Asia Championship

The Asia Championship logo

The Asia Championship, officially Duelist Cup Asia Finals from 2022 to 2023 and WCQ Asia since 2024, is an annual invitational tournament determining the Asian Champion as well as the two Asian competitors for the World Championship. It was first established in 2000, being the first ever international Yu-Gi-Oh! tournament. The World Championship was eventually established three years later.

'Asia' in this context includes Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand. Notably, players from Japan, South Korea and China don't compete in the tournament, as these regions have their own WCQs.

The first three Asia Championships took place in Japan. At this time, players from South Korea and Japan were still part of the tournament. From 2003 onwards, the event was exclusively held in the 'Asian' countries mentioned above. Around 2005/2006, Japanese players also stopped being eligible for the Asia Championship.

In 2014, a significant changes was made to the tournament: Previously, the National Champions of the various Asian countries would qualify for the World Championship, while the Asia Championship had no effect on this. Now, the National Championships no longer offered Worlds invites, and instead, the two finalists from the Asia Championship would qualify instead. Additionally, South Korea was no longer considered part of the 'Asia' region.

Throughout the 2010s, Konami also hosted special iterations of the Asia Championship in winter. The Asia Championship Plus existed from 2010 to 2014, being a 3v3 tournament between teams representing different countries. The Asia Championship SP (2015) and Asia Championship Winter (2018-2020) were tournaments with a similar structure to the regular Championships, but without the Worlds invites.

Asia Championships

2024

Date: 13 July 2024
Location: Hong Kong
Attendance: 28
Ref:
Champion: Charles Loo ("Fiendsmith Yubel")
Runner-Up: Chia Ching Wang ("Fiendsmith Sinful Spoils Snake-Eye")
Semi-Finalist: Chun Sing Yuen ("Fiendsmith Sinful Spoils Rescue-ACE")
Semi-Finalist: Andri Kurnia ("Fiendsmith Sinful Spoils Rescue-ACE")

2023

Date: 1 July 2023
Location: Singapore
Attendance: 41
Ref:
Champion: You Jyun Lin ("Purrely")
Runner-Up: Satanantana Pungnoppakunsi ("Adventurer Synchron")
Semi-Finalist: Siong Gin Kuan ("Ishizu Tearlaments")
Semi-Finalist: Pok Man Tsang ("Vanquish Soul")

2022

Date: 24 September 2022
Location: ?
Attendance: 6
Ref:
Champion: Ming Hsuan Hsieh ("Ishizu Tearlaments")
Runner-Up: Satanantana Pungnoppakunsi ("Bystial Dragonmaid")
Semi-Finalist: Calvin Ang ("Ishizu Tearlaments")
Semi-Finalist: Elvis Agoto ("Ishizu Tearlaments")

2019

Date: 16 June 2019
Location: Taipei, Taiwan
Attendance: 19
Ref:
Champion: Angelino Espiritu ("Sky Striker Trickstar Phantom Knights Orcust")
Runner-Up: Louren Vidad ("Sky Striker Trickstar Phantom Knights Orcust")
Semi-Finalist: Alvin Hsu ("Salamangreat")
Semi-Finalist: Ming Fung Law ("Altergeist")

2018

Date: 8 July 2018
Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Attendance: 17
Ref:
Champion: Weng Fong Low ("Sky Striker")
Runner-Up: Chia Ching Wang ("Trickstar")
Semi-Finalist: Gerald Kent Hui ("Sky Striker")
Semi-Finalist: Cheuk Sing Lai ("Trickstar")

2017

Date: 18 June 2017
Location: Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Attendance: 28
Ref:
Champion: Yun Kang Ho ("True Draco Zoodiac")
Runner-Up: Milton Chua ("True Draco Zoodiac")
Semi-Finalist: Li-Te Tsu ("True Draco Zoodiac")
Semi-Finalist: Shin En Huang ("True Draco Zoodiac")

2016

Date: 19 June 2016
Location: Hong Kong
Attendance: 18
Ref:
Champion: Tsun Yu Hsiao ("ABC")
Runner-Up: Wen Chin Luo ("D/D/D")
Semi-Finalist: Wan Xin Tan ("Blue-Eyes")
Semi-Finalist: Cheuk Shing Lai ("Phantom Knights Burning Abyss")

