AFC Asian Cup U23 Qualifying

AFC Asian Cup U23 Qualifying

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Wikipedia - AFC U-23 Asian Cup

The AFC U-23 Asian Cup, previously the AFC U-22 Championship and AFC U-23 Championship, is a biennial international football competition organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) for the men's under-23 national teams of Asia. Each edition of the tournament that is in a year divisible by four is linked to the qualification process for the Olympic Games, whereby the top three teams in the tournament qualify directly and the fourth-placed team may enter an intercontinental play-off match depending on the slot allocations.

The first edition was initially set to be held in 2013 and its qualification matches in 2024 , but the finals tournament was postponed to be played in January 2014 due to the 2013 EAFF East Asian Cup. In 2016 the tournament was also renamed from the "AFC U-22 Championship" to the "AFC U-23 Championship". The tournament was rebranded as the "AFC U-23 Asian Cup" in 2021.

In July 2023, the AFC announced that each non-Olympic edition of the tournament would be hosted by the same association hosting the next AFC Asian Cup. However, on 24 May 2024, AFC announced that the tournament will be held quadrennially from 2028, effectively discontinued the non-Olympic qualifiers’ editions from 2030.

The AFC Asian Cup U23 Qualifying is a prestigious football tournament organized by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to identify and develop the best under-23 national teams across Asia. Serving as a qualifying stage for the AFC U23 Asian Cup, this competition brings together emerging young talents from various Asian nations to showcase their skills, teamwork, and competitive spirit. The tournament features intense matches held across different host countries, with teams vying for top positions to secure their place in the final championship. It not only provides a platform for young players to gain valuable international experience but also promotes the growth of football across the continent, fostering future stars for Asian and global football.