The 1996 AFC Asian Cup qualification involved 33 participating teams. The United Arab Emirates (hosts) and Japan (holders) qualified automatically for the 1996 AFC Asian Cup.

1996 AFC Asian Cup qualification

Tournament details
Dates	24 January 1996 – 11 August 1996
Teams	33 (from 1 confederation)
Tournament statistics
Top scorer(s)	Ali Daei (12 goals)
← 1992 2000 →

Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
South Korea	3	3	0	0	17	0	+17	9
Vietnam	3	2	0	1	13	5	+8	6
Chinese Taipei	3	1	0	2	10	10	0	3
Guam	3	0	0	3	2	27	−25	0

• All matches played in Vietnam.

4 August 1996

Vietnam	4–1	Chinese Taipei
Le Huynh Duc 16', 56', 64' Nguyen Hong Son 75'		Huang Che-ming 23'

Ho Chi Minh City

5 August 1996

17:00

South Korea	9–0	Guam
Park Tae-ha 12', 14', 40' Kim Hyun-seok 25', 36', 55' Kim Do-hoon 19' Seo Hyo-won 52' Choi Moon-sik 85'

Thong Nhat Stadium, Ho Chi Minh City

Referee: Kyaw U Kyaw (Myanmar)

7 August 1996

Vietnam	9–0	Guam
Chu Van Mui 28', 44' Dang Phuong Nam 32', 52', 77' Nguyen Chi Bao 56', 65' Nguyen Ni Cuong 60' Le Huynh Duc 72'

Ho Chi Minh City

Attendance: 192

Referee: Kyaw U Kyaw (Myanmar)

8 August 1996

17:00

South Korea	4–0	Chinese Taipei
Hong Myung-bo 9' Kim Do-hoon 19' Park Tae-ha 48', 70'

Thong Nhat Stadium, Ho Chi Minh City

Referee: Inayath Ulla Khan (India)

10 August 1996

Guam	2–9	Chinese Taipei
Edwin Cunliffe 73' Marinos 83'		Chu Wai Fung 1', 13', 14' Chen Fa Liang 16', 30' Ka Fong Teng 57', 59' Chai Ka Seng 81' Tun Fang 90+1'

Ho Chi Minh City

11 August 1996

17:00

Vietnam	0–4	South Korea
		Shin Tae-yong 1' Roh Sang-rae 8' Park Tae-ha 17' Seo Hyo-won 83'

Thong Nhat Stadium, Ho Chi Minh City

Referee: Chalach Piromya (Thailand)

Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
China	3	3	0	0	16	1	+15	9
Hong Kong	3	2	0	1	12	3	+9	6
Macau	3	1	0	2	7	12	−5	3
Philippines	3	0	0	3	1	20	−19	0

• All matches played in Hong Kong.

30 January 1996

Hong Kong	8–0	Philippines
Chan Tsi-Kong 3', 80' Bredbury 39', 42' Lee Kin Wo 59' Wai Kwai-Lung 82', 83' Leslie Santos 90'

Mong Kok Stadium, Kowloon

Referee: Anh Bong-ki (South Korea)

30 January 1996

China	7–1	Macau
Peng Weiguo 28' (pen.), 45' Su Maozhen 44' Li Bing 48', 66', 89' Hao Haidong 76'		Ung Siu-Cheong 42'

Mong Kok Stadium, Kowloon

Referee: Sophon Mhaboon (Thailand)

1 February 1996

Philippines	0–7	China
		Hao Haidong 17', 58', 63' Ma Mingyu 60' Su Maozhen 77', 87' Gao Feng 83'

Mong Kok Stadium, Kowloon

Referee: Sophon Mhaboon (Thailand)

1 February 1996

Hong Kong	4–1	Macau
Au Wai Lun 26' Bredbury 72', 75' (pen.), 77'		José Martins 70'

Mong Kok Stadium, Kowloon

Referee: Yoshimi Ogawa (Japan)

