Southeast Asia is growing increasingly passionate about football competition. Following the AFF Cup, which has been held since 1996, the FIFA ASEAN Cup will begin this year.
The AFF Cup was first held in 1996 under its original name, the Tiger Cup, and is recognised as the highest competition among Southeast Asian countries. FIFA is now planning to hold the FIFA ASEAN Cup this year as an effort to promote football development in the region.
A significant difference lies in participation. The AFF Cup is contested only by Southeast Asian countries, while the FIFA ASEAN Cup will include Southeast Asian countries and guest teams from outside the ASEAN region.
The timing of the competitions also differs. The AFF Cup is held outside the FIFA Matchday calendar, as a result clubs outside ASEAN have no obligation to release players to their national teams. The FIFA ASEAN Cup is planned to be held during the FIFA Matchday window in September-October, ensuring that each country's best players can answer the call to their national teams.
In terms of format, the AFF Cup does not have divisional divisions and only features a qualification system. The FIFA ASEAN Cup is planned to divide the competition into two divisions based on each country's strength.
