Association football tournament Football tournament
ASEAN Championship
Organiser(s)
AFF
Founded
1996; 29 years ago (1996)
Region
Southeast Asia
Teams
10 (finals)11 (eligible to enter qualification)
Qualifier for
AFF–EAFF Champions Trophy
Current champions
Vietnam (3rd title)
Most championships
Thailand (7 titles)
Website
aseanutdfc.com
AFF Suzuki Cup 2016 final match first leg between Indonesia and Thailand
Tournaments
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2007
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
2026
The ASEAN Championship (formerly known as the AFF Championship or AFF Cup), currently known as the ASEAN Hyundai Cup for sponsorship reasons, is the biennial football tournament organised by the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) for men's national teams in Southeast Asia.
A biennial international competition, it is contested to determine the sub-continental champion of Southeast Asia. The competition has been held every two years since 1996, scheduled to be in the even-numbered year, except for 2007, and 2020.
Four national teams have won the ASEAN Championship title; Thailand has won seven titles, Singapore four, Vietnam three, and Malaysia one. To date, Thailand and Singapore are the only teams to have won consecutive titles. Thailand did it three times: in 2000, 2002, 2014, 2016, 2020, and 2022, while Singapore did it once in 2004 and 2007. Australia, an AFF member since 2013, has not played the ASEAN Championship. It is one of the most watched football tournaments in the region. The ASEAN Championship is recognised as an 'A' international tournament by FIFA with FIFA ranking points being awarded since 1996.[1]
Since 2018, the championship winners would compete in the following AFF–EAFF Champions Trophy, against the winner of the EAFF E-1 Football Championship (East Asia).
The defending tournament champions are Vietnam, after a 5–3 aggregate victory over Thailand in the 2024 ASEAN Championship final.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino announced the launch of the FIFA ASEAN Cup on 26 October 2025 during the 2025 ASEAN Summits in Kuala Lumpur,[2][3] although no further details about its format are disclosed as of yet.
History
[edit]ASEAN Championship Trophy
The first ASEAN Championship took place in 1996 with the six founding members of the ASEAN Federation competing with four nations being invited that came in that region. The final saw Thailand becoming the first champions of ASEAN as they defeated Malaysia 1–0 in Singapore.[4] The top four nations automatically qualified through to the finals in the following edition. This meant the other six nations had to compete in qualifying for the remaining four spots. Myanmar, Singapore, Laos and Philippines all made it through to the main tournament. The tournament has been the only regional competition for national teams since men's football at the SEA Games was for U23 in 2001. No country has ever won the AFF Championship title three times in a row. Singapore (2004 and 2007) and Thailand (2000 and 2002 and again in 2014 and 2016) have won twice in a row.
In February 2024, the AFF announced that the competition will be rebranded as the ASEAN Championship.[5]
Although having joined the AFF on 27 August 2013, Australia, because of its superior level compared to Southeast Asia, has not played the ASEAN Championship as part of the initial agreement, though Australia has started searching for ways to enter the tournament in recent years due to growth of various Southeast Asian national teams, due to internal pressures, and due to Southeast Asian interests in seeing more competitive football to improve consistency.[6][7][8]
On October 26, 2025, FIFA announced the launch of the FIFA ASEAN Cup following the signing of a memorandum of agreement at the 47th ASEAN Summit. It remains unclear what implication the new FIFA tournament would mean for the conduct of the ASEAN Championship.[9][10]
Organisation
[edit]
Sports marketing, media, and event management firm, Sportfive (formerly Lagardère Sports) has been involved in the tournament since the inaugural edition in 1996.[citation needed]
Title sponsorship
[edit]
It was founded as the Tiger Cup, after Singapore-based Asia Pacific Breweries brand Tiger Beer sponsored the competition from its inauguration in 1996 until the 2004 edition. After Asia Pacific Breweries withdrew as title sponsor, the competition was known simply as the AFF Championship for the 2007 edition. In 2008, Suzuki bought the naming rights for the competition and the competition was named the AFF Suzuki Cup until the 2020 edition.[11] On 23 May 2022, AFF announced a new title sponsorship deal with Mitsubishi Electric and the competition was named the AFF Mitsubishi Electric Cup starting in the 2022 edition.[12]
