| Organiser(s) | Arab Gulf Cup Football Federation (AGCFF) |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1970; 55 years ago (1970) |
| Teams | 8 |
| Current champions |  Bahrain(2nd title) |
| Most championships |  Kuwait(10 titles) |
| Website | agcff.com |
 26th Arabian Gulf Cup | |
TheArabian Gulf Cup (Arabic:كأس الخليج العربي,Kaʾs al-Khalīj al-ʿArabī),[1][2][3] also referred to simply as theGulf Cup,[4][5][6] is a biennialassociation football competition governed by theArab Gulf Cup Football Federation for itseight member nations. The history of the competition has also seen it held every three to four years due to political or organisational problems.[7] The reigning champions areBahrain, who won their second title at the26th edition.
The idea for the tournament was established at the1968 Summer Olympics, and the first Arabian Gulf Cup took place in1970 which was won byKuwait. Kuwait has been the most successful team in the tournament's history, winning 10 tournaments out of 26 in total, followed byIraq with four titles, andSaudi Arabia andQatar with three titles each.
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A major point that helped Qatar improve the competition was thatAl Jazeera Sports, the leading sports channel inWestern Asia, andNorth Africa is based inDoha. Al Jazeera Sports wonbroadcasting rights to the 2004, and exclusively in the19th Arabian Gulf Cup in 2009[8][9] and dramatically reformed the Arabian Gulf Cup by hosting numerous talk shows and documentaries, on top of filming inHD and perfecting camerawork of matches.[10]
The tournament marked the presence of some of the most influential personalities of the football world, includingFIFA President,Sepp Blatter,[11] andUEFA president,Michel Platini.[12][13] TheFIFA Executive Committee has also put on their October 4, 2013 meeting agenda to hear the proposal for the Arabian Gulf Cup to be included in theinternational match calendar.[14]
From 1990 to 2003,Iraq was banned due to theGulf War.[15]
The21st Arabian Gulf Cup in 2013 was originally scheduled to be hosted in the city ofBasra,Iraq, but was moved to Bahrain in October 2011 to ensure that Iraq could suitably host the competition in the 22nd edition.[16]
The22nd Arabian Gulf Cup was also shifted after concerns of preparation and security.[17]
Likewise, the23rd Arabian Gulf Cup was also originally scheduled to be held inBasra,Iraq, with an official decision set to be made in February 2015. On 2 February 2015, the Iraqi Ministry of Youth announced that Iraq would not host the competition due to a financial crisis in Iraq.[18][19]
In 2017,Saudi Arabia, theUnited Arab Emirates andBahrain cutdiplomatic ties withQatar. In July 2019, theAGCFF announced that the24th edition of the Arabian Gulf Cup would be held in the Qatari capital ofDoha. In October 2019, the three countries announced they would not participate in the competition.[20] However, later in November 2019, the three countries agreed to take part and the draw for the tournament was re-made.[21]
