Nasopharyngeal　carcinoma　(NPC)　is　characterized　by　its　distinct　racial　and　geographical　distribution　with　a　multifactorial　etiology.　It　has　been　well　accepted　that　NPC　is　related　to　Epstein-Barr(EB)　virus　infection　but　environmental　and　genetics　factors　also　play　critical　roles.　Among　host　genetic　markers　associated　with　NPC,　the　highly　variable　class　I　human　leukocyte　antigen　(HLA)　genes　on　chromosome　6　(6p21.3)　have　shown　a　strong　and　consistent　association　with　NPC　risk.　As　the　consequence　of　new　generation　DNA　sequencing　technologies　used　in　HLA　genotyping,　the　number　of　the　reported　HLA　new　alleles　is　dramaticllyincreasing,　and　more　full　length　sequences　of　HLA　alleles　have　been　reported.　The　significant　association　between　HLA　genes　and　NPC　has　been　identifiedin　a　series　of　studies,　including　HLA　association　study,　linkage　disequilibrium　study　for　microsatellite　markers,　and　genome　wide　association　study.　In　this　review,　we　summarize　association　studies　between　HLA　and　NPC　to　evaluate　the　role　of　genetic　polymorphisms　in　NPC　development　and　illustrate　the　new　clues　of　HLA　association　for　deepexploration.