As part of the competition's rebranding in February 2024, the competition was renamed to the ASEAN Mitsubishi Electric Cup.[5] In May 2025, AFF announced Hyundai Motor Company to be the next title sponsor for the tournament, naming it the ASEAN Hyundai Cup.[13]
Period
Sponsor
Name
1996–2004
Tiger Beer
Tiger Cup
2007
No title sponsor
AFF Championship
2008–2020
Suzuki
AFF Suzuki Cup
2022
Mitsubishi Electric
AFF Mitsubishi Electric Cup
2024
ASEAN Mitsubishi Electric Cup
2026–present
Hyundai Motor
ASEAN Hyundai Cup
Sponsorship
[edit]
Current sponsorship
Title Partner
Presenting Partner
Official Supplier
Official Supporters
Hyundai Motor
Shopee
Adidas
Acecook VietnamPocari Sweat
Official Match Ball
[edit]
Official Match Ball through the years
Year
Official match ball name
Manufacturer
1996
Adidas Questra
Adidas
1998
Adidas Tricolore
2000
Adidas Tricolore
2002
Adidas Fevernova
2004
Adidas Roteiro
2007
Nike Total 90 Aerow II (Yellow winter)
Nike
2008
Nike Total 90 Omni (Yellow winter)
2010
Nike Total 90 Tracer (Yellow winter)
2012
Nike Maxim (Yellow winter)
2014
Mitre Delta V12S
Mitre
2016
Mitre Delta Fluo Hyperseam (Yellow winter)
2018
Grand Sport Primero Mundo X Star
Grand Sport
2020
Warrix Asean Pulse
Warrix
2022
Warrix Bersatu
2024
Adidas Tiro Pro
Adidas
Format
[edit]
Since 2004, the knockout stage has been played over two legs in a home-and-away format. Since the 2007 edition, there was no third-place match; semi-finalists are listed in alphabetical order. The away goals rule was applied for the knockout stage in 2010-2022 editions.[a]
Starting with the 2018 edition, a new format for group state was applied. The nine highest-ranked teams qualified automatically while the 10th and 11th ranked teams played in a two-legged qualifier to determine the final team to qualify. The 10 teams were split into two groups of five and played a round-robin system, with each team playing two home and two away fixtures. A draw was made to determine where the teams play while the format of the knockout round remained unchanged.[14]
Results
[edit]
Regular format (1996–2002)
Year
Host
Final
Third place playoff
Number of teams
Total matches played
Total goals in tournament
Winners
Score
Runners-up
Third place
Score
Fourth place
1996
Singapore
Thailand
1–0
Malaysia
Vietnam
3–2
Indonesia
10
24
93
1998
Vietnam
Singapore
1–0
Vietnam
Indonesia
3–3 (a.e.t.)(5–4 p)
Thailand
8
16
55
2000
Thailand
Thailand
4–1
Indonesia
Malaysia
3–0
Vietnam
9
20
67
2002
IndonesiaSingapore
Thailand
2–2 (a.e.t.)(4–2 p)
Indonesia
Vietnam
2–1
Malaysia
9
20
92
Home-and-away format in knockout (2004–2016)
Year
Group stage hosts
Final
Third-place playoff or losing semi-finalists
Number of teams
Total matches played
Total goals in tournament
Winners
Score
Runners-up
Third place
Score
Fourth place
2004
MalaysiaVietnam
Singapore
3–12–1
Indonesia
Malaysia
2–1
Myanmar
10
27
113
won 5–2 on aggregate
2007
SingaporeThailand
Singapore
2–11–1
Thailand
Malaysia and Vietnam
8
18
50
won 3–2 on aggregate
2008
IndonesiaThailand
Vietnam
2–11–1
Thailand
Indonesia and Singapore
8
18
56
won 3–2 on aggregate
2010
IndonesiaVietnam
Malaysia
3–01–2
Indonesia
Philippines and Vietnam
8
18
51
won 4–2 on aggregate
2012
MalaysiaThailand
Singapore
3–10–1
Thailand
Malaysia and Philippines
8
18
48
won 3–2 on aggregate
2014
SingaporeVietnam
Thailand
2–02–3
Malaysia
Philippines and Vietnam
8
18
65
won 4–3 on aggregate
2016
MyanmarPhilippines
Thailand
1–22–0
Indonesia
Myanmar and Vietnam
8
18
50
won 3–2 on aggregate
Home-and-away format throughout the tournament (2018–present)
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.
K. Sanbagamaran – 53 minutes (for Malaysia vs Philippines on 4 September 1996)
Fastest hat-trick
[edit]
Sarayuth Chaikamdee – 4 minutes (for Thailand vs Timor-Leste on 12 December 2004)
Youngest player
[edit]
Zenivio – 16 years 7 months 13 days old (for Timor-Leste vs Thailand on 5 December 2021)
Youngest goal scorer
[edit]
Marselino Ferdinan – 18 years 3 months 24 days (for Indonesia vs Philippines on 2 January 2023)
Oldest player
[edit]
Hassan Sunny – 38 years 9 months 1 day old (for Singapore vs Malaysia on 3 January 2023)
Oldest goal scorer
[edit]
Aleksandar Đurić – 42 years 3 months 7 day old (for Singapore vs Malaysia on 25 November 2012)
Coach records
[edit]
Most successful coach
[edit]
Radojko Avramović – 3 (Singapore, 2004, 2007 and 2012)
Other statistics
[edit] See also: List of ASEAN Championship hat-tricks
Indonesia (2004), Thailand (2008), and Vietnam (2000, 2018, 2020, and 2022) did not concede a single goal in their group-stage campaigns in the indicated years.
The 2002 AFF Championship Final is still the only final to have been settled on penalties.
See also
[edit]
Football at the Southeast Asian Games
AFF Women's Championship
AFC Asian Cup
CAFA Nations Cup
EAFF E-1 Football Championship
SAFF Championship
WAFF Championship
Notes
[edit]
^Except the 2020 edition due to all matches being hosted in the centralised venue, Singapore.
