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The United States of America (USA) hosts a yearly tournament under the American Football Conference (AFC). This game is called the AFC Championship Game. People worldwide consider the tournament the most prominent professional league of football in America.
Origin of the AFC Championship Game
It came into being when two American leagues merged in 1970. The two merger leagues were National Football League (NFL) and American Football League (AFL). Since the authorities decided to combine them into a single tournament, the AFC Championship game started. The winner is awarded a trophy named Lamar Hunt Trophy from 1984.
History of the AFC Championship Game
The first game occurred in 1970, merging the two football leagues in America. Till then, the tournament has continued to sustain its significance. It has been more than 50 years since the tournament started, and it remains the longest tournament in history, not only for America but also for the rest of the world.
Since it is a league-type tournament, each team faces the other during the tournament. The winning team gains 3 points, and the other gets zero. If a draw match, both teams get one point. The team with the maximum points wins the trophy.
The tournament’s venue does not remain fixed and changes yearly according to the previous year’s results. All the participant teams have their respective home grounds. While the Pittsburgh Steelers appeared 16 times, the New England Patriots hold the second position at 11.
Trophy of the AFC Championship Game
There have been significant alterations in the shape of the trophy. Presently, the trophy has a silver design with an outline containing a football on a small base. Kansas City was the champion in 2020, and Al Hilal SFC achieved victory in 2021.
2022 AFC Championship Game
It is the 41st edition of Asia’s premier football tournament. Under the current AFC Champions League title, the 2022 edition is the 20th. This season is officially the last in the spring-to-autumn schedule. The players will have an autumn-to-spring tournament from 2023 onwards. Its winners will automatically qualify for the 2023-24 Championship League and enter the qualifying play-offs. Previously, 30 players were entitled to play. However, it has now increased to 35 players in this edition. Thus, more foreign players can be included during the match. In the qualifying matches, a tie was played as a single match. The authorities decided the winners based on penalty shoots and extra time. Teams from similar associations were not put into the same tie. The seven winners of the play-off round moved to the group stage to join 33 direct entrants.
Football fans are now looking forward to the 2022 edition of the game. Are you also excited?