# Iran–Iraq football rivalry

The Iran and Iraq national football teams are sporting rivals since 1962.
According to The Malay Mail, "Emotions are always high when Iran and Iraq meet on the football pitch".
The most recent match between the two teams was in World Cup qualifier on 27 January 2022 hosted in Iran, where Iran won the game by 1–0.

## Origins

The rivalry is not such a football-inspired ill-feeling between the two, but more of geography and history. Iran and Iraq are neighboring countries, that share a long history. In the contemporary era, especially during the reign of Saddam Hussein, the two countries had bad relations.
In 2001, an Iran-Iraq match was not held at a neutral venue for the first time in decades.

## Major tournament matches

1972 AFC Asian Cup
1976 AFC Asian Cup
1994 FIFA World Cup qualification
1996 AFC Asian Cup
2000 AFC Asian Cup
2002 FIFA World Cup qualification
2002 FIFA World Cup qualification
2011 AFC Asian Cup
2015 AFC Asian Cup
2019 AFC Asian Cup
2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
2022 FIFA World Cup qualification

## Matches

    Source:
| # | Date | Competition | Home team | Score | Away team | Goals (home) | Goals (away) | Venue |
| 1 | 1 June 1962 | Friendly | Iran | 1–1 | Iraq | Kouzehkanani 90' | Abbas 47' (pen.) | Amjadieh Stadium, Tehran |
| 2 | 3 June 1962 | Friendly | Iran | 1–2 | Iraq | Kouzehkanani | Ismail 47'; Hameed 60' | Amjadieh Stadium, Tehran |
| 3 | 2 January 1964 | 1964 Olympic qualification | Iran | 4–0 | Iraq | Shirzadegan ; Arab ; | | Amjadieh Stadium, Tehran |
| 4 | 22 March 1964 | 1964 Olympic qualification | Iraq | 0–0 | Iran | | | Al-Kashafa Stadium, Baghdad |
| 5 | 7 March 1969 | 1969 Friendship Cup | Iran | 2–1 | Iraq | Ghelichkhani ; Eftekhari | Dhiab 16' | Amjadieh Stadium, Tehran |
| 6 | 9 May 1972 | 1972 Asian Cup | Iran | 3–0 | Iraq | Kalani 34', 70', 78' | | National Stadium, Bangkok |
| 7 | 13 September 1974 | 1974 Asian Games | Iran | 1–0 | Iraq | Roshan 76' | | Aryamehr Stadium, Tehran |
| 8 | 24 August 1975 | 1976 Olympic qualification | Iran | 1–0 | Iraq | Khorshidi 66' | | Aryamehr Stadium, Tehran |
| 9 | 4 June 1976 | 1976 Asian Cup | Iran | 2–0 | Iraq | Nouraei 45'; Roshan 58' | | Aryamehr Stadium, Tehran |
| 10 | 5 November 1989 | 1989 Peace and Friendship Cup | Iran | 0–0 | Iraq | | | Al-Sadaqua Walsalam Stadium, Kuwait City |
| 11 | 22 October 1993 | 1994 World Cup qualification | Iran | 1–2 | Iraq | Daei 21' | Radhi 20'; Kadhim 37' | Khalifa Stadium, Doha |
| 12 | 5 December 1996 | 1996 Asian Cup | Iran | 1–2 | Iraq | Daei 90' (pen.) | Fawzi 37'; Sabbar 67' | Al-Maktoum Stadium, Dubai |
| 13 | 18 October 2000 | 2000 Asian Cup | Iran | 1–0 | Iraq | Daei 77' | | Saida Stadium, Sidon |
| 14 | 7 September 2001 | 2002 World Cup qualification | Iraq | 1–2 | Iran | Emad Reza 20' | Karimi 29'; Daei 83' | Al-Shaab Stadium, Baghdad |
| 15 | 12 October 2001 | 2002 World Cup qualification | Iran | 2–1 | Iraq | Mahdavikia 27'; Karimi 70' | Chathir 51' | Azadi Stadium, Tehran |
| 16 | 5 September 2002 | 2002 WAFF Championship | Iraq | 0–0 (a.e.t.) | Iran | | | Abbasiyyin Stadium, Damascus |
| 17 | 13 August 2003 | 2003 LG Cup | Iran | 0–1 | Iraq | | Swadi 52' | Azadi Stadium, Tehran |
| 18 | 23 June 2004 | 2004 WAFF Championship | Iran | 2–1 | Iraq | Nekounam 4'; Borhani 54' | Mnajed 30' | Azadi Stadium, Tehran |
| 19 | 4 October 2006 | 2006 LG Cup | Iran | 2–0 | Iraq | Rezaei 25'; Rajabzadeh 70' | | International Stadium, Amman |
| 20 | 16 June 2007 | 2007 WAFF Championship | Iran | 0–0 | Iraq | | | International Stadium, Amman |
| 21 | 24 June 2007 | 2007 WAFF Championship | Iran | 2–1 | Iraq | Badamaki 9'; Beikzadeh 21' | Sadir 86' (pen.) | International Stadium, Amman |
| 22 | 1 October 2010 | 2010 WAFF Championship | Iran | 2–1 | Iraq | Hosseini 57'; Gholami 82' | Karim 69' | King Abdullah Stadium, Amman |
| 23 | 11 January 2011 | 2011 Asian Cup | Iraq | 1–2 | Iran | Mahmoud 13' | Rezaei 42'; Mobali 84' | Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium, Doha |
| 24 | 4 January 2015 | Friendly | Iraq | 0–1 | Iran | | Azmoun 57' | Wollongong Showground, New South Wales |
| 25 | 23 January 2015 | 2015 Asian Cup | Iran | 3–3 (a.e.t.) | Iraq | Azmoun 24'; Pouraliganji 103'; Ghoochannejhad 119' | Yasin 56'; Mahmoud 93'; Ismail 116' (pen.) | Canberra Stadium, Canberra |
| 26 | 18 March 2017 | Friendly | Iran | 0–1 | Iraq | | Abdul-Amir 72' (pen.) | Azadi Stadium, Tehran |
| 27 | 16 January 2019 | 2019 Asian Cup | Iran | 0–0 | Iraq | | | Al Maktoum Stadium, Dubai |
| 28 | 14 November 2019 | 2022 World Cup qualification | Iraq | 2–1 | Iran | M. Ali 11'; Abbas 90+2' | Nourollahi 25' | Amman International Stadium, Amman |
| 29 | 15 June 2021 | 2022 World Cup qualification | Iran | 1–0 | Iraq | Azmoun 35' | | Al Muharraq Stadium, Arad |
| 30 | 7 September 2021 | 2022 World Cup qualification | Iraq | 0–3 | Iran | | Jahanbakhsh 3'; Taremi 69'; Gholizadeh 90' | Khalifa International Stadium, Doha |
| 31 | 27 January 2022 | 2022 World Cup qualification | Iran | 1–0 | Iraq | Taremi 48' | | Azadi Stadium, Tehran |
* 1 2 3 Not a full FIFA international
* 1 2 Iraq won on penalties.
* ↑ Iran competed in the tournament with its B team squad.
* ↑ Played behind closed-doors.

## Statistics
### Overall

| Iran | 18 wins |
| Iraq | 6 wins |
| Draws | 7 draws |

## Top scorers

| Rank | Player | Goals |
| 1 | Ali Daei | 4 |
| 2 | Hamid Shirzadegan | 3 |
| 2 | Hossein Kalani | 3 |
| 2 | Sardar Azmoun | 3 |
| 3 | Various players | 2 |