2015

Date: 28 June 2015
Location: Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Attendance: 16
Ref:
Champion: Kian Sim Kee ("Atlantean Mermail")
Runner-Up: Yun Kang Ho ("Pendulum Magician")
Semi-Finalist: Michael Santoso ("Atlantean Mermail")
Semi-Finalist: Bixuan Yu ("Atlantean Mermail")

2014

Date: 22 June 2014
Location: Taipei, Taiwan
Attendance: 8
Ref:
Champion: Calvin Ang ("Star Seraph Tellarknight")
Runner-Up: Ka Ho Kwang ("Star Seraph Shaddoll")
Third Place: Elvis Agoto ("Star Seraph Tellarknight")
Fourth Place: Wing Ho Cheung ("Blue-Eyes Dragon Ruler")

2013

Date: 28 April 2013
Location: Bangkok, Thailand
Attendance: 8
Ref:
Champion: Jun-Hyeong Choi ("Dragon Ruler")
Runner-Up: Kian Sim Kee ("Evilswarm")
Third Place: Jonathan Edsel Gozon ("Spellbook")
Fourth Place: Zhe Fei Yang ("Spellbook")

2012

Date: 15 April 2012
Location: Singapore
Attendance: 8
Ref:
Champion: Jun Yuan Soh ("Inzektor")
Runner-Up: Kenneth Koh ("Ninja Hieratic")
Third Place: Jonathan Edsel Gozon ("Inzektor")
Fourth Place: Sung-Hoon Lee ("Inzektor")

2011

Date: 17 April 2011
Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Attendance: 10
Ref:
Champion: Jun Yuan Soh ("Plant Synchro")
Runner-Up: Jae-Yeong Noh ("Six Samurai")
Third Place: Hsiao Wei Liu ("Agent")
Fourth Place: Sung Lee Tan ("Plant Synchro")

2010

Date: 10 January 2010
Location: Taipei, Taiwan
Attendance: 6
Ref:
Champion: Wan Choon Teng ("Lightsworn")
Runner-Up: Wei Hao She ("Lightsworn")
Third Place: Zhi Cheng Jiao ("Lightsworn")
Fourth Place: Yong Xiang Eu ("Blackwing")

2009

Date: 12 April 2009
Location: Hong Kong
Attendance: 6
Ref:
Champion: Kian Sim Kee ("Blackwing")
Runner-Up: Gou Jie Yeo ("Blackwing")
Third Place: Chi Hang Luk ("Cat Synchro")
Fourth Place:  ? ("Blackwing")

2008

Date: 6 April 2008
Location: Singapore
Attendance: 8
Ref:
Champion: Hong Li Toh ("Gadget")
Runner-Up: Suikai Wong ("Dark Armed Dragon")
Third Place: Yulong Lim
Fourth Place: Shi Fu Phua

2007

Date: 6 April 2007
Location: Taipei, Taiwan
Attendance: 13
Ref:
Champion: King Hang Shum ("Destiny Hero LADD")
Runner-Up: Chee Keong Chu
Third Place:  ?
Fourth Place:  ?

2006

?

2005

Date: 9 April 2005
Location: Taipei, Taiwan
Attendance: 16
Ref:
Champion: Chi Hang Luk ("D.D. Beatdown")
Runner-Up: Hao Jun Zhang ("Nephthys Chaos")
Third Place: Masatoshi Togawa ("Goat Control")
Fourth Place: Zong Lin Cain ("Chaos Warrior Toolbox")

2004

Date: 10 April 2004
Location: Taipei, Taiwan
Attendance: ~12
Ref:
Champion: Yuet Chun Too
Runner-Up: Poh Tong Choon
Third Place: Shun Yueh Yao
Fourth Place: Jun Yuan Soh

2003

Date: 18 January 2003
Location: Taipei, Taiwan
Attendance: ?
Ref:
Champion: Kin Pong Or
Runner-Up: ?
Third Place: ?
Fourth Place: ?

2002

Date: 18 August 2002
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Attendance: ?
Ref:
Champion: Yohei Suzuki ("Hand Destruction")
Runner-Up: Choon Kiat Lim ("Hand Destruction")
Third Place:  ?
Fourth Place: Yu Leung Ng

2001

Date: 12 August 2001
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Attendance: ?
Ref:
Champion:  ? ("Beatdown")
Runner-Up:  ?
Third Place: ?
Fourth Place: ?

