Asian Cup winners, 1956 to 2023

Nineteen editions since 1956

The 2027 tournament is the nineteenth Asian Cup. The first was played in Hong Kong in 1956 and won by South Korea, who also won the second in 1960. Neither of those tournaments had a final: the first four editions were decided by a round-robin group, and the knockout format that produces a one-off final arrived in 1972.

Home advantage is real and measurable

Hosts have won eight of the eighteen tournaments played so far. South Korea in 1960, Israel in 1964, Iran in 1968 and again in 1976, Kuwait in 1980, Japan in 1992, Australia in 2015 and Qatar in 2023 all lifted it at home. That is a rate of 44 per cent from a field that has never been smaller than four teams and is now twenty-four.

It is the most useful number to have in mind for 2027, because Saudi Arabia have never hosted this tournament before. Eighteen editions have gone to Hong Kong, South Korea, Israel, Iran twice, Thailand, Kuwait, Singapore, Qatar three times, Japan, the United Arab Emirates twice, Lebanon, China, Australia, and a four-nation edition across Southeast Asia in 2007. Not one has gone to the kingdom.

Three teams won it at the first attempt

Iran, Saudi Arabia and South Korea all won the Asian Cup at their first appearance: South Korea in 1956, Iran in 1968, Saudi Arabia in 1984. No side has managed it since.

Winning it twice in a row is not unusual

Five nations have taken consecutive titles: South Korea in 1956 and 1960, Iran three in a row from 1968 to 1976, Saudi Arabia in 1984 and 1988, Japan in 2000 and 2004, and Qatar in 2019 and 2023. Qatar arrive in Saudi Arabia trying to make it three.