4 February 1996

Macau	5–1	Philippines
Paulo 2' José Martins 63', 52' Cho Chi-Man 64' Pinto 82'		Kalalang 63'

Mong Kok Stadium, Kowloon

Referee: Anh Bong-ki (South Korea)

4 February 1996

Hong Kong	0–2	China
		Fan Zhiyi 51' Wei Qun 89'

Mong Kok Stadium, Kowloon

Referee: Yoshimi Ogawa (Japan)

Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
Thailand	6	4	2	0	31	5	+26	14
Singapore	6	3	3	0	16	7	+9	12
Myanmar	6	2	1	3	11	20	−9	7
Maldives	6	0	0	6	4	30	−26	0

• All matches played in Singapore and Thailand in a double round-robin format.

27 June 1996

Thailand	8–0	Maldives

Bangkok

27 June 1996

Myanmar	0–4	Singapore

Bangkok

29 June 1996

Thailand	5–1	Myanmar

Bangkok

29 June 1996

Maldives	0–2	Singapore

Bangkok

1 July 1996

Thailand	1–1	Singapore

Bangkok

1 July 1996

Myanmar	3–1	Maldives

Bangkok

4 July 1996

Maldives	0–8	Thailand

Singapore

4 July 1996

Singapore	2–2	Myanmar

Singapore

7 July 1996

Myanmar	1–7	Thailand

Singapore

7 July 1996

Singapore	5–2	Maldives

Singapore

9 July 1996

Maldives	1–4	Myanmar

Singapore

9 July 1996

Singapore	2–2	Thailand

Singapore

Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
Indonesia	2	1	1	0	7	1	+6	4
Malaysia	2	1	1	0	5	2	+3	4
India	2	0	0	2	3	12	−9	0

• All matches played in Malaysia

2 March 1996

Malaysia	0–0	Indonesia

Kuala Lumpur

4 March 1996

Indonesia	7–1	India
Indriyanto 12', 74' Rochy 18', 52' Ansyari 42', 49' Peri 77'		T. Kumar 11'

Kuala Lumpur

6 March 1996

Malaysia	5–2	India
Zainal Abidin 12', 57' Dollah Salleh 21' (pen.), 54' Abu Bakar 71'		Carlton Chapman 46' Bhaichung Bhutia 78'

Kuala Lumpur

Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
Iran	6	6	0	0	27	1	+26	18
Oman	6	4	0	2	23	5	+18	12
Sri Lanka	6	2	0	4	5	25	−20	6
Nepal	6	0	0	6	2	26	−24	0

• All matches played in Iran and Oman in a double round-robin format.

10 June 1996

Oman	3–0	Sri Lanka

Azadi Stadium, Tehran

10 June 1996

Iran	8–0	Nepal
Bagheri 10' (pen.), 60' Daei 14', 36', 84', 87' Garousi 51' Hakimzadeh 73'

Azadi Stadium, Tehran

Attendance: 35,000

Referee: Dirar Al-Tamimi (Jordan)

12 June 1996

Oman	7–0	Nepal

Azadi Stadium, Tehran

12 June 1996

Iran	7–0	Sri Lanka
Daei 30', 64', 65', 70', 77' Bagheri 62' Garousi 69'

Azadi Stadium, Tehran

Attendance: 20,000

Referee: Selearajen Subramaniam (Malaysia)

14 June 1996

Sri Lanka	3–1	Nepal

Azadi Stadium, Tehran

14 June 1996

Iran	2–0	Oman
Daei 5' Estili 84'

Azadi Stadium, Tehran

Attendance: 100,000

Referee: Dirar Al-Tamimi (Jordan)

17 June 1996

Iran	4–0	Sri Lanka
Bagheri 17', 54', 68' Mansourian 78'

Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex, Muscat

Attendance: 2,000

Referee: Abdul Al-Khamesy (Yemen)

17 June 1996

Oman	2–1	Nepal

Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex, Muscat

19 June 1996

Iran	4–0	Nepal
Daei 27' Bagheri 38', 44' (pen.) Shahroudi 66'

Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex, Muscat

Attendance: 2,000

Referee: Abdulrahman Al-Zeid (Saudi Arabia)

19 June 1996

Oman	10–0	Sri Lanka

Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex, Muscat

21 June 1996

Nepal	0–2	Sri Lanka

Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex, Muscat

21 June 1996

Oman	1–2	Iran
Al-Habsi 60' (pen.)		Daei 23' Bagheri 88' (pen.)

Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex, Muscat

Attendance: 5,000

Referee: Russamee Jindamai (Thailand)

Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
Iraq	2	2	0	0	4	0	+4	6
Jordan	2	1	0	1	4	1	+3	3
Pakistan	2	0	0	2	0	7	−7	0

•  Bangladesh withdrew
• All matches played in Jordan

9 August 1996

Jordan	4–0	Pakistan
Al Fawzi 4', 17' Ebritadahadeh 67' Al Hallin 77'

Amman

11 August 1996

Pakistan	0–3	Iraq
		Abbas 42' Fawzi 65' Shenaishil 67'

Amman

13 August 1996

Jordan	0–1	Iraq
		Hashim 60'

Amman

Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
Syria	4	3	0	1	6	2	+4	9
Qatar	4	2	0	2	5	4	+1	6
Kazakhstan	4	1	0	3	1	6	−5	3

• All matches played on a home and away double round-robin format.

14 June 1996

Kazakhstan	1–0	Qatar
Nizovtsev 7'

Central Stadium, Almaty

Attendance: 6,000

Referee: Pirom Un-Prasert (Thailand)

21 June 1996

Syria	2–0	Kazakhstan
Taleb 21' M. Sheikh-Dib 34'

Abbasiyyin Stadium, Damascus

Attendance: 20,000

Referee: Fahed Al-Damisi (Jordan)

28 June 1996

Qatar	1–0	Syria
Al-Enazi 35'

Khalifa Stadium, Doha

Referee: Ali Bujsaim (UAE)

5 July 1996

Qatar	3–0	Kazakhstan
Al-Obaidly 5' Soufi 21' Al-Enazi 43'

Khalifa Stadium, Doha

Referee: Omer Al-Mehannah (Saudi Arabia)

12 July 1996

Kazakhstan	0–1	Syria
		Al Boushi 9'

Central Stadium, Almaty

Attendance: 5,000

Referee: Nik Ahmad Yaakub (Malaysia)

19 July 1996

Syria	3–1	Qatar
Helou 17' M. Sheikh-Dib 48' Khalifa 76' (pen.)		Al-Enazi 58'

Abbasiyyin Stadium, Damascus

Attendance: 20,000

Referee: Hossein Askari (Iran)

Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
Uzbekistan	2	1	0	1	5	4	+1	3
Tajikistan	2	1	0	1	4	5	−1	3

•  Bahrain withdrew

8 May 1996

Tajikistan	4–0	Uzbekistan
Fuzaylov 3' (pen.) Ashurmamadov 65', 67' Avakov 87'

Pamir Stadium, Dushanbe

Attendance: 20,000

Referee: Aleksandr Koulakov (Kazakhstan)

19 June 1996

Uzbekistan	5–0 (a.e.t.)	Tajikistan
Kasymov 4' (pen.), 33' (pen.) Andreyev 8' Shkvyrin 72' Musabayev 95'

Pakhtakor Stadium, Tashkent

Attendance: 15,000

Referee: Eldar Ramazanov (Turkmenistan)

Uzbekistan won 5–4 on aggregate.

Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
Saudi Arabia	4	4	0	0	10	0	+10	12
Kyrgyzstan	4	1	0	3	3	7	−4	3
Yemen	4	1	0	3	2	8	−6	3

• All matched played in Saudi Arabia

24 January 1996

Saudi Arabia	3–0	Kyrgyzstan
Al-Thunayan 7', 38' Amin 57' (pen.)