2000

Date: 20 August 2000
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Attendance: ?
Ref:
Champion: Yee Luk Tam ("Burn")
Runner-Up:  ?
Third Place:  ?
Fourth Place: Hung Chang Wu

Special Tournaments

2020 Winter

Date: 12 January 2020
Location: Quezon City, Philippines
Attendance: 12
Ref:
Champion: You Jyun Lin ("Orcust")
Runner-Up: Hiroshi Odate ("Orcust")
Semi-Finalist: Ka Fu Leung ("SPYRAL")
Semi-Finalist: Ryan Leong ("Invoked Dragoon")

2019 Winter

Date: 19 January 2019
Location: Hong Kong
Attendance: 12
Ref:
Champion: Angelino Espiritu ("Burning Abyss")
Runner-Up: Cheng Yao Huang ("Sky Striker Orcust")
Semi-Finalist: Sherwyn Lim ("Thunder Dragon")
Semi-Finalist: Nathaniel Laureano ("Dinosaur Thunder Dragon")

2018 Winter

Date: 21 January 2018
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Attendance: 12
Ref:
Champion: Gerald Kent Hui ("Trickstar")
Runner-Up: John Kevin Alcantara ("Halqifibrax Plant")
Semi-Finalist: Kai Feng Wu ("Trickstar")
Semi-Finalist: Wing Ho Cheung ("Trickstar")

2015 SP

Date: 31 January 2016
Location: Singapore
Attendance: 12
Ref:
Champion: Tsun Yu Hsiao ("Dracoslayer Performapal")
Runner-Up: Chiu Chza Hsiang ("Dracoslayer Performapal")
Semi-Finalist: Michael Santoso ("Dracoslayer Performapal")
Semi-Finalist: Gou Jie Yeo ("Dracoslayer Performapal")

2014 Plus

Date: 14 December 2014
Location: Hong Kong
Attendance: 8 Teams
Ref:
Champion:
Po Nien Chen ("Qliphort")
Sheng Rong Lin ("Qliphort")
Yen Jui Chien ("Qliphort")
Runner-Up:
Hoi Ki Liu ("Nekroz")
Tze Hing Kong ("Nekroz")
Wing Him Chau ("Nekroz")

2013 Plus

Date: 22 December 2013
Location: Taipei, Taiwan
Attendance: 8 Teams
Ref:
Champion:
Yi Chun Lin ("Dragon Ruler")
Chung Wei Wu ("Atlantean Mermail")
Jen Hsiang Sun ("HERO")
Runner-Up:
Sheng Long Lin ("Fire Fist")
Po Nien Chen ("Evilswarm")
Jia-Chi Hsieh ("Dragon Ruler")

2012 Plus

Date: 2 December 2012
Location: Hong Kong
Attendance: 8 Teams
Ref:
Champion:
Chung Wei Wu ("Lightsworn")
Yi Chun Lin ("Wind-Up")
Jen Hsiang Sun ("HERO")
Runner-Up:
Zhen Pei Teoh ("Atlantean Mermail")
Andrew Ng ("HERO")
Shahmir Bin Roshidi ("Wind-Up")

2011 Plus

Date: 18 December 2011
Location: Taipei, Taiwan
Attendance: 8 Teams
Ref:
Champion:
Jomer Yap Flores ("Inzektor")
Karlo Luigi Bonillo ("T.G. Agent")
Rey Vincent Lim ("Six Samurai")
Runner-Up:
Wei Keong Yap ("Six Samurai")
Yau Sin Chen ("Agent")
Sung Lee Tan ("Dark World")

2010 Plus

Date: 12 December 2010
Location: Hong Kong
Attendance: 8 Teams
Ref:
Champion:
Kian Sim Kee ("Six Samurai")
Gou Jie Yeo ("Blackwing")
Jun Yan Lim ("Quickdraw Dandywarrior")
Runner-Up:
Bou Chuan Lu ("Blackwing")
Yan De Lyu ("Scrap")
Yen Jui Chien ("Six Samurai")