# Arabian Gulf Cup

The Arabian Gulf Cup (Arabic: كأس الخليج العربي, Kaʾs al-Khalīj al-ʿArabī), often referred to simply as the Gulf Cup, is a biennial association football competition governed by the Arab Gulf Cup Football Federation for its eight member nations. The history of the competition has also seen it held every three to four years due to political or organisational problems. The reigning champions are Bahrain, who won their second title at the 26th edition.

## History

The idea for the tournament was established at the 1968 Summer Olympics, and the first Arabian Gulf Cup took place in 1970 which was won by Kuwait. Kuwait has been the most successful team in the tournament's history, winning 10 tournaments out of 26 in total, followed by Iraq with four titles, and Saudi Arabia and Qatar with three titles each.

## Developments

A major point that helped Qatar improve the competition was that Al Jazeera Sports, the leading sports channel in Western Asia, and North Africa is based in Doha. Al Jazeera Sports won broadcasting rights to the 2004, and exclusively in the 19th Arabian Gulf Cup in 2009 and dramatically reformed the Arabian Gulf Cup by hosting numerous talk shows and documentaries, on top of filming in HD and perfecting camerawork of matches.
The tournament marked the presence of some of the most influential personalities of the football world, including FIFA President, Sepp Blatter, and UEFA president, Michel Platini. The FIFA 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 the international match calendar.

## Political and security issues

From 1990 to 2003, Iraq was banned due to the Gulf War.
The 21st Arabian Gulf Cup in 2013 was originally scheduled to be hosted in the city of Basra, Iraq, but was moved to Bahrain in October 2011 to ensure that Iraq could suitably host the competition in the 22nd edition.
The 22nd Arabian Gulf Cup was also shifted after concerns of preparation and security.
Likewise, the 23rd Arabian Gulf Cup was also originally scheduled to be held in Basra, 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.
In 2017, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain cut diplomatic ties with Qatar. In July 2019, the AGCFF announced that the 24th edition of the Arabian Gulf Cup would be held in the Qatari capital of Doha. In October 2019, the three countries announced they would not participate in the competition. However, later in November 2019, the three countries agreed to take part and the draw for the tournament was re-made.

## Results

| Ed. | Year | Host | First place game | First place game | First place game | Third place game | Third place game | Third place game | Teams |
| Ed. | Year | Host | Champion | Score | Runner-up | Third place | Score | Fourth place | Teams |
| 1 | 1970 | Bahrain | Kuwait | round-robin | Bahrain | Saudi Arabia | round-robin | Qatar | 4 |
| 2 | 1972 | Saudi Arabia | Kuwait | round-robin | Saudi Arabia | United Arab Emirates | round-robin | Qatar | 4 |
| 3 | 1974 | Kuwait | Kuwait | 4–0 | Saudi Arabia | Qatar | 1–1 (a.e.t.) (3–0 p.) | United Arab Emirates | 6 |
| 4 | 1976 | Qatar | Kuwait | 4–2 | Iraq | Qatar | round-robin | Bahrain | 7 |
| 5 | 1979 | Iraq | Iraq | round-robin | Kuwait | Saudi Arabia | round-robin | Bahrain | 7 |
| 6 | 1982 | United Arab Emirates | Kuwait | round-robin | Bahrain | United Arab Emirates | round-robin | Saudi Arabia | 6 |
| 7 | 1984 | Oman | Iraq | 1–1 (a.e.t.) (3–2 p.) | Qatar | Saudi Arabia | round-robin | United Arab Emirates | 7 |
| 8 | 1986 | Bahrain | Kuwait | round-robin | United Arab Emirates | Saudi Arabia | round-robin | Qatar | 7 |
| 9 | 1988 | Saudi Arabia | Iraq | round-robin | United Arab Emirates | Saudi Arabia | round-robin | Bahrain | 7 |
| 10 | 1990 | Kuwait | Kuwait | round-robin | Qatar | Bahrain | round-robin | Oman | 5 |
| 11 | 1992 | Qatar | Qatar | round-robin | Bahrain | Saudi Arabia | round-robin | United Arab Emirates | 6 |
| 12 | 1994 | United Arab Emirates | Saudi Arabia | round-robin | United Arab Emirates | Bahrain | round-robin | Qatar | 6 |
| 13 | 1996 | Oman | Kuwait | round-robin | Qatar | Saudi Arabia | round-robin | United Arab Emirates | 6 |
| 14 | 1998 | Bahrain | Kuwait | round-robin | Saudi Arabia | United Arab Emirates | round-robin | Oman | 6 |
| 15 | 2002 | Saudi Arabia | Saudi Arabia | round-robin | Qatar | Kuwait | round-robin | Bahrain | 6 |
| 16 | 2003–04 | Kuwait | Saudi Arabia | round-robin | Bahrain | Qatar | round-robin | Oman | 7 |
| 17 | 2004 | Qatar | Qatar | 1–1 (a.e.t.) (6–5 p.) | Oman | Bahrain | 3–1 | Kuwait | 8 |
| 18 | 2007 | United Arab Emirates | United Arab Emirates | 1–0 | Oman | Bahrain and Saudi Arabia | Bahrain and Saudi Arabia | Bahrain and Saudi Arabia | 8 |
| 19 | 2009 | Oman | Oman | 0–0 (a.e.t.) (6–5 p.) | Saudi Arabia | Kuwait and Qatar | Kuwait and Qatar | Kuwait and Qatar | 8 |
| 20 | 2010 | Yemen | Kuwait | 1–0 | Saudi Arabia | Iraq and United Arab Emirates | Iraq and United Arab Emirates | Iraq and United Arab Emirates | 8 |
| 21 | 2013 | Bahrain | United Arab Emirates | 2–1 (a.e.t.) | Iraq | Kuwait | 6–1 | Bahrain | 8 |
| 22 | 2014 | Saudi Arabia | Qatar | 2–1 | Saudi Arabia | United Arab Emirates | 1–0 | Oman | 8 |
| 23 | 2017–18 | Kuwait | Oman | 0–0 (a.e.t.) (5–4 p.) | United Arab Emirates | Bahrain and Iraq | Bahrain and Iraq | Bahrain and Iraq | 8 |
| 24 | 2019 | Qatar | Bahrain | 1–0 | Saudi Arabia | Iraq and Qatar | Iraq and Qatar | Iraq and Qatar | 8 |
| 25 | 2023 | Iraq | Iraq | 3–2 (a.e.t.) | Oman | Bahrain and Qatar | Bahrain and Qatar | Bahrain and Qatar | 8 |
| 26 | 2024–25 | Kuwait | Bahrain | 2–1 | Oman | Kuwait and Saudi Arabia | Kuwait and Saudi Arabia | Kuwait and Saudi Arabia | 8 |
| 27 | 2026 | Saudi Arabia | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | 8 |

