-young 6Unknown2006 India Kim Kum-il Shim Young-sung 52008 Saudi Arabia Ahmed Khalil Ahmed Khalil Kensuke Nagai42010 China Jong Il-gwan Kerem Bulut7Unknown2012 United Arab Emirates Mohannad Abdul-Raheem Igor Sergeev72014 Myanmar Ahmed Moein Ahmed Al Saadi52016 Bahrain Ritsu Dōan Sami Al-Najei42018 Indonesia Turki Al-Ammar Abdulrasheed Umaru72023 Uzbekistan Abbosbek Fayzullaev Naoki Kumata52025 China Alexander Badolato Mukhammadali Urinboev4

Comprehensive team results by tournament Legend: – Champions – Runners-up – Third place – Fourth place – Semi-finalists QF – Quarter-finals GS – Group stage q – Qualified for upcoming tournament DQ – Disqualified  ••  – Qualified but withdrew  •  – Did not qualify  ×  – Did not enter/(2026-present) Relegated to the qualifiers’ development phase  ×  – Withdrew / Banned / Entry not accepted by FIFA — Country not affiliated to AFC at that time — Country did not exist or national team was inactive      – Hosts      – Not affiliated to FIFA 1959–1978 Nation 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978×××××××××××××××× GS × QF GS ×××××××××××××× GS × QF × 3rd QF ×××××××××××××××× GS × GS GS ××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××× GS × GS × GS GS ××××××× GS ×××××××× GS × GS ×××××××××××××××××××× QF QF × GS ×× GS ×××× 3rd GS GS GS GS GS GS × GS ×××××××××××××××××××××××× 4th ×× GS 3rd × 4th QF GS GS GS QF GS GS GS QF QF GS GS ××××× GS GS GS QF QF GS ×× QF GS GS 1st GS GS QF GS × 4th 1st 3rd ×××× 2nd × GS 2nd GS QF GS × GS QF × QF ×××××××××× 3rd QF QF 3rd 1st 1st 1st 1st 2nd QF ×××××××××××××××× 1st QF 1st 1st ××××× 1st 1st 1st 1st 3rd 4th QF 1st 1st ×××××× 3rd 3rd GS GS GS GS GS GS GS GS QF 4th 4th QF 2nd QF GS GS 4th GS ×××××××××××××××××× GS GS ×××××××××××× QF ××× 3rd GS × 3rd ×××××××××× GS QF × GS × GS ×××××××××××××××××× QF ××××××××××××××××××××××××× 2nd 2nd GS 4th GS 3rd 3rd QF GS 2nd QF GS QF GS GS QF GS GS GS GS×××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××× 6th GS 1st GS 1st 1st 2nd 1st 3rd 1st 1st 1st 3rd QF QF GS GS QF ×××××××××××××× GS GS × GS ×××××××××××××××××××× 3rd 1st × 3rd ××××××××××××××××××××××× GS ×××××××××× GS ××××××××××××××××××××××××× 9th GS ×× GS × GS GS GS R2 GS GS GS GS × GS GS ××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××× 4th ××× QF QF 7th GS GS GS GS ×× GS 4th GS GS GS GS QF QF QF GS GS GS GS 1st 1st GS 2nd 1st 4th GS QF GS 3rd QF 3rd 2nd 2nd 3rd 3rd × 3rd QF 1st ×××××××××× QF ××× 8th × GS × GS ×× GS QF × GS GS ××××× GS × GS ×××××××××××××××× GS ××× 5th GS 3rd 1st 3rd GS GS 3rd QF R2 1st GS GS 4th QF 4th × 4th ×× ×××××××××××××××××××× ×× 4th GS GS GS GS × QF GS QF GS GS ×× GS ××××××××××××××××××××××× GS 1980–2018 Nation 1980 1982 1985 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 ××ו×××××××ו×DQ•×••×Part of OFC QF SF 2nd SF GS GS QF ו• 2nd • GS • GS ••••••• GS ••QF • 5th וו••× GS •• GS ••×•••••××××××××ו×ו••×•×•×•×××××וו••••××ו• • ×××××××××ו••×××××ו• 2nd 1st • GS ••• 2nd GS 3rd QF 2nd QF QF QF GS QF GS GS ××Part of OFC •••••••••••••• GS ××××××ו×ו••••••××ו•••×••×•×••••×•×•••••• GS × GS GS × GS GS • QF GS GS ••••••••• GS ×GS •GS •×•• GS •••• GS ×QF ××××•× GS × GS • 4th • GS GS GS GS QF GS SF • × 3rd •• 1st ×× 4th × GS 1st • QF QF GS GS 2nd GS QF GS Part of OFC and later UEFA 3rd ••• GS GS 3rd 2nd 4th 2nd 2nd 2nd 3rd 2nd QF QF QF QF 1st SF ×××××××וו•• 4th GS GS QF •• GS × GS • 4th •Part of UEFA ו•••×• GS • GS GS ••••• GS ••× ×ו•••• GS ו×ו•××××××××ו•• GS •••••••×××ווווו• GS ו•••××ו•••×••••••••••••••×•×•••••••QF GS ••••• GS ××ו•••×•••••••×••••×××××××××ו•••××××××××××××ו×ו••×••• SF ••••×•×••×•••• GS •••×•••OFC member GS OFC member ×DQ× 3rd GS 2nd ××ו××× 1st QF 1st GS 2nd GS GS Not member of AFC ××וו•×••••×•× GS •••••• GS ••×••••••×•• GS ••••••×××××××××××××ו••DQ•••••••×××ו×ו••••×•×••• 2nd ו 4th 3rd 4th GS GS GS GS •GS QF ••• GS 1st GS SF ו 2nd 1st ו 1st ו 3rd • 3rd • QF QF SF GS • 2nd 1st ••••×ו••••••••••••• 1st 1st • GS GS 1st 2nd GS 1st 1st GS 1st 1st 3rd SF SF 1st GS GS 2nd ו•×•× ××× GS וו•×••••×•×ו•×••• 2nd 3rd • 1st GS •• QF 4th • GS GS QF ו• ×ו•••• GS GS ••• QF QF 4th • 4th ••• GS 3rd GS GS GS GS GS GS GS GS GS QF GS QF ××DQ××ו ×ו•••••••×••••× 4th 3rd • 4th • 4th • 3rd • GS QF • GS 1st QF GS QF GS GS ×ו•• 4th QF • 2nd QF SF SF QF • ×××××××ו•• GS GS GS • GS GS GS SF GS ו××ו•×ו•• GS • GS GS • GS GS • 2023–present +Nation2023202520272029Total•••3QF1st•9•••9•••×6••××0••××4•••×3QF QF Q Q21••×10••××0•••×16••Q22GSGSQ20QFQFQ22 2ndQFQ19SFSFQ39QFGSQ9•••8GSGS•3•••×5••Q2ו××0••Q23••×0••×0••×19••××4×GSQ14••××0GS•Q3××××3•••0••××13GSGS•16GS 2ndQ16••×18SFSFQ40••××10GSGS•12GS•Q5•GSQ34••××0•••0•••141stQFQ9GS••×20•GS•7

