Flash Back: AFF Championship 1996 - 2016

Less than a week remains before the 2018 AFF Championship kicks off. To ignite your excitement, Goal recaps the previous editions of the competition.

Less than a week remains before the 2018 AFF Championship, the 12th edition of the competition, kicks off. To ignite your excitement for the biennial regional tournament, Goal recaps the previous editions, which have seen four different teams lift Southeast Asia's most prestigious football title. Click on the links to go to the individual tournament's flash back page.

1996

AFF

Photo from AFF

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The competition was first competed in 1996, and Malaysia gave a good account of themselves first time asking.

1998

World Sport Group

Photo from World Sport Group

The second edition of the competition was not a remarkable outing for the Harimau Malaya, and it was eventually won by their Causeway Derby rivals.

2000

Photo from Getty

Malaysia improved on their performance, in the first edition of the tournament to be held in the new millenium, but still fell short of capturing their first ever title.

2002

Photo from Istimewa

Another semi-final finish for the Tigers, and the competition would get its first ever back-to-back champions.

2004

Photo from Getty

Malaysia would end up as the last third-place finishers in the competition history.

2007

The sixth edition of the tournament was slightly delayed, but with it came several format changes. A second team would win it back-to-back this year.

2008

Malaysia misfired in this edition, but a third team would win the competition at its conclusion.

2010

Getty

Photo from Getty

The Harimau Malaya finally broke their duck in the eighth edition of the tournament, having overcome opening day embarrassment.

2012

Getty

Photo from Getty

Another semi-final finish for Malaysia, while cup glory returned to familiar hands.

2014

ROSLAN RAHMAN/AFP/Getty Images

Malaysia had to dig deep on multiple occassions in this edition to march into the final tie, but ultimately collapsed within five minutes of a second title.

2016