One of the six continental confederations of global football is the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), which represents the national football organisations in Asia. The AFC was established in 1954, with its main office located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The confederation is in charge of overseeing the growth of football in the region as well as planning different competitions and events for national and club teams in Asia.
Its 47 members are primarily on the Asian and Australian continents, with the exception of all UEFA-member transcontinental nations with land in both Asia and Europe. Australia, a previous member of the OFC, joined the Asian Football Confederation in 2006, and the American territory of Guam in the Pacific Ocean is also an AFC member.
AFC History
To advance and promote football in Asia, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) was established in Manila, Philippines, in 1954. Afghanistan, Burma (now Myanmar), Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, and South Vietnam were the AFC's founding members.
The Asian Games football tournament, which at the time was one of the biggest in Asia, was the AFC's primary emphasis during its early years. The group also contributed to the development of the Asian Cup, which debuted in 1956 and has since grown to be the region's premier international football event.
AFC Members
The AFC has 47 member associations split into five regions:
12 from West Asia
6 from Central Asia
7 from South Asia
10 from East Asia
12 from Southeast Asia (ASEAN)
National teams affiliated with the AFC
Afghanistan
Australia
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Bhutan
Brunei Darussalam
Cambodia
China PR
Chinese Taipei (Taiwan)
DPR Korea (North Korea)
Guam
Hong Kong
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kuwait
Kyrgyz Republic
Laos
Lebanon
Macau
Malaysia
Maldives
Mongolia
Myanmar
Nepal
Oman
Pakistan
Palestine
Philippines
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
Singapore
South Korea
Sri Lanka
Syria
Tajikistan
Thailand
Timor-Leste (East Timor)
Turkmenistan
United Arab Emirates
Uzbekistan
Vietnam
Yemen
AFC Former Members
Israel Football Association 1954–1974; joined UEFA in 1994 as a consequence of Kuwait's proposal, which was approved by a vote of 17–13 with 6 abstentions, because they were barred from AFC competitions.
In 1966, New Zealand Football became a founding member of the OFC.
The Kazakhstan Football Federation was a member of UEFA from 1992 to 2002.
AFC Competitions
The AFC oversees the AFC Asian Cup and AFC Women's Asian Cup, both of which decide the national champions of Asia and are played once every four years. In addition, the AFC hosts the Asian qualifying competition for the FIFA World Cup, FIFA Women's World Cup, and football at the Summer Olympics, as well as the AFC Challenge Cup, AFC Futsal Championship, and AFC Beach Soccer Championships.
Each AFC regional federation also hosts its own national team event, including the EAFF East Asian Cup, SAFF Championship, AFF Championship, and WAFF Championship, in addition to the AFC-run international competitions.
The Asian Football Confederation, which represents the interests of 47 national organisations throughout Asia, is an essential component of the world of football. By planning significant matches and events and supporting local development initiatives, the confederation has significantly contributed to the growth of football in the area. Even though the AFC has encountered difficulties lately, it is still dedicated to raising football's standards in Asia and making sure the game thrives there.
