Debutants Afghanistan created history by not only advancing to the AFC Futsal Asian Cup knockout stage but also by clinching a place in the FIFA Futsal World Cup, beating Iraq and Kyrgyz Republic in the playoffs. 

All five Central Asian teams – Islamic Republic of Iran, Afghanistan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan – advanced to the knockout stage. Iran emerged champions, Uzbekistan claimed third following their win against Tajikistan on penalties while Afghanistan qualified for the FIFA Futsal World Cup by defeating Kyrgyz Republic.

Iran remained unbeaten in the 2024 edition to clinch a record-extending 13th AFC Futsal Asian Cup™ with a haul of 21 goals. What made their outing more memorable was their clean sweep of the individual titles with Saeid Ahmad Abbasi claiming the MVP and Yili Top Scorer awards, while Bagher Mohammadi was named the Top Goalkeeper.

The final between Thailand and Iran recorded the highest number of spectators in the tournament with 6,516 turning up to support their teams at the Bangkok Arena.

 

The only player to net a hat-trick in the competition was Tajikistan’s Samandar Rizomov, who achieved that feat in the Third Place Playoff against Uzbekistan, who went on to win 3-1 on penalties.

Myanmar’s Mai Soe Myat Htwe created history by becoming the youngest player at 17 years old to feature in the continental tournament. The shotstopper made his debut on Matchday Two in Myanmar’s 5-0 defeat to hosts Thailand but then went on to produce an inspirational display in their 1-1 stalemate with Vietnam.

 

The likes of Ali Asghar Hassanzadeh of Iran, Thailand’s Suphawut Thueanklang and goalkeeper Guilherme Kuromoto of Japan may well be never seen again on the Asian stage. Four-time AFC Futsal Player of the Year Hassanzadeh, 36, secured his fifth AFC Futsal Asian Cup™ title at Thailand 2024 while 34-year-old Suphawut - the 2013 AFC Futsal Player of the Year - earned a runners-up medal while Kuromoto, the AFC Futsal Asian Cup Kuwait™ 2022 Top Goalscorer, was the tournament's oldest player at the age of 43. 

 

 

Japan became the first defending champions to not advance to the knockout stage of the AFC Futsal Asian Cup. The last time the East Asian side suffered an early exit was in 2016, losing in the quarter-finals after having won the title two years earlier.