Iraq–Saudi Arabia football rivalry

Football rivalry between Iraq and Saudi Arabia From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Although it has received less attention comparing to rivalry with Iran of both sides, it is one of the oldest rivalries in Asia.[1] Emotions often run high when the two teams meet each other.

Other namesIraq vs Saudi Arabia
LocationAsia (AFC)
West Asia (WAFF)
Teams Iraq
 Saudi Arabia
First meeting22 August 1975
(51 years ago)
Quick facts Other names, Location ...
Iraq–Saudi Arabia rivalry
Other namesIraq vs Saudi Arabia
LocationAsia (AFC)
West Asia (WAFF)
Teams Iraq
 Saudi Arabia
First meeting22 August 1975
(51 years ago)
Latest meetingSaudi Arabia 0–0 Iraq
2026 FIFA World Cup qualification
(14 October 2025)
Statistics
Meetings total44
Most winsIraq (18)
Largest victorySaudi Arabia 1–7 Iraq
4th Arabian Gulf Cup
(29 March 1976)
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Reason behind the rivalry

The main reasons for this rivalry are political differences, and historical grievances. During the Gulf War in the 1990s, Iraq invaded Kuwait, an ally of Saudi Arabia, and both fought a short but bloody war that would continue to have a major impact on their relations.[2] Due to the Gulf War of 1991, Saudi Arabia and Iraq had no official diplomatic relations, resulting in the 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification matches between the two nations being held on neutral grounds of Bahrain and Jordan.

Recently, accusations from Iraq that Saudi Arabia is instigating terrorist groups, like ISIS and Al-Qaeda, further deepened enmity between the two nations.[citation needed]

Major tournament matches

1976 AFC Asian Cup qualification

More information 1–1, Saudi Arabia ...
Iraq 1–1 Saudi Arabia
Ahmed 86' Al Mugnim 4'
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1976 AFC Asian Cup qualification

More information 2–1, Saudi Arabia ...
Iraq 2–1 Saudi Arabia
Subhi 13'
Hassan 41'		 Bakhit 54'
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1982 FIFA World Cup qualification

First round
More information Saudi Arabia, 1–0 ...
Saudi Arabia 1–0 Iraq
Mohammad 82'
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Referee: Rubio Vesquez (Mexico)

1994 FIFA World Cup qualification

Final round
More information 1–1, Saudi Arabia ...
Iraq 1–1 Saudi Arabia
Radhi 1' Owairan 36'
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Attendance: 20,000
Referee: Quiniou (France)

1996 AFC Asian Cup

Group stage
More information Saudi Arabia, 1–0 ...
Saudi Arabia 1–0 Iraq
Al-Mehallel 26' Report
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Attendance: 12,000

2002 FIFA World Cup qualification

Final round
More information Saudi Arabia, 1–0 ...
Saudi Arabia 1–0 Iraq
Al-Dosari 45' Report
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Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Lu Jun (China)

2002 FIFA World Cup qualification

Final round
More information 1–2, Saudi Arabia ...
Iraq 1–2 Saudi Arabia
Al-Hail 31' Report Shehan 1', 77'
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Attendance: 17,000

2004 AFC Asian Cup

Group stage
More information Saudi Arabia, 1–2 ...
Saudi Arabia 1–2 Iraq
Al-Montashari 57' Report Akram 51'
Mahmoud 86'
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Attendance: 15,000

2007 AFC Asian Cup

Final
More information 1–0, Saudi Arabia ...
Iraq 1–0 Saudi Arabia
Mahmoud 72' Report
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Attendance: 60,000

2015 AFC Asian Cup qualification

More information 0–2, Saudi Arabia ...
Iraq 0–2 Saudi Arabia
Report
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Attendance: 12,000

2015 AFC Asian Cup qualification

More information Saudi Arabia, 2–1 ...
Saudi Arabia 2–1 Iraq
 Report
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Attendance: 21,600
Referee: Masaaki Toma (Japan)

2018 FIFA World Cup qualification

More information 1–2, Saudi Arabia ...
Iraq 1–2 Saudi Arabia
 Report
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Attendance: 3,400