| Team | Winners | Runners-up | Third place | Fourth place | Semi-finalists(no 3rd place Match) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kuwait | 10 (1970,1972,1974*,1976,1982,1986,1990*,1996,1998,2010) | 1 (1979) | 2 (2002,2013) | 1 (2004) | 2 (2009,2024–25*) |
 Iraq | 4 (1979*,1984,1988,2023*) | 2 (1976,2013) | – | – | 3 (2010,2017–18,2019) |
 Saudi Arabia | 3 (1994,2002*,2003–04) | 7 (1972*,1974,1998,2009,2010,2014*,2019) | 7 (1970,1979,1984,1986,1988*,1992,1996) | 1 (1982) | 2 (2007,2024–25) |
 Qatar | 3 (1992*,2004*,2014) | 4 (1984,1990,1996,2002) | 2 (1976*,2003–04) | 5 (1970,1972,1974,1986,1994) | 3 (2009,2019*,2023) |
 United Arab Emirates | 2 (2007*,2013) | 4 (1986,1988,1994*,2017–18) | 5 (1972,1974,1982*,1998,2014) | 3 (1984,1992,1996) | 1 (2010) |
| Bahrain | 2 (2019,2024–25) | 4 (1970*,1982,1992,2003–04) | 3 (1990,1994,2004) | 5 (1976,1979,1988,2002,2013*) | 3 (2007,2017–18,2023) |
 Oman | 2 (2009*,2017–18) | 4 (2004,2007,2023,2024–25) | – | 4 (1990,1998,2003–04,2014) | – |
Note:
| Team |  1970 |  1972 | 1974 | 1976 |  1979 | 1982 |  1984 |  1986 | 1988 | 1990 | 1992 | 1994 | 1996 | 1998 | 2002 | 2003–04 | 2004 | 2007 | 2009 |  2010 | 2013 | 2014 | 2017–18 | 2019 | 2023 | 2024–25 | 2026 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bahrain | 2nd | × | GS | 4th | 4th | 2nd | GS | GS | 4th | 3rd | 2nd | 3rd | GS | GS | GS | 2nd | 3rd | SF | GS | GS | 4th | GS | SF | 1st | SF | 1st | Q | 25 |
| United Arab Emirates | 3rd | 4th | GS | GS | 3rd | 4th | 2nd | 2nd | GS | 4th | 2nd | 4th | 3rd | GS | GS | GS | 1st | GS | SF | 1st | 3rd | 2nd | GS | GS | GS | Q | 24 | |
| Iraq | 2nd | 1st | × | 1st | GS | 1st | × | GS | GS | GS | SF | 2nd | GS | SF | SF | 1st | GS | Q | 16 | |||||||||
| Kuwait | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 2nd | 1st | GS | 1st | GS | 1st | GS | GS | 1st | 1st | 3rd | GS | 4th | GS | SF | 1st | 3rd | GS | GS | GS | GS | SF | Q | 25 |
| Oman | GS | GS | GS | GS | GS | GS | GS | 4th | GS | GS | GS | 4th | GS | 4th | 2nd | 2nd | 1st | GS | GS | 4th | 1st | GS | 2nd | 2nd | Q | 23 | ||
| Qatar | 4th | 4th | 3rd | 3rd | GS | GS | 2nd | 4th | GS | 2nd | 1st | 4th | 2nd | GS | 2nd | 3rd | 1st | GS | SF | GS | GS | 1st | GS | SF | SF | GS | Q | 25 |
| Saudi Arabia | 3rd | 2nd | 2nd | GS | 3rd | 4th | 3rd | 3rd | 3rd | 3rd | 1st | 3rd | 2nd | 1st | 1st | GS | SF | 2nd | 2nd | GS | 2nd | GS | 2nd | GS | SF | Q | 24 | |
| Yemen | GS | GS | GS | GS | GS | GS | GS | GS | GS | GS | GS | Q | 10 | |||||||||||||||
| Total | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | |
Legend:
|
|
Note:
Iraq was banned from the competition from 1992 to 2003.| Rank | Team | Part | M | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saudi Arabia | 25 | 116 | 59 | 25 | 32 | 175 | 114 | +61 | 202 |
| 2 | Kuwait | 26 | 119 | 58 | 25 | 36 | 204 | 119 | +85 | 200 |
| 3 | Qatar | 26 | 117 | 43 | 31 | 43 | 143 | 140 | +3 | 160 |
| 4 | United Arab Emirates | 25 | 117 | 41 | 31 | 42 | 122 | 143 | −21 | 154 |
