AFC: Asian Cup to grow from 16 to 24 participants as of 2019 edition

The number of national teams participating in the Asian Cup will increase from 16 to 24 as of the 2019 edition of the competition, the executive committee of the AFC (Asian Football Confederation) announced on 16/04/2014.

"We must market our product and generate income to sustain football across the continent. I am sure that the changes that happen will have big impact on Asian football and will benefit our member associations," said Salman Bin Ibrahim Al- Khalifa (of Bahrain), president of AFC, a confederation that represents 46 national federations.

This move was recommended by the AFC competitions committee, in the hopes of providing opportunities for a greater number of Asian countries to participate in the continent-wide competition, and also in order to merge a portion of qualifying for the World Cup in the Asian region with the Asian Cup. Thus, from 2019, the first phase of qualifying for both competitions will be shared, but the final phases of the knockout will remain independent.

• The first edition of the AFC Asian Cup was held in 1956.
• This competition is held every…