2011 Asian Cup Guide

The Asian Cup is the biggest football championship in Asia, Oceania and the Middle East. The tournament is contested by the member nations of the Asian Football Confederation, and is scheduled according to a four-year cycle. In 2011 it will be hosted in Qatar.

The Asian Cup numbers amongst the largest regional football championships organised by the various FIFA confederations. The 46 member nations of the AFC are all required to qualify for the tournament, which is structured to allow 28 national teams to participate.

The significance of the Asian Cup is increasing with each tournament as the massive economic growth in Asia fuels the development of football. The Asian Cup has emerged from the shadows of bigger tournaments over recent years, establishing itself as an event of international importance.

Asian Cup History

The Asian Cup was first proposed by the founding members of the Asian Football Confederation at a meeting in Manila in 1954. The tournament was designed to aid and guide the development of football in the region, and to create a major showpiece for the game in the Asian region.

The first Asian Cup was contested in 1956 by the 12 founding members of the Asian Football Confederation. Israel took on Korea in the first final, from which Korea emerged as the first Asian Champion.

Over the past five decades the Asian Cup has enjoyed steady growth, expanding several times to accommodate new teams as football has taken root in Asia. In 2004 it was decided to change the schedule for the Asian Cup by bringing the 2008 event forward by one year, so that it would no longer clash with the Summer Olympics and Euro 2008 tournament.

Asian Cup Betting

Now that the Asian Cup will no longer conflict with other major sporting events, fans can expect bookmakers to pay extra attention to the event. Ante-post betting markets can be expected to open at least 12 months before the Asian Cup kicks off, with all games receiving full betting coverage from the UK’s top online sportsbooks.

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Asian Cup Winners

The Asian Cup has been dominated by a small selection of teams during its history. Teams from the Middle East have fared best in the tournament, with Iran, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Iraq accounting for 8 of the 14 Asian Cup titles won to date. Japan has become a powerful presence in the tournament since the 1990s, winning the Asian Cup three times since 1992.