# Iraq–Kuwait football rivalry

Iraq's rivalry with Kuwait was once considered the Arab world's greatest football rivalry of all time. It began in the mid-1970s. In August 2, 1990, the rivalry between the two switched from the football field to the battlefield, during the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Because of the Gulf War, Iraq and Kuwait were in complete avoidance and never met for more than a decade. Iraq and Kuwait have played 37 matches against each other with 17 victories for Iraq, 10 draws, and 10 victories for Kuwait.

## Major tournament matches

1972 AFC Asian Cup qualification
1972 AFC Asian Cup qualification
1976 AFC Asian Cup
2026 FIFA World Cup qualification
2026 FIFA World Cup qualification

## Matches

    Source:
| # | Date | Competition | Home team | Score | Away team | Goals (home) | Goals (away) | Venue |
| 1 | 13 November 1964 | 1964 Arab Nations Cup | Kuwait | 0–1 | Iraq | | Ismail 60' | Kuwait City |
| 2 | 4 April 1966 | 1966 Arab Nations Cup | Iraq | 3–1 | Kuwait | Yousif , Dhiab , Atta | | Al-Kashafa Stadium, Baghdad |
| 3 | 28 January 1971 | Friendly | Iraq | 2–0 | Kuwait | Hajim , Kadhim | | Al-Shaab Stadium, Baghdad |
| 4 | 19 November 1971 | Friendly | Iraq | 3–1 | Kuwait | Nouri 1', Aziz 75', Nouri 76' | | Al-Shaab Stadium, Baghdad |
| 5 | 10 December 1971 | 1972 AFC Asian Cup qualification | Iraq | 1–1 | Kuwait | Aziz 15' | Bu Hamad | Kuwait City |
| 6 | 24 December 1971 | 1972 AFC Asian Cup qualification | Iraq | 1–0 | Kuwait | Nouri 90+4' | | Kuwait City |
| 7 | 7 January 1972 | 1972 Palestine Cup | Iraq | 3–1 | Kuwait | Yousif , Kadhim , Hatim | | Al-Shaab Stadium, Baghdad |
| 8 | 20 August 1975 | 1976 Olympic qualification | Kuwait | 1–2 | Iraq | | Kadhim 29', 58' | Tehran |
| 9 | 8 April 1976 | 1976 Gulf Cup | Kuwait | 2–2 | Iraq | | Abdul-Jalil 46', Kadhim 49' | Grand Hamad Stadium, Doha |
| 10 | 15 April 1976 | 1976 Gulf Cup | Kuwait | 4–2 | Iraq | | Subhi 9', 50' | Grand Hamad Stadium, Doha |
| 11 | 11 June 1976 | 1976 AFC Asian Cup | Kuwait | 3–2 | Iraq | Ibrahim 11', Kameel 77', 100' | Abdul-Jalil 46', Hassan 85' | Aryamehr Stadium, Tehran |
| 12 | 18 December 1978 | 1978 Asian Games | Iraq | 3–0 | Kuwait | Mahmoud 40', Saeed 55', Abdul-Sahib 85' | | Rajamangala Stadium, Bangkok |
| 13 | 29 March 1979 | 1979 Gulf Cup | Iraq | 3–1 | Kuwait | Hassan 9', Ahmed 47', Abdul-Sahib 90' | Juma'a 75' | Al-Shaab Stadium, Baghdad |
| 14 | 9 November 1982 | Friendly | Kuwait | 1–0 | Iraq | | | Al-Sadaqua Walsalam Stadium, Kuwait City |
| 15 | 26 November 1982 | 1982 Asian Games | Iraq | 1–2 | Kuwait | Hussein 73' | Al-Suwayed 35', Al-Anberi 37' | Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, New Delhi |
| 16 | 4 December 1982 | 1982 Asian Games | Kuwait | 0–1 | Iraq | | Saeed 82' | Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, New Delhi |
| 17 | 22 March 1984 | 1984 Gulf Cup | Iraq | 3–1 | Kuwait | Saeed 47', 75', Allawi 80' | Fulaiteh 59' | Royal Oman Police Stadium, Muscat |