2018 FIFA World Cup qualification

More information Saudi Arabia, 1–0 ...
Saudi Arabia 1–0 Iraq
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Attendance: 60,153

2026 FIFA World Cup qualification

More information Saudi Arabia, 0–0 ...
Saudi Arabia 0–0 Iraq
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Matches

Source:[3]
More information #, Date ...
# Date Competition Home team Score Away team Goals (home) Goals (away) Venue
1 22 August 1975 1976 Olympic qualification[a] Iraq  0–2  Saudi Arabia Iran Tehran
2 25 November 1975 1976 AFC Asian Cup qualification Iraq  1–1  Saudi Arabia Ahmed 86' Al-Mugnim 4' Iraq Al-Shaab Stadium, Baghdad
3 2 December 1975 Iraq  2–1  Saudi Arabia Subhi 13', Hassan 42' Bakhit 54' Iraq Al-Shaab Stadium, Baghdad
4 29 March 1976 4th Arabian Gulf Cup Saudi Arabia  1–7  Iraq Suroor 82' Waal 3', Abdul-Jalil 6', Hassan 25', Kadhim 45', 60', 68'
Subhi 89'		 Qatar Doha
5 5 September 1976 Friendly Saudi Arabia  0–0  Iraq Saudi Arabia Riyadh
6 14 December 1978 1978 Asian Games Iraq  1–1  Saudi Arabia Ali 40' Thailand Bangkok
7 8 April 1979 5th Arabian Gulf Cup Iraq  2–0  Saudi Arabia Hassan 24', Farhan 36' Iraq Al Shaab Stadium, Baghdad
8 21 March 1981 1982 FIFA World Cup qualification Saudi Arabia  1–0  Iraq Dabo 82' Saudi Arabia Al Malaz Stadium, Riyadh
9 24 March 1982 6th Arabian Gulf Cup Iraq  1–1  Saudi Arabia Saeed 84' Al-Saghir 14' United Arab Emirates
10 1 December 1982 1982 Asian Games Saudi Arabia  0–1  Iraq H.Mohammed 17' India Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, New Delhi
11 17 March 1984 7th Arabian Gulf Cup Iraq  4–0  Saudi Arabia Shaker 25', Saeed 57', 70', 84' Oman Royal Oman Police Stadium, Muscat
12 10 July 1985 1985 Arab Cup Iraq  3–2  Saudi Arabia Abid 12', 18', Rashid 28' Nu'eimeh 12' (pen.), Al-Jawad 88' Saudi Arabia King Fahd Stadium, Taif
13 14 August 1985 1985 Arab Games[b] Iraq  2–1  Saudi Arabia Radhi Abdullah 21' (pen.) Morocco Stade Mohammed V, Casablanca
14 8 September 1985 Friendly Saudi Arabia  3–1  Iraq Saeed Saudi Arabia King Fahd Stadium, Taif
15 10 September 1985 Friendly Saudi Arabia  2–0  Iraq Saudi Arabia Jeddah
16 30 March 1986 8th Arabian Gulf Cup Iraq  1–2  Saudi Arabia Saddam 75' Bahrain Manama
17 1 October 1986 1986 Asian Games Saudi Arabia  1–1 (a.e.t.)[c]  Iraq Al-Shehrani 39' H.Mohammed 51' South Korea Seoul Olympic Stadium, Seoul
18 4 December 1987 1988 Olympic qualification[a] Saudi Arabia  0–0  Iraq Saudi Arabia Riyadh
19 1 January 1988 Iraq  1–1  Saudi Arabia Shaker 51' (pen.) Oman Muscat
20 16 March 1988 9th Arabian Gulf Cup Iraq  2–0  Saudi Arabia Radhi 59', Gorgis 72' Saudi Arabia King Fahd International Stadium, Riyadh
21 15 July 1988 1988 Arab Cup Iraq  2–0  Saudi Arabia Radhi 13', 35' Jordan Amman
22 24 October 1993 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification Iraq  1–1  Saudi Arabia Radhi 1' Owairan 36' Qatar Khalifa International Stadium, Doha
23 8 December 1996 1996 AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia  1–0  Iraq Al-Mehallel 26' United Arab Emirates Al-Maktoum Stadium, Dubai
24 31 August 2001 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification Saudi Arabia  1–0  Iraq Al-Dosari 45' Bahrain Bahrain National Stadium, Manama
25 5 October 2001 Iraq  1–2  Saudi Arabia Abu Al-Hail 31' Shehan 1', 77' Jordan Amman International Stadium, Amman