## Winners summary

| 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:
* An asterisk (*) beside the year in the above table means that country hosted the tournament.

## Participating nations

| 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.
* There were no third place play-offs for the Arabian Gulf Cup from 2007 to 2010 and from 2017–18 onwards.

## Summary

    As of 4 January 2025
| 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:
Note:
* 1972 (Bahrain were ejected from the competition)
* 1982 (Iraq withdrew from the competition)
* 1990 (Iraq withdrew from the competition)

## All-time goal records

All-time goal records by Tournaments:
| 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 Oman
Does 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

### All-time top scorers

    Updated on 4 December 2019.
| Rank | Player | Country | Goals |
| 1 | Jasem Yaqoub | Kuwait | 18 |
| 2 | Majed Abdullah | Saudi Arabia | 17 |
| 2 | Hussein Saeed | Iraq | 17 |
| 4 | Jasem Al Huwaidi | Kuwait | 14 |
| 4 | Faisal Al-Dakhil | Kuwait | 14 |
| 6 | Ali Mabkhout | United Arab Emirates | 13 |
| 6 | Mansour Muftah | Qatar | 13 |
| 8 | Bader Al-Mutawa | Kuwait | 12 |
| 8 | Yussef Al-Suwayed | Kuwait | 12 |
| 10 | Fahad Khamees | United Arab Emirates | 10 |
| 10 | Mahmoud Soufi | Qatar | 10 |
| 10 | Yasser Al-Qahtani | Saudi Arabia | 10 |
Players in bold are still active

### Golden boot history

| Year | Player(s) | Goals scored |
| 1970 | Mohammed Masawd | 3 |
| 1970 | Jawad Khalif | 3 |
| 1972 | Hamad Bu Hamood | 6 |
| 1974 | Jasem Yaqoub | 6 |
| 1976 | Jasem Yaqoub | 9 |
| 1979 | Hussein Saeed | 10 |
| 1982 | Ebrahim Zwaeed | 3 |
| 1982 | Saleem Khalifa | 3 |
| 1982 | Yussif Swaid | 3 |
| 1982 | Majed Abdullah | 3 |
| 1984 | Hussain Saeed | 7 |
| 1986 | Fahad Khamees | 6 |
| 1988 | Zuhair Bukheet | 4 |
| 1988 | Ahmad Radhi | 4 |
| 1990 | Mohammed Ebrahim Hajeyah | 5 |
| 1992 | Mubarak Mustafa | 3 |
| 1994 | Fuad Anwar | 4 |
| 1994 | Mahmoud Soufi | 4 |
| 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 |
| 2010 | Alaa Abdul-Zahra | 3 |
| 2013 | Ahmed Khalil | 3 |
| 2013 | Abdulhadi Khamis | 3 |
| 2014 | Ali Mabkhout | 5 |
| 2017–18 | Ali Husni | 2 |
| 2017–18 | Ali Faez | 2 |
| 2017–18 | Jamal Rashid | 2 |
| 2017–18 | Almoez Ali | 2 |
| 2017–18 | Said Al-Ruzaiqi | 2 |
| 2019 | Ali Mabkhout | 5 |
| 2023 | Aymen Hussein | 3 |
| 2023 | Ibrahim Bayesh | 3 |
| 2024–25 | Mohamed Marhoon | 3 |
| 2024–25 | Issam Al-Sabhi | 3 |
| 2024–25 | Abdullah Al-Hamdan | 3 |

## Other records

* Biggest win – 8 goals
    Kuwait 8–0 Oman (29 March 1976)
* Most goals in a game – 8 goals
    Kuwait 8–0 Oman (29 March 1976)
* Most individual goals in a single game – 5 goals
    Majed Abdullah, Saudi Arabia (3 April 1979 vs Qatar)
    Jassem Al Houwaidi, Kuwait (1998 vs Qatar)
* Most individual goals in a single tournament – 10 goals
    Hussein Saeed, Iraq (1979)