WAFF U-20 Championship

WAFF U-20 Championship
Founded2019; 7 years ago (2019)
RegionWest Asia (WAFF)
Teams12 (as of 2024)
Current champions Saudi Arabia (1st title)
Most championships Iraq (2 titles)
2027 WAFF U-20 Championship

The WAFF U-20 Championship (Arabic: بطولة اتحاد غرب آسيا للشباب تحت 20 عاماً) is an international football competition organised by the West Asian Football Federation (WAFF) for the men's youth national teams of its member associations. The competition was inaugurated in 2019 as the WAFF U-18 Championship, before being held as the WAFF U-19 Championship in 2024 and being scheduled to become an under-20 competition in 2027.

History

The first edition was held in Ramallah, Palestine, from 22 to 30 August 2019 as the WAFF U-18 Championship. Six teams participated in the inaugural tournament, which was organised as preparation for the 2020 AFC U-19 Championship qualification campaign. Iraq won the title after defeating the United Arab Emirates on penalties in the final.

The 2021 edition was again held as an under-18 competition, this time in Iraq from 20 November to 1 December. Nine teams participated, with matches played in Basra, Erbil, and Baghdad. Iraq retained the title after defeating Lebanon on penalties in the final.

The competition returned in 2024 as the WAFF U-19 Championship. Hosted in Taif, Saudi Arabia, from 25 June to 5 July, the tournament featured 12 teams, including Albania as a guest nation. Saudi Arabia won the championship after defeating the United Arab Emirates 1–0 in the final.

The 2027 edition is scheduled to be the first held at under-20 level. The tournament was originally planned to take place in Kuwait from 23 March to 2 April 2026, but was postponed in March 2026. In August 2026, WAFF announced that the tournament would instead be held in March 2027, with the host to be determined.

Results

Edition Year Hosts Champions Score and Venue Runners-up Third place Score and Venue Fourth place No. of Teams
1 2019 Palestine
Iraq		 0–0 (a.e.t.)
(4–2 pen.)
Faisal al-Husseini Stadium, Ramallah
United Arab Emirates
Jordan		 3–0
Faisal al-Husseini Stadium, Ramallah
Palestine		 6
2 2021 Iraq
Iraq		 0–0 (a.e.t.)
(3–2 pen.)
Al-Madina Stadium, Baghdad
Lebanon		 9
3 2024 Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia		 1–0
United Arab Emirates		  Jordan and  Syria 12
Notes
  1. ↑ There were neither semi-finals nor a third-place match in 2021.
  2. ↑ The two semi-finalists did not play a third-place match.

Teams reaching the top four

Teams reaching the top four
Team Titles Runners-up Third place Fourth place Semi-finalists Total
 Iraq 2 (2019, 2021) 2
 Saudi Arabia 1 (2024) 1
 United Arab Emirates 2 (2019, 2024) 2
 Lebanon 1 (2021) 1
 Jordan 1 (2019) 1 (2024) 2
 Syria 1 (2024) 1
 Palestine 1 (2019) 1

See also

References

  1. ↑ "WAFF U-18 Championship to kick off in Palestine". Asian Football Confederation. 21 August 2019. Retrieved 6 October 2026.
  2. ↑ "Launch of Aldyar Alarabiya WAFF U19 Championship in Taif". Saudi Arabian Football Federation. 24 June 2024. Retrieved 6 October 2026.
  3. ↑ "WAFF U-18 Championship to kick off in Palestine". Asian Football Confederation. 21 August 2019. Retrieved 6 October 2026.
  4. ↑ "Iraq hold their nerve to claim title". Asian Football Confederation. 28 October 2021. Retrieved 6 October 2026.
  5. ↑ "Iraq win 2021 WAFF U-18 Championship". Asian Football Confederation. 2 December 2021. Retrieved 6 October 2026.
  6. ↑ "Iraq win 2021 WAFF U-18 Championship". Asian Football Confederation. 2 December 2021. Retrieved 6 October 2026.
  7. ↑ "Launch of Aldyar Alarabiya WAFF U19 Championship in Taif". Saudi Arabian Football Federation. 24 June 2024. Retrieved 6 October 2026.
  8. ↑ "WAFF U-19 Championship 2024". Saudi Arabian Football Federation. Retrieved 6 October 2026.
  9. ↑ "2027 WAFF U-20 Championship". West Asian Football Federation. Retrieved 6 October 2026.