| 5 | Bahrain | 25 | 112 | 36 | 34 | 42 | 122 | 139 | -17 | 142 |
| 6 | Iraq | 15 | 76 | 38 | 25 | 13 | 134 | 69 | +65 | 139 |
| 7 | Oman | 23 | 116 | 25 | 31 | 60 | 98 | 186 | -88 | 106 |
| 8 | Yemen | 11 | 36 | 1 | 6 | 29 | 16 | 89 | −73 | 9 |
Source:[22]
Note:
All-time goal records by Tournaments:[23]
| Tournament | Games | Goals scored | Goals per game |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 6 | 19 | 3.17 |
| 1972 | 6 | 25 | 4.17 |
| 1974 | 10 | 40 | 4.00 |
| 1976 | 22 | 84 | 3.82 |
| 1979 | 21 | 70 | 3.33 |
| 1982 | 15 | 38 | 2.53 |
| 1984 | 22 | 51 | 2.32 |
| 1986 | 21 | 53 | 2.52 |
| 1988 | 21 | 34 | 1.62 |
| 1990 | 10 | 21 | 2.10 |
| 1992 | 15 | 30 | 2.00 |
| 1994 | 15 | 34 | 2.27 |
| 1996 | 15 | 35 | 2.33 |
| 1998 | 15 | 40 | 2.67 |
| 2002 | 15 | 33 | 2.20 |
| 2003–04 | 21 | 46 | 2.19 |
| 2004 | 16 | 59 | 3.69 |
| 2007 | 15 | 34 | 2.27 |
| 2009 | 15 | 31 | 2.07 |
| 2010 | 15 | 30 | 2.00 |
| 2013 | 16 | 36 | 2.25 |
| 2014 | 16 | 33 | 2.06 |
| 2017–18 | 15 | 23 | 1.53 |
| 2019 | 15 | 45 | 3.00 |
| 2023 | 15 | 39 | 2.60 |
| 2024–25 | 15 | 41 | 2.73 |
Kuwait reached 100 goals on 3 March 1988 vs Qatar Kuwait reached 200 goals on 13 January 2023 vs Bahrain Saudi Arabia reached 100 goals on 19 October 1996 vs Qatar Qatar reached 100 goals on 16 December 2004 vs Oman Iraq reached 100 goals on 2 December 2010 vs Kuwait Bahrain reached 100 goals on 11 January 2013 vs Qatar United Arab Emirates reached 100 goals on 11 January 2013 vs OmanDoes not include goals from annulled or abandoned games (1972 – Bahrain games, 1982 & 1990 Iraq games)
Includes 1974 preliminary round games
Does not include penalty shoot-out goals
Players inbold are still active
| Year | Player(s) | Goals scored |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Mohammed Masawd | 3 |
| Jawad Khalif | ||
| 1972 | Hamad Bu Hamood | 6 |
| 1974 | Jasem Yaqoub | 6 |
| 1976 | Jasem Yaqoub | 9 |
| 1979 | Hussein Saeed | 10 |
| 1982 | Ebrahim Zwaeed | 3 |
| Saleem Khalifa | ||
| Yussif Swaid | ||
| Majed Abdullah | ||
| 1984 | Hussain Saeed | 7 |
| 1986 | Fahad Khamees | 6 |
| 1988 | Zuhair Bukheet | 4 |
| Ahmad Radhi | ||
| 1990 | Mohammed Ebrahim Hajeyah | 5 |
| 1992 | Mubarak Mustafa | 3 |
| 1994 | Fuad Anwar | 4 |
| Mahmoud Soufi | ||
| 1996 | Mohammed Salem Al-Enazi | 4 |
| 1998 | Jasem Al Huwaidi | 9 |
| 2002 | Hani Al-Dhabit | 5 |
| 2003–04 | Talal Yousef | 5 |
| 2004 | Amad Al Hosni | 4 |
| 2007 | Ismail Matar | 5 |
| 2009 | Hassan Rabia | 4 |
| 2010 | Bader Al-Mutawa | 3 |
| Alaa Abdul-Zahra | ||
| 2013 | Ahmed Khalil | 3 |
| Abdulhadi Khamis | ||
| 2014 | Ali Mabkhout | 5 |
| 2017–18 | Ali Husni | 2 |
| Ali Faez | ||
| Jamal Rashid | ||
| Almoez Ali | ||
| Said Al-Ruzaiqi | ||
| 2019 | Ali Mabkhout | 5 |
| 2023 | Aymen Hussein | 3 |
| Ibrahim Bayesh | ||
| 2024–25 | Mohamed Marhoon | 3 |
| Issam Al-Sabhi | ||
| Abdullah Al-Hamdan |
Saudi Arabia (3 April 1979 vs Qatar) Kuwait (1998 vs Qatar) Iraq (1979)| Member states |  | |
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