Study on the Relationship between Performance of the National Team and That of Clubs in Asian Football

The purpose of this paper is to discuss, in regard to Asian football teams, the question of whether improvement of club top team performance is a useful way to influence that of the senior national team’ s performance, by analyzing the linkage between the performance of the national team and that of club teams. This paper examines the linkage between team performances for the 32 member associations of the AFC, which participated in the AFC Champions League, AFC Cup, and the AFC President’ s Cup between 2010 and 2013, by using correlation analysis and single regression analysis. Results show that a correlation between performance of the national team and that of club teams is proved among the member associations participating in the AFC Cup and the AFC President’ s Cup, while it is not proved among the member associations participating the AFC Champions League. It indicates that strengthening club football is a useful way to strengthen the national team; specifically among the member associations participating in the AFC Cup and AFC President’ s Cup.