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FIFA Arab Cup

Association football competition for men's national teams in the Arab world

Summary

Association football competition for men's national teams in the Arab world

Field	Value
image	Arab Cup icon.png
organiser	UAFA (1982–2012)
FIFA (2021–present)
founded
region	Arab world
number of teams	16 (finals)
current champions	(2nd title)
most successful team	(4 titles)
website
current	2025 FIFA Arab Cup

FIFA (2021–present)

The FIFA Arab Cup (), often called the Arab Cup, is an international association football competition organized by FIFA. It is held every four years with the participation of senior men's national teams of the Union of Arab Football Associations (UAFA), the governing body for countries in the Arab world. The current champion is Morocco who won their second title at the 2025 tournament in Qatar.

The championship's inaugural edition, held in Lebanon in 1963, was won by Tunisia. After having been played in 1964 and 1966, the Arab Cup was halted for almost 20 years, before being contested in 1985. The tournament was played five more times until 2012, the last competition organized by the UAFA. The 2021 edition was the first organized by FIFA.

The eleven Arab Cup tournaments have been won by six national teams. Iraq have won four times; the other Arab Cup winners are Saudi Arabia and Morocco, with two titles each; and Algeria, Egypt, and inaugural winner Tunisia, with one title each.

Seven countries have hosted the Arab Cup. Qatar has been the host three times, while Kuwait and Saudi Arabia have each hosted twice; Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan and Syria have each hosted once. All Arab Cups have been held in Asia.

History

The initial idea to establish an Arab Cup came in 1957 from Lebanese journalist Nassif Majdalani and the Secretary General of the Lebanese Football Association (LFA) Izzat Al Turk. In 1962, the LFA called for the formal establishment of the tournament through their president Georges Dabbas, who organised a general Arab assembly for the formation of the Arab Cup. The first Arab Cup was held in Beirut in April and May 1963, with the participation of five teams.

During the 17-year hiatus between 1966 and 1983, the Arab Cup was de facto replaced by the Palestine Cup, which was held three times in the 1970s and then became a youth tournament.

In the 1980s, the competition returned under the auspices of the Union of Arab Football Associations (UAFA). The 1992 Arab Cup was also organised as part of the 1992 Arab Games.

The 2021 edition was the first edition to be organised by FIFA; the competition was renamed FIFA Arab Cup. Following the 2021 final, in which Algeria defeated Tunisia 2–0 to win the tournament, FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced that FIFA would continue to oversee future editions. On 15 May 2024, FIFA announced that Qatar would host the tournament in 2025, 2029 and 2033, and the tournament would follow the principle of an invitational competition not included in the International Match Calendar.

The 2025 edition became the first Arab Cup tournament to surpass one million spectators, reaching a total attendance of 1,236,600. Its final, held at Lusail Stadium, drew a record-breaking attendance of 84,517 spectators as Morocco defeated Jordan 3–2 to claim the title.

Results

;Keys

a.e.t.: after extra time
p: penalty shoot-out
awd: awarded result.
TBD: to be determined.

Ed.	Year	Host	First place game	Third place game	Teams	Champions	Score	Third place
1	1963	Lebanon	****					5
2	1964	Kuwait	****					5
3	1966	Iraq	****	2–1			6–1	10
4	1985	Saudi Arabia	****	1–0			0–0
	6
5	1988	Jordan	****	1–1
		2–0		10
6	1992	Syria	****	3–2			2–1	6
7	1998	Qatar	****	3–1			4–1	12
8	2002	Kuwait	****	1–0		and	10
–	2009	Edition cancelled during qualification due to lack of sponsorship
9	2012	Saudi Arabia	****	1–1
		1–0		11
10	2021	Qatar	****	2–0			0–0
	16
11	2025	Qatar	****	3–2		and	16
12	2029	Qatar	TBD	TBD	TBD
13	2033	Qatar	TBD	TBD

;Notes

Teams reaching the top four

Winners	Runners-up	Third place	Fourth place	Semi final	Total
4 (1964, 1966*, 1985, 1988)		1 (2012)			5
2 (1998, 2002)	1 (1992)	2 (1985*, 2025)	1 (2012*)		6
2 (2012, 2025)				1 (2002)	3
1 (1963)	1 (2021)				2
1 (1992)		1 (1988)	1 (2021)		3
1 (2021)					1
	3 (1963, 1966, 1988)		1 (1992*)		4
	2 (1964, 2012)	1 (1966)			3
	2 (1985, 2002)				2
	1 (1998*)	1 (2021*)	1 (1985)		3
	1 (2025)		1 (1988*)	1 (2002)	3
		3 (1964*, 1992, 1998)	1 (1963)		4
		1 (1963*)	2 (1964, 1966)		3
		1 (2025)	1 (1998)		2

