FIFA Arab Cup explained

Organiser:UAFA (1985–2012)
FIFA (2021–present)
Region:Arab world
Number Of Teams:16 (finals)
Current:2025 FIFA Arab Cup

The FIFA Arab Cup (Arabic: كأس العرب|translit=Kaʾs al-ʿArab), or 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.[1] The current champion is Algeria, which won its first title at the 2021 tournament in Qatar.

The championship's inaugural edition was in 1963, held in Lebanon, which 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 ten Arab Cup tournaments have been won by six national teams. Iraq have won four times; the other Arab Cup winners are Saudi Arabia, with two titles; Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, and inaugural winner Tunisia, with one title each.

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

History

The initial idea for the conception of an Arab Cup came in 1957 from Lebanese journalist Nassif Majdalani and the Secretary General of the Lebanese Football Association (LFA) Izzat Al Turk.[2] [3] 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.[4] The first Arab Cup was held in Beirut between April and May 1963, with the participation of five teams.[5]

During the 16-year hiatus between 1966 and 1982, 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 after the return of the Arab Cup in the 1980s.[6] 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.[7] [8] Following the 2021 final, FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced that FIFA would continue to oversee future editions.[9] On 15 May 2024, FIFA announced that Qatar will host the tournament in 2025, 2029 and 2033, and the tournament will follow the principle of an invitational competition not included in the International Match Calendar.[10]

Results

width=2%Editionwidth=5%Yearwidth=8%HostsChampionswidth=10%Score and VenueRunners-upThird placewidth=10%Score and VenueFourth placewidth=4%No. of teams
Arab Cup
11963 Lebanon5
21964 Kuwait5
31966 Iraq2–1
Al-Kashafa Stadium, Baghdad
6–1
Al-Kashafa Stadium, Baghdad
10
41985 Saudi Arabia1–0
King Fahd Stadium, Taif
0–0

King Fahd Stadium, Taif
6
51988 Jordan1–1

Amman International Stadium, Amman
2–0
Amman International Stadium, Amman
10
619923–2
Al-Hamadaniah Stadium, Aleppo
2–1
Al-Hamadaniah Stadium, Aleppo
6
71998 Qatar3–1
Khalifa International Stadium, Doha
4–1
Khalifa International Stadium, Doha
12
82002 Kuwait1–0
Al Kuwait Sports Club Stadium, Kuwait City
and 10
2009Edition cancelled during qualification due to lack of sponsorship[11]
92012 Saudi Arabia1–1

Prince Abdullah al-Faisal Stadium, Jeddah
1–0
Prince Abdullah al-Faisal Stadium, Jeddah
11
FIFA Arab Cup
102021 Qatar2–0
Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor
0–0

Stadium 974, Doha
16
112025 Qatar
122029 Qatar
132033 Qatar
Notes

Teams reaching the top four

Teams reaching the top four
TeamWinnersRunners-upThird placeFourth placeSemi finalTotal
bgcolor=goldbgcolor=gold4 (1964, 1966*, 1985, 1988)bgcolor=#cc9966 1 (2012)5
bgcolor=goldbgcolor=gold2 (1998, 2002)bgcolor=silver1 (1992)1 (1985*)1 (2012*)5
bgcolor=goldbgcolor=gold1 (1963)bgcolor=silver1 (2021)2
bgcolor=goldbgcolor=gold1 (1992)1 (1988)1 (2021)3
bgcolor=goldbgcolor=gold1 (2012)1 (2002)2
bgcolor=goldbgcolor=gold1 (2021)1
bgcolor=silverbgcolor=silver3 (1963, 1966, 1988)1 (1992*)4
bgcolor=silverbgcolor=silver2 (1964, 2012)1 (1966)3
bgcolor=silverbgcolor=silver2 (1985, 2002)2
bgcolor=silverbgcolor=silver1 (1998*)1 (2021*)1 (1985)3
3 (1964*, 1992, 1998)1 (1963)4
1 (1963*)2 (1964, 1966)3
1 (1988*)1 (2002)2
1 (1998)1

* hosts

Best performances by confederations

Confederation! scope="col"
AFCCAFTotal
Teams662591
Top 8321143
Top 4291140
Top 2137 20
1st6410
2nd7310
3rd729
4th819
Semi-finals112
Champions by confederation!Confederation (continent)!Champion(s)!Titles
AFC (Asia)Iraq (4), Saudi Arabia (2)6
CAF (Africa)Algeria (1), Egypt (1), Morocco (1), Tunisia (1)4

Records and statistics

See main article: FIFA Arab Cup records and statistics.

