AFF U-19 Youth Championship: A History of Champions and Records
AFF U-19 Youth Championship: Everything You Need to Know
If you are a fan of Southeast Asian football, you might have heard of the AFF U-19 Youth Championship. It is an annual tournament that showcases the best young talents in the region and serves as a stepping stone for their future careers. But what exactly is this competition and why should you care about it? In this article, we will answer these questions and more, as we give you a comprehensive guide to everything you need to know about the AFF U-19 Youth Championship.
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Introduction
What is the AFF U-19 Youth Championship?
The AFF U-19 Youth Championship is an international football tournament organized by the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF), which is the governing body of football in Southeast Asia. The tournament is contested by the national teams of the members of the AFF, as well as occasionally invited nations from the rest of Asia. The tournament was previously played at under-20 level, but since 2015, it has been aligned with FIFA's naming conventions and age limit of 19 years old. [^1]
Why is it important for Southeast Asian football?
The AFF U-19 Youth Championship is important for several reasons. First, it provides a platform for young players to gain valuable experience and exposure at the international level, as well as to showcase their skills and potential to scouts and clubs. Second, it helps to develop and improve the quality and competitiveness of football in Southeast Asia, as well as to foster regional cooperation and friendship among the participating countries. Third, it serves as a qualification tournament for the AFC U-19 Championship, which is the continental championship for Asia and a pathway to the FIFA U-20 World Cup. [^2]
How is it affected by the COVID-19 pandemic?
Like many other sporting events around the world, the AFF U-19 Youth Championship has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The planned 2020 and 2021 editions were cancelled due to health and safety concerns, as well as travel restrictions and logistical challenges. The last edition was held in 2019 in Vietnam, where Australia emerged as champions after beating Malaysia 1-0 in the final. [^3] The next edition is scheduled to take place in 2023, with the host country yet to be determined.
affa u19 youth championship 2022
affa u19 malaysia vs laos final
affa u19 vietnam vs thailand third place
affa u19 indonesia host country
affa u19 myanmar top scorer
affa u19 australia champions 2019
affa u19 iran winners 2012
affa u19 japan beat vietnam 2014
affa u19 south korea runners-up 2008
affa u19 singapore third place 2003
affa u19 laos best performance 2022
affa u19 timor-leste surprise 2013
affa u19 china fourth place 2008
affa u19 cambodia group stage 2019
affa u19 brunei lowest ranked team
affa u19 philippines vs thailand 2022
affa u19 vietnam most appearances
affa u19 thailand most titles
affa u19 malaysia second title 2022
affa u19 indonesia penalty shootout 2013
affa u19 afghanistan non-participant team
affa u19 live streaming online
affa u19 fixtures and results
affa u19 standings and statistics
affa u19 news and updates
affa u19 highlights and videos
affa u19 schedule and venues
affa u19 tickets and prices
affa u19 history and records
affa u19 rules and regulations
affa u19 teams and squads
affa u19 players and coaches
affa u19 awards and trophies
affa u19 sponsors and partners
affa u19 official website and social media
History and Format
When and where did it start?
The AFF U-19 Youth Championship started in 2002, when it was known as the Tiger Cup Under-20 Championship. It was hosted by Cambodia and won by Thailand, who beat Myanmar 4-0 in the final. Laos finished third after beating Vietnam 2-1 in the third-place match. Since then, the tournament has been held every year except for 2004, with different sponsors and names such as Hassanal Bolkiah Trophy, AFF-FAM Under-20 Cup, AFF Under-20 Youth Championship, AFF Under-19 Youth Championship, and AFF U-18 Youth Championship. The tournament has been hosted by various countries in Southeast Asia, such as Myanmar, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, and Singapore.
How many teams participate and how are they divided?
The number of teams that participate in the AFF U-19 Youth Championship varies from year to year, depending on the number of entries and withdrawals. The highest number of teams was 12, which occurred in 2005, 2013, and 2019. The lowest number was 7, which occurred in 2002 and 2003. The teams are usually divided into two groups of either four, five, or six teams each, depending on the number of participants. The teams play each other once in a round-robin format, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the semi-finals. The winners of the semi-finals then play in the final, while the losers play in the third-place match. What are the rules and regulations of the tournament?
The rules and regulations of the tournament are based on the FIFA Laws of the Game, with some modifications and adaptations by the AFF and the host country. Some of the notable rules and regulations are:
The tournament is open to players who are born on or after 1 January of the year minus 19. For example, for the 2019 edition, players had to be born on or after 1 January 2000.
The maximum number of players in each squad is 23, including three goalkeepers.
The duration of each match is 90 minutes, divided into two halves of 45 minutes each, with a 15-minute interval between them.
If a match is tied after 90 minutes, extra time of two periods of 15 minutes each is played. If the score is still level after extra time, a penalty shoot-out is used to determine the winner.
Each team is allowed to make a maximum of five substitutions during a match, with a sixth substitution allowed in extra time.
A yellow card is issued to a player for a cautionable offense, such as unsporting behavior, dissent, persistent infringement, delaying the restart of play, etc. A red card is issued to a player for a sending-off offense, such as serious foul play, violent conduct, denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity, etc.
A player who receives two yellow cards in two different matches is suspended for one match. A player who receives a red card is suspended for at least one match, depending on the severity of the offense.
The ranking of teams in each group is determined by the following criteria: points obtained in all group matches; goal difference in all group matches; number of goals scored in all group matches; points obtained in the matches between the teams concerned; goal difference in the matches between the teams concerned; number of goals scored in the matches between the teams concerned; fair play points; drawing of lots.
Past and Present Champions
Which countries have won the most titles?
The most successful country in the AFF U-19 Youth Championship is Thailand, who have won six titles out of 17 editions. They won their first title in 2002 and their most recent one in 2015. They also finished as runners-up four times and third-place twice. The second most successful country is Australia, who have won four titles out of seven appearances. They joined the tournament in 2006 as an invited team and won their first title in 2008. They also won three consecutive titles from 2016 to 2019. They never finished lower than fourth place. The third most successful country is Vietnam, who have won three titles out of 16 appearances. They won their first title in 2010 and their most recent one in 2018. They also finished as runners-up twice and third-place four times.
Who are the current champions and runners-up?
The current champions of the AFF U-19 Youth Championship are Australia, who won their fourth title in 2019 in Vietnam. They topped Group B with four wins and one draw, scoring 15 goals and conceding only one. They then beat Myanmar 2-0 in the semi-final and Malaysia 1-0 in the final, thanks to a late goal by Lachlan Brook. The current runners-up are Malaysia, who reached their second final in history after finishing as champions in 2011. They topped Group A with four wins and one loss, scoring nine goals and conceding four. They then beat Indonesia 4-3 on penalties after a goalless draw in the semi-final, but lost to Australia by a narrow margin in the final.
Which players have shone in the past editions?
Many players have shone in the past editions of the top scorer of the 2019 edition with five goals, and helped Malaysia reach the final. He is now one of the most promising forwards in Southeast Asia, and has played for clubs in Portugal and Saudi Arabia. He also won the AFF Championship once as a senior player.
Future Prospects
When and where will the next edition be held?
The next edition of the AFF U-19 Youth Championship is scheduled to be held in 2023, but the host country has not been announced yet. The AFF usually decides the host country one year before the tournament, based on the bids and proposals from the interested members. The host country is expected to provide adequate facilities, security, and hospitality for the tournament, as well as to comply with the AFF's regulations and guidelines.
Which teams are expected to perform well?
It is hard to predict which teams will perform well in the next edition, as there are many factors that can affect their performance, such as the quality of players, coaches, preparation, motivation, etc.