The biggest football tournament in Southeast Asia is back. The group stage matches already started on July 24, 2026.
The official name of this event is the ASEAN Championship. However, most fans know it by its sponsor name. For this year's edition, the competition is called the ASEAN Hyundai Cup 2026.
The tournament takes place every two years. Since 1996, the commercial name of the trophy has changed five times.
Sponsors keep changing the title of the cup. At the same time, the football federation uses each new edition to update the competition rules.
Tiger Cup (1996–2004)
The tournament started through a partnership with Asia Pacific Breweries. The first edition took place in September 1996 in Singapore.
Ten nations joined the initial event. Organizers used a single-host system for all group and knockout matches.
The tournament grew in subsequent editions held every two years between November and December. Organizers introduced a two-legged final starting in the fifth edition.
The fifth tournament ran from December 2004 to January 2005. The two-legged final increased the total match count for fans. The Singaporean brewery remained the title sponsor for the first five editions.
AFF Championship (2007)
The original sponsorship contract ended after the 2004 tournament. The federation had to run the next edition independently.
Organizers initially planned the sixth edition for late 2006. They eventually moved the matches to January and February 2007.
The scheduling shift created the only edition without a corporate title sponsor. The tournament ran purely under the official name of the governing body.
Organizers adjusted match dates to avoid overlaps with FIFA fixtures and regional multi-sport events. They also introduced a dual-host format for the group stage to share match duties across two countries.
AFF Suzuki Cup (2008–2020)
Suzuki, a Japanese automotive manufacturer acquired the naming rights in 2008. This deal became the longest commercial partnership in the history of the tournament.
The agreement spanned seven consecutive editions held between November and December from 2008 to 2018. The 2020 edition was delayed until late 2021 due to global health restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Organizers adjusted the tournament setup during this era to boost stadium attendance. The federation completely changed the group stage format in 2018 by removing fixed host nations.
Participating teams played two home matches and two away matches during the opening phase. This home-and-away format brought a clear rise in crowd numbers across all host venues.
AFF Mitsubishi Electric Cup (2022–2024)
Mitsubishi Electric company took over as title sponsor for the eleventh edition. The matches took place between December 2022 and January 2023.
New tournament regulations updated venue standards across the region. Organizers also adopted the five-substitution rule in step with global football guidelines.
The subsequent edition in late 2024 added the regional moniker directly into the tournament title. Including the word "ASEAN" helped establish a clearer geographical identity for international viewers.
Federation officials also tried video assistant referee (VAR) technology in the knockout rounds. This test marked the first step toward broader officiating updates in the region.
ASEAN Hyundai Cup (2026–Present)
South Korean Hyundai Motor Company became the new title sponsor for the sixteenth edition starting July 24, 2026. This partnership arrived alongside a major calendar shift.
The federation moved the tournament from its traditional year-end slot to a mid-year schedule. This move aligns the tournament timeline directly with the international match calendar.
Video assistant referee technology is now mandatory starting from the first group matches. Participating associations hosting home fixtures must meet strict stadium licensing rules to maintain broadcast standards and player safety.