Overall team records In this ranking 3 points are awarded for a win, 1 for a draw and 0 for a loss. As per statistical convention in football, matches decided in extra time are counted as wins and losses, while matches decided by penalty shoot-outs are counted as draws. Teams are ranked by total points, then by goal difference, then by goals scored.

RankTeamPartMWDLGFGAGDPoints1401951144932386156+230391239178753667311242+692613199460151924284+1581954229658182020176+125192534141522564230223+71816167846151715182+691527198542232016084+7614981949378413814+12411992080331928117101+16118102388351341159161−211811146831162110166+3510912166529927104104096131976271534116129−139614228022164295145−508215944221397051+19791612502211177656+207717940211187342+3174182206919133774142−68701914561815238380+3692016602093196132−36692118671674479190−11155229371410134744+35223836121594944+5512493268182658−322625103556243098−6821261346533832161−12918275164482029−916285174491530−151629382744191952−3316301036423035152−11714313113171426−1210323113081235−239332102261525−1083462115151053−4383527133513−8636310046320−1743739036527−223384121011647−41339310028431−27240414004213−110414130013394−910

1 No AFC member currently. 2 Represented South Vietnam from 1959 to 1974. 3 Representing South Yemen in 1975 and North Yemen in 1978.

4 Not an AFC member: participated in tournament as part of intercontinental play-off to qualify for the 1993 FIFA World Youth Championship.

FIFA U-20 World Cup performances Legend 1st – Champions 2nd – Runners-up 3rd – Third place 4th – Fourth place QF – Quarter-finals R2 – Round 2 R1 – Round 1      – Hosts      – Not affiliated to AFC q – Qualified for upcoming tournament

1977–2019

Team 1977 1979 1981 1983 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 Total OFC member R1 R1 R1 3 R1 1 R1 QF R1 R2 R2 5 R1 1 R1 R1 R1 3 R1 QF R1 4th 4 R1 QF QF 2nd R1 QF R2 R2 R2 R2 10 R1 1 Part of Soviet Union R1 UEFA member 1 R1 1 R1 1 R1 R1 R1 3 2nd R1 R1 R1 4 R1 R1 R1 R1 R1 R1 R2 R2 R1 9 R1 R1 4th QF R1 R1 R1 R2 R1 R1 QF R2 QF R2 2nd 15 R1 QF R1 R2 4 R2 QF QF 3 Part of Soviet Union R1 R1 QF QF 4 R1 1

2023–present

Team 2023 2025 2027 2029 Total R1 4 R1 5 R1 R2 12 R1 10 4th R2 17 R2 q 6

See also FIFA U-20 World Cup AFC U-17 Asian Cup AFC U-20 Women's Asian Cup AFC U-23 Asian Cup

References

External links Official page RSSSF Page on AFC Youth Championship