:* hosts

Best performances by confederations

Confederation	AFC	CAF	Total
Teams	76	31	107
Top 4	32	12	44
Top 2	14	8	22
1st	6	5	11
2nd	8	3	11
3rd	9	2	11
4th	8	1	9
Semi-finals	1	1	2

Confederation (continent)	Champion(s)	Titles
AFC (Asia)	Iraq (4), Saudi Arabia (2)	6
CAF (Africa)	Morocco (2), Algeria (1), Egypt (1), Tunisia (1)	5

Records and statistics

Main article: FIFA Arab Cup records and statistics

Comprehensive team results by tournament

;Legend

– Champions
– Runners-up
– Third place
– Fourth place
– Semi-finals (no third place match)
QF – Quarter-finals
GS – Group stage
Q — Qualified for upcoming tournament
— Did not qualify
— Did not participate
— Hosts

For each tournament, the number of teams in each finals tournament are shown (in parentheses).

Team	1963
Lebanon
(5)	1964
Kuwait
(5)	1966
Iraq
(10)	1985
Saudi Arabia
(6)	1988
Jordan
(10)	1992
Syria
(6)	1998
Qatar
(12)	2002
Kuwait
(10)	2012
Saudi Arabia
(11)	2021
Qatar
(16)	2025
Qatar
(16)	2029
Qatar
(16)	Total	4	7	1	6	7	10	9	8	4	2	5	3	6	5	8	5	8	4	3	3
	×	×	×	×	GS	×	GS	×	×	1st	QF
	×	×	GS	2nd	GS	×	×	2nd	GS	GS	GS
		×	×	×	×	×	×	•	GS
	×	×	×	×	3rd	1st	GS	×	GS	4th	GS
	×	1st	1st	1st	1st	×	×	×	3rd	GS	QF
	GS	GS	GS	GS	4th	GS	GS	SF	×	QF	2nd
	4th	3rd	GS	×	GS	3rd	3rd	GS	GS	•	GS
	3rd	4th	4th	×	GS	×	GS	GS	GS	GS	•
	×	2nd	3rd	×	×	×	GS	×	2nd	•	•
	×	×	×	GS	•	×	×	×	×	GS	•
	×	×	×	×	×	×	GS	SF	1st	QF	1st
	×	×	GS	×	×	×	×	×	×	QF	GS
	×	×	GS	×	×	GS	•	GS	GS	GS	QF
	×	×	×	4th	×	×	2nd	×	×	3rd	GS	Q
	×	×	×	3rd	GS	2nd	1st	1st	4th	GS	3rd
	×	×	×	•	×	×	GS	GS	GS	GS	GS
	2nd	×	2nd	×	2nd	4th	GS	GS	×	GS	QF
	1st	×	×	×	GS	×	×	×	×	2nd	GS
	×	×	×	×	×	×	4th	×	×	QF	3rd
	×	×	GS	×	×	×	×	GS	GS	•	•

Notes

References

(20 December 2017). "". link. UAFA]]
(28 November 2021). "قبل انطلاقها.. ماذا يخبرنا التاريخ عن بطولة "كأس العرب"؟". Saber Hussam-Eddin.
(28 November 2021). "كأس العرب: لبنان موطن الفكرة لم يحقق أي انجاز". france24.
(18 September 2005). "". link
Morrison, Neil. "Arab Cup 1963 Details".
Abboud, John. "Arab Cup".
(25 April 2021). "". link. UAFA]]
"FIFA Arab Cup 2021 – Teams – Lebanon". Fédération Internationale de Football Association.
"Algeria beat Tunisia to win FIFA Arab Cup 2021".
(18 December 2021). "Gianni Infantino: FIFA Arab Cup set to continue". Fédération Internationale de Football Association.
(15 May 2024). "Key tournament decisions made by FIFA Council". Fédération Internationale de Football Association.
(12 December 2025). "FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025: Tournament Matches Surpass One Million Fans". Qatar news agency.
Newspaper, The Peninsula. (2025-12-17). "FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025 continues to break records".
reporter/Doha, Sports. (2025-12-18). "Super sub Hamdallah leads Morocco to Arab Cup triumph".
(19 December 2025). "Qatar 2025 in stats".
(2012). "UAFA : 44 millions dollars pour la relance des compétitions". TAP.

Wikipedia Source

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