History of Asian Football Confederation in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: November 29, 2025

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) governs association football, beach soccer, and futsal in most Asian countries and territories. Founded in 1954, it currently has 47 members. The AFC formerly included the Asian Ladies Football Confederation (ALFC), which managed women's football. The ALFC was founded independently in 1968 by Taiwan, British Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Singapore, and merged with the AFC in 1986, consolidating football administration under a single governing body.

1954: AFC Formation

In 1954, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) was formed to govern association football, beach soccer, and futsal in most countries and territories in Asia.

April 1968: ALFC Founding

In April 1968, the Asian Ladies Football Confederation (ALFC) was independently founded in a meeting involving Taiwan, British Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Singapore.

1986: ALFC Merges with AFC

In 1986, the Asian Ladies Football Confederation (ALFC) merged with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

2000: AFC Member Associations

In 2000, the Asian Football Confederation has 47 member associations split into five subregions: Central, East, South, South East, and West. Founding members included Afghanistan, Burma (Myanmar), the Republic of China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, and Vietnam.

2024: AFC Women's Champions League Launched

In 2024, the AFC Women's Champions League was launched for the 2024–25 season as the top-ranked AFC tournament for women's association football clubs.

2024: Revamped AFC Tournaments

In 2024, the second-tier men's tournament, the AFC Champions League Two, and the third-tier tournament, the AFC Challenge League, were revamped and rebranded.