EXPLORE THE ASIAN GAME
Football through an Asian lens.
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EDITORIAL
Stories that look beyond the scoreline.
Reporting, analysis, interviews and ideas that explore Asian football through the people, places and forces shaping the game.
THE LEAD
ANALYSIS
The Nations League is coming: The AFC’s plan to reshape Asian football
Three tiers, promotion and relegation, a biennial finals series and new pathways to the Asian Cup…
EXPLORE EDITORIAL
Four ways into the stories, ideas and conversations shaping Asian football.
FEATURES
Long-form stories exploring the people, places and forces shaping Asian football.
ANALYSIS
Context, insight and explanation that looks beyond the result to understand why it matters.
OPINION
Arguments, perspectives and ideas from writers with something meaningful to say about the Asian game.
INTERVIEWS
Conversations with the players, coaches and figures whose experiences help explain the game from within.
FROM THE LENS
Stories that reflect how we see Asian football.
TAG
A new lens for a new era
When The Asian Game launched in 2017, it was built on a simple belief: Asian football deserved to…
ANALYSIS
More football, or better football? Asia’s international game at a crossroads
From Southeast Asia to the Gulf, regional tournaments remain deeply embedded in Asian football culture. But…
FEATURE
When South America came calling: India’s enduring ties with Brazil and Uruguay
Brazil and Uruguay arrive in Kolkata for a historic international window, but the connections run far…
LATEST EDITORIAL
The latest reporting, analysis and conversations from across Asian football.
ANALYSIS
Indonesia set blueprint for future with promising Asian Cup showing
When it mattered most, suddenly Indonesia became the team they have always had the potential to be at continental level; technically sound,…
FEATURE
Tajikistan’s fairytale continues amid off-field heartbreak
A week ago, Tajikistan had never scored an AFC Asian Cup goal, let alone won a match. However, this Friday, they’ll contest…
ANALYSIS
Were Kyrgyzstan the Asian Cup’s ‘worst team’?
After two weeks of relentless international competition, the AFC Asian Cup 2023 has reached its knockout phase. Unlike five years ago, however,…
FEATURE
China’s failure a symptom of a broken system
Chinese football is in trouble. Big trouble. That might seem like stating the bleeding obvious, like boldly claiming that the sky is…
ANALYSIS
Saudi Arabia’s struggle poses questions for Mancini
The pained look on Roberto Mancini’s face as he shook hands with his Kyrgyz counterpart, Stefan Tarkovic, said it all. The veteran…
ANALYSIS
For Iraq and its fans, Japan win means more than just an upset
For an arena that only hosted its first match after the global pandemic, the Education City Stadium has witnessed quite a few…
THE ASIAN LENS
The game is bigger than the ninety minutes.
Asian football is shaped by history, identity, ambition, culture, politics and place. Our journalism exists to understand those forces — and tell the stories that emerge from them.