26 26 July 2004 2004 AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia  1–2  Iraq Al-Montashari 57' Akram 51', Mahmoud 86' China Sichuan Longquanyi Stadium, Chengdu
27 5 December 2005 2005 West Asian Games Iraq  5–1  Saudi Arabia Abdul-Amir 8', E.Mohammed 19', Akram 30', Mahmoud 51', 78' Al-Qadi 53' Qatar Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan
28 8 December 2005 Iraq  2–0  Saudi Arabia Salah 33', Farhan 85' Qatar Suheim bin Hamad Stadium, Doha
29 15 March 2006 Friendly Saudi Arabia  2–2  Iraq Temyat 18', Al-Jaber 59' Shakroun 28', Abdul-Amir 90+4' Saudi Arabia Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium, Jeddah
30 24 January 2007 18th Arabian Gulf Cup Saudi Arabia  1–0  Iraq Al-Qahtani 12' (pen.) United Arab Emirates Al-Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi
31 29 July 2007 2007 AFC Asian Cup Iraq  1–0  Saudi Arabia Mahmoud 72' Indonesia Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, Jakarta
32 22 March 2009 Friendly Saudi Arabia  0–0  Iraq Saudi Arabia King Fahd International Stadium, Riyadh
33 28 December 2010 Saudi Arabia  0–1  Iraq Mahmoud 24' Saudi Arabia Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium, Dammam
34 5 July 2012 2012 Arab Cup Saudi Arabia  0–1  Iraq Abdul-Zahra 16' Saudi Arabia Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium, Jeddah
35 6 January 2013 21st Arabian Gulf Cup Saudi Arabia  0–2  Iraq Shaker 18', Hawsawi red-colored football 72' (o.g.) Bahrain Khalifa Sports City Stadium, Isa Town
36 15 October 2013 2015 AFC Asian Cup qualification Iraq  0–2  Saudi Arabia Hawsawi 34', Al-Shamrani 78' Jordan Amman International Stadium, Amman
37 15 November 2013 Saudi Arabia  2–1  Iraq Jassim 18', Al-Shamrani 60' Mahmoud 45+1' Saudi Arabia Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium, Dammam
38 6 September 2016 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification Iraq  1–2  Saudi Arabia Abdul-Raheem 18' Al-Abed 81' (pen.), 88' (pen.) Malaysia Shah Alam Stadium, Shah Alam
39 28 March 2017 Saudi Arabia  1–0  Iraq Al-Shehri 53' Saudi Arabia King Abdullah Sports City, Jeddah
40 28 February 2018 Friendly Iraq  4–1  Saudi Arabia Al-Robeai red-colored football 21' (o.g.), Mohsin 47', Ali 51', 73' Fallatah 57' Iraq Basra International Stadium, Basra
41 15 October 2018 2018 Superclásico Championship Saudi Arabia  1–1  Iraq Al-Bishi 90+4' Ali 71' Saudi Arabia King Saud University Stadium, Riyadh
42 9 January 2023 25th Arabian Gulf Cup Saudi Arabia  0–2  Iraq Bayesh 30', Rostam 86' Iraq Basra International Stadium, Basra
43 28 December 2024 26th Arabian Gulf Cup Iraq  1–3  Saudi Arabia Ali 64' Al-Dawsari 57' (pen.), Al-Hamdan 81', 86' Kuwait Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium, Kuwait City
44 14 October 2025 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification Saudi Arabia  0–0  Iraq Saudi Arabia King Abdullah Sports City, Jeddah
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  1. [a]
    Not a full FIFA international
  2. [b]
    Iraq competed in the tournament with its B team squad.
  3. [c]
    Saudi Arabia won on penalties.

Statistics

Matches held in Iraq5
Matches held in neutral venue24
Matches held in Saudi Arabia15
Total matches44
Matches won by Iraq18
Matches won by Saudi Arabia14

See also

References

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