King Fahd International Stadium, Riyadh

Attendance: 2,000

Referee: Mohammed Kekhia (Syria)

26 January 1996

Yemen	1–0	Kyrgyzstan
Sharaf Mahfood 57'

King Fahd International Stadium, Riyadh

Attendance: 1,000

Referee: Jalal Moradi (Iran)

28 January 1996

Saudi Arabia	4–0	Yemen
Al-Thunayan 42', 53' Falatah 59' Al-Hamdan 66'	Report

King Fahd International Stadium, Riyadh

Referee: Jundami Rosami (Thailand)

31 January 1996

Kyrgyzstan	0–2	Saudi Arabia
		Falatah 25' Al-Thunayan 67'

King Fahd International Stadium, Riyadh

Attendance: 2,000

Referee: Jassim Al-Khori (Qatar)

2 February 1996

Kyrgyzstan	3–1	Yemen
Kadyrov 43' Rybakov 50' Khaytbaev 75'		Ben Rabah 21'

King Fahd International Stadium, Riyadh

Attendance: 1,000

Referee: Mohammed Kekhia (Syria)

4 February 1996

Yemen	0–1	Saudi Arabia
	Report	Al-Hamdan 12'

King Fahd International Stadium, Riyadh

Referee: Jalal Moradi (Iran)

Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
Kuwait	4	2	2	0	9	5	+4	8
Lebanon	4	2	1	1	7	6	+1	7
Turkmenistan	4	0	1	3	3	8	−5	1

• All matches played on a home and away double round-robin format.

10 March 1996

Turkmenistan	2–2	Kuwait
Urazow 3' Plyushchenko 8'		Haji 13' Al-Dawod 89'

Ashgabat

22 March 1996

Kuwait	2–0	Turkmenistan
Sulaiman 18' Bekheet 68'

Kuwait City

Attendance: 10,000

12 May 1996

Lebanon	3–1	Turkmenistan
Nahza 28' Taha 68' Karnib 90'		Bondoyev 20'

Beirut

Attendance: 10,000

26 May 1996

Turkmenistan	0–1	Lebanon
		Ghazarian 33'

Ashgabat

Attendance: 10,000

9 June 1996

Lebanon	3–5	Kuwait
Nazha 6' Ghazarian 10', 46'		Al-Otaybi 16' Al-Shlimi 27' Al-Hindi 30' Haji 66' Wabran 84'

Beirut

Attendance: 22,000

20 June 1996

Kuwait	0–0	Lebanon

Kuwait City

Attendance: 25,000

Team	Qualified as	Qualified on	Previous appearance
United Arab Emirates	Hosts	29 April 1993	4 (1980, 1984, 1988, 1992)
Japan	1992 AFC Asian Cup champions	8 November 1992	2 (1988, 1992)
South Korea	Group 1 winners	11 August 1996	7 (1956, 1960, 1964, 1972, 1980, 1984, 1988)
China	Group 2 winners	4 February 1996	5 (1976, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992)
Thailand	Group 3 winners	9 July 1996	2 (1972, 1992)
Indonesia	Group 4 winners	4 March 1996	0 (debut)
Iran	Group 5 winners	21 June 1996	7 (1968, 1972, 1976, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992)
Iraq	Group 6 winners	13 August 1996	2 (1972, 1976)
Syria	Group 7 winners	19 July 1996	3 (1980, 1984, 1988)
Uzbekistan	Group 8 winners	19 June 1996	0 (debut)
Saudi Arabia	Group 9 winners	2 February 1996	3 (1984, 1988, 1992)
Kuwait	Group 10 winners	20 June 1996	5 (1972, 1976, 1980, 1984, 1988)

• Stokkermans, Karel. "Asian Nations Cup 1996". RSSSF.
• Courtney, Barrie "1996 MATCHES". RSSSF.