^The 2020 AFF Championship was postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and hosted in a centralised venue. On 28 September 2021, it was announced that Singapore would host the tournament.[15] Knockout stage had been kept playing over two legs without away goal rule.
^ abcdefgDue to non-compliance with conditions set by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), Thailand and Indonesia were not allowed to be represented by their national flags.[16][17] The sanctions took effect in October 2021.[18] Thailand is represented by its national team logo while Indonesia is represented by its coat of arms.
^being the only person to win the competition as a player (1996, 2000, 2002) then coach (2014, 2016).
References
[edit]
^Isu Mata FIFA Ranking Dalam Sejarah Kejohanan Piala AFF - Football Tribe, 13 November 2016.
^"FIFA ASEAN Cup announced as new Memorandum of Understanding is signed in Kuala Lumpur". FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 26 October 2025. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
^"Fifa announces new Asean tournament, but provides no details". Twentytwo13. 26 October 2025. Retrieved 27 October 2025 – via Yahoo News.
^"About AFF". aseanfootball.org. Archived from the original on 19 May 2020. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
^ ab"AFF AND MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC LAUNCH NEW BRAND IDENTITY FOR ASEAN MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CUP™ 2024". ASEAN United FC. 29 February 2024. Retrieved 1 September 2025.
^Bossi, Dominic (31 January 2019). "Socceroos seeking entrance into 2020 Suzuki Cup". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 31 January 2019. Retrieved 27 January 2019.
^"Lessons from Indonesia's growth: Socceroos must participate in the ASEAN Championship for the sake of the future". www.theroar.com.au. 30 November 2024. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
^Olsen, Matt (1 January 2022). "The time has come for Australia to take its place in the South-East Asian game". Front Page Football. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
^"Fifa announces new Asean Cup tournament for South-east Asian nations". The Straits Times. 26 October 2025. Retrieved 27 October 2025.
^"FIFA ASEAN Cup announced as new Memorandum of Understanding is signed in Kuala Lumpur". inside.fifa.com. FIFA. 26 October 2025. Retrieved 27 October 2025.
^"Global News News.2008". Global Suzuki. Archived from the original on 4 October 2022. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
^"AFF Announces Mitsubishi Electric As The New Title Sponsor Of AFF Mitsubishi Electric Cup 2022". www.affmitsubishielectriccup.com. Archived from the original on 10 June 2022. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
^"HYUNDAI MOTOR NAMED NEW TITLE PARTNER OF ASEAN'S TOP FOOTBALL EVENT – THE ASEAN CHAMPIONSHIP, NOW KNOWN AS THE ASEAN HYUNDAI CUP™". ASEAN United FC. 26 May 2025. Retrieved 26 May 2025.
^"New format for AFF Suzuki Cup 2018". AFF – The Official Website Of The Asean Football Federation. Archived from the original on 30 December 2022. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
^Noronha, Anselm (28 September 2021). "Singapore to host AFF Suzuki Cup 2020: Teams, how to watch & more". Goal.com. Archived from the original on 3 May 2022. Retrieved 29 September 2021.
^"Thailand loses right to host tournaments". Bangkok Post. Bangkok Post Public Co. Ltd. Archived from the original on 2 April 2023. Retrieved 25 November 2021. The country has also been denied the right to display its national flag at any such events (international football events).
^"Chairman Of PSSI: Regarding The Flag At AFF 2020, We Will Follow Whatever The Decision Is". VOI – Waktunya Merevolusi Pemberitaan. 24 November 2021. Archived from the original on 22 April 2022. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
^"WADA confirms non-compliance of five Anti-Doping Organizations (7 October 2021)". World Anti-Doping Agency. 7 October 2021. Archived from the original on 28 December 2021. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
External links
[edit]
Official website
AFF Cup — RSSSF
v
t
e
ASEAN Championship
Tournaments
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2007
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020†
2022
2024
2026
Qualification
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2007
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
2026
Finals
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2007
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
2026
Squads
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2007
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
2026
Statistics
Hat-tricks
† Postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic
v
t
e
ASEAN Championship winners (1996–present)
1996: Thailand
1998: Singapore
2000: Thailand
2002: Thailand
2004: Singapore
2007: Singapore
2008: Vietnam
2010: Malaysia
2012: Singapore
2014: Thailand
2016: Thailand
2018: Vietnam
2020: Thailand
2022: Thailand
2024: Vietnam
2026: TBD
v
t
e
ASEAN Football Federation
International competitions
Football
ASEAN Championship
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U-21
U-19
U-17
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AFF Women's Cup
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U-19
U-16
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U-19
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Member associations
Australia
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Indonesia
Laos
Malaysia
Myanmar
Philippines
Singapore
Thailand
Timor-Leste
Vietnam
Former/Defunct competitions
ASEAN Champions' Cup
Other
ASEAN All-Stars
Website: www.aseanfootball.org
v
t
e
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v
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See also Geography Codes Player/Club of the Century Women's football