Comprehensive team results by tournament

Legend

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

Team1963

(5)
1964

(5)
1966

(10)
1985

(6)
1988

(10)
1992

(6)
1998

(12)
2002

(10)
2012

(11)
2021

(16)
2025

(...)
Total
××××GS×GS××1st3
××GS2ndGS××2ndGSGS6
××××3rd1stGS×GS4th5
×1st1st1st1st×××3rdGS6
GSGSGSGS4thGSGSSF×QF9
4th3rdGS×GS3rd3rdGSGS8
3rd4th4th×GS×GSGSGSGS8
×2nd3rd×××GS×2nd4
×××GS××××GS2
××××××GSSF1stQF4
××GS××××××QF2
××GS××GSGSGSGS5
×××4th××2nd××3rdQ4
×××3rdGS2nd1st1st4thGS7
×××××GSGSGSGS4
2nd×2nd×2nd4thGSGS×GS7
1st×××GS××××2nd3
××××××4th××QF2
××GS××××GSGS3
Team1963

(5)
1964

(5)
1966

(10)
1985

(6)
1988

(10)
1992

(6)
1998

(12)
2002

(10)
2012

(11)
2021

(16)
2025

(...)
Total

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 20 December 2017. ar:نتائج اجتماع الجمعية العمومية غير العادي واجتماع اللجنة التنفيذية للاتحاد العربي لكرة القدم. The results of the General Meeting of UAFA's Executive Committee. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20171226142105/http://www.uafaac.com/Home/NewsDetails/383. 26 December 2017. 28 April 2021. UAFA. ar.
  2. News: قبل انطلاقها.. ماذا يخبرنا التاريخ عن بطولة "كأس العرب"؟ . Sky News Arabia . Saber Hussam-Eddin . 28 November 2021 . 4 December 2021 . 4 December 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211204140749/https://www.skynewsarabia.com/sport/1482833-%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%B7%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%82%D9%87%D8%A7-%D9%8A%D8%AE%D8%A8%D8%B1%D9%86%D8%A7-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%AE-%D8%A8%D8%B7%D9%88%D9%84%D8%A9-%D9%83%D8%A7%D9%94%D8%B3-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A8%D8%9F . live .
  3. News: كأس العرب: لبنان موطن الفكرة لم يحقق أي انجاز . france24 . 28 November 2021 . 4 December 2021 . 4 December 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211204140745/https://www.france24.com/ar/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D8%AE%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%B3%D8%AA%D9%85%D8%B1%D8%A9/20211128-%D9%83%D8%A3%D8%B3-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A8-%D9%84%D8%A8%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%86-%D9%85%D9%88%D8%B7%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%81%D9%83%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D9%84%D9%85-%D9%8A%D8%AD%D9%82%D9%82-%D8%A3%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AC%D8%A7%D8%B2 . live .
  4. Web site: 18 September 2005. ar:موسوعة كرة القدم العراقية من الالف الى الياء ... بطولة كأس العرب. Encyclopedia of Iraqi football from A to Z ... Arab Cup Championship. 28 April 2021. Kooora.com. ar. 28 April 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210428193444/https://forum.kooora.com/f.aspx?t=883773. live.
  5. Web site: Morrison. Neil. Arab Cup 1963 Details. 28 April 2021. RSSSF. 12 August 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220812052128/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesa/arabcup63det.html. live.
  6. Web site: Abboud. John. Nygård. Jostein. Qayed. Mohammed. Arab Cup. 28 April 2021. RSSSF. 31 January 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230131231630/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesa/arabcup.html. live.
  7. Web site: 25 April 2021. ar:"الاتحاد العربي" يعلن عن مسابقاته للموسم القادم. The "Arab Union" announces its competitions for the next season. 27 April 2021. UAFA. ar. 29 April 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210429150934/http://uafaac.com/5167/. live.
  8. Web site: FIFA Arab Cup 2021 – Teams – Lebanon . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20210427210535/https://www.fifa.com/arabcup/teams/lebanon . 27 April 2021 . 27 April 2021 . FIFA.com . en-GB.
  9. Web site: 18 December 2021. Gianni Infantino: FIFA Arab Cup set to continue. 18 December 2021. FIFA.com. 18 December 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211218191349/https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/mens/arabcup/arabcup2021/news/gianni-infantino-fifa-arab-cup-set-to-continue. live.
  10. Web site: 15 May 2024. Key tournament decisions made by FIFA Council. 15 May 2024. FIFA.com.
  11. Web site: UAFA : 44 millions dollars pour la relance des compétitions . ES Tunis media site . TAP . 2012 . 3 February 2020 . 13 November 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221113023245/https://e-s-tunis.com/fr/news/2011/10/18/7990-uafa-44-millions-dollars-pour-la-relance-des-comp%C3%A9titions . live .