| 18 | 3 April 1986 | 1986 Gulf Cup | Iraq | 1–2 | Kuwait | Jassim 74' | | Bahrain National Stadium, Riffa |
| 19 | 21 February 1987 | Friendly | Kuwait | 2–0 | Iraq | | | Al-Kuwait Stadium, Kuwait City |
| 20 | 18 December 1987 | 1988 Olympic qualification | Kuwait | 2–1 | Iraq | Suleiman 6', Al-Hajiri 22' | Karim Allawi 65' | Al-Kuwait Stadium, Kuwait City |
| 21 | 8 March 1988 | 1988 Gulf Cup | Iraq | 1–0 | Kuwait | Radhi 39' | | King Fahd International Stadium, Riyadh |
| 22 | 15 October 1989 | Friendly | Iraq | 1–0 | Kuwait | Hashim 60' | | Al-Shaab Stadium, Baghdad |
| 23 | 8 November 1989 | 1989 Peace and Friendship Cup | Iraq | 2–1 | Kuwait | Radhi 26', 90' | Al-Saleh 70' | Al-Sadaqua Walsalam Stadium, Kuwait City |
| 24 | 28 February 1990 | 1990 Gulf Cup | Iraq | 1–1 | Kuwait | Hussein 15' | Al-Hadad 48' | Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium, Kuwait City |
| 25 | 26 November 2005 | Friendly | Kuwait | 0–0 | Iraq | | | Peace & Friendship Stadium, Kuwait City |
| 26 | 21 March 2008 | Friendly | Kuwait | 0–0 | Iraq | | | Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium, Kuwait City |
| 27 | 10 January 2009 | 2009 Gulf Cup | Iraq | 1–1 | Kuwait | Abdul-Zahra 66' | Khalaf 37' | Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex, Muscat |
| 28 | 17 November 2010 | Friendly | Iraq | 1–1 | Kuwait | Mahmoud 45' | | Sharjah Stadium, Sharjah |
| 29 | 2 December 2010 | 2010 Gulf Cup | Kuwait | 2–2 (a.e.t.) | Iraq | Al-Mutawa 1', Al-Enezi 58' | Hawar 6', Abdul-Zahra 14' | May 22 Stadium, Aden |
| 30 | 29 March 2011 | Friendly | Kuwait | 1–0 | Iraq | | | May 22 Stadium, Aden |
| 31 | 13 July 2011 | Friendly | Iraq | 0–2 | Kuwait | | Al-Fadhli 66', Al-Fadhel 84' | Amman International Stadium, Amman |
| 32 | 9 January 2013 | 2013 Gulf Cup | Iraq | 1–0 | Kuwait | Ahmad 29' | | Khalifa Sports City Stadium, Isa Town |
| 33 | 14 November 2014 | 2014 Gulf Cup | Iraq | 0–1 | Kuwait | | Al Enezi 90+2' | Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium, Riyadh |
| 34 | 22 December 2014 | Friendly | Iraq | 1–1 | Kuwait | Mahmoud 85' (pen.) | Ali Maqseed 45' (pen.) | Al-Rashid Stadium, Dubai |
| 35 | 10 September 2018 | Friendly | Kuwait | 2–2 | Iraq | Mhawi 46' (o.g.), Al Hajri 77' | M. Ali 5', Faez 65' | Ali Sabah Al-Salem Stadium, Kuwait City |
| 36 | 27 January 2021 | Friendly | Iraq | 2–1 | Kuwait | Dawood 79', Hussein 89' (pen.) | Al-Rasheedi 22' | Basra International Stadium, Basra |
| 37 | 30 December 2022 | Friendly | Iraq | 1–0 | Kuwait | Faez 9' | | Al-Minaa Olympic Stadium, Basra |
| 38 | 11 September 2024 | 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification | Kuwait | 0–0 | Iraq | | | Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium, Kuwait City |
* 1 2 Not a full FIFA international
* ↑ Kuwait won on penalties.

## Statistics

| Matches held in Iraq | 8 |
| Matches held in neutral venue | 18 |
| Matches held in Kuwait | 12 |
| Total matches | 38 |
| Matches won by Iraq | 17 |
| Matches won by Kuwait | 10 |
| Goals scored by Iraq | 54 |
| Goals scored by Kuwait | 43 |