Kuwait national under-23 football team

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The Kuwait national under-23 football team is the youth association football team representing Kuwait in youth competitions and it is controlled by Kuwait Football Association. Kuwait under 23 Could also be called as Kuwait Olympic Team. Kuwait under 23 also represents its country in the Olympic Games. From 1900 to 1976 Kuwait did not qualify for the Olympic Games but in 1980 Kuwait qualified for the Olympic Games in China and had the best record of their country finishing in the quarter-finals of that Olympic games. Kuwait missed the 1984 and 1988 Olympic Games. But in 1992 Kuwait finally qualified for the 1992 Olympic Games in Spain, however with their poor performance, Kuwait was eliminated in the first round of that tournament. After that Kuwait had missed the 1996 Olympic Games that was hosted by the United States, Kuwait then qualified for the 2000 Olympic Games in Australia and that was the last time Kuwait qualified for the Olympic Games. Kuwait has never won the GCC U-23 Championship but their best finish at that Competition was as a runner up in 2010. In the 2022 Asian U-23 qualification Cup Group D, Kuwait managed to defeat Bangladesh by 1-0[1] and Saudi Arabia by 2–1,[2] this resulted in Kuwait to qualify for the 2022 U-23 Asian Cup.

NicknameAl-Azraq (The Blue)
ConfederationAFC (Asia)
Sub-confederationWAFF (West Asia)
Quick facts Nickname, Association ...
Kuwait Under-23
NicknameAl-Azraq (The Blue)
AssociationKuwait Football Association
ConfederationAFC (Asia)
Sub-confederationWAFF (West Asia)
Head coachEmílio Peixe
CaptainAbdulaziz Naji
FIFA codeKUW
First colours
Second colours
Summer Olympics
Appearances3 (first in 1980)
Best resultQuarter-finals (1980)
AFC U-23 Asian Cup
Appearances3 (first in 2013)
Best resultGroup stage (2013, 2022, 2024)
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Honours

Regional honours

Runners-up (2): 2010, 2015

Minor

  • 2018 Olympic Return Cup

History

Kuwait's first-ever qualification to the Olympic games was in the 1980 Olympic Games which Kuwait were eliminated in the quarter-finals of that Olympic games. Kuwait missed the 1984 Olympic Games and the 1988 Olympic Games. Kuwait came back to the Olympic Games in 1992 after missing two events being eliminated in the quarter-final of that event. Kuwait did not qualify until the 2000 Olympic Games and that was the last time Kuwait qualified for the Olympic games. Kuwait did not qualify to the Olympic Games in 2004 after being eliminated in the qualifying Preliminary round 3 of the Football at the 2004 Summer Olympics – Qualifiers at the third position of the 3rd group. Kuwait was unqualified from Football at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Qualifier, with 2 being 4 goals less than Qatar due to that, Kuwait missed the 2008 Olympic Games. Kuwait also failed to participate in the 2012 Olympic Games after losing Football at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Qualifiers, within losing the first leg to Japan 3-1 but then Kuwait defeated Japan 2–1, Japan won on the aggregate. Kuwait does not have a good record at GCC U-23 Championship after finishing 5th in the final group of the 2008 GCC U-23 Championship. Kuwait was at the bottom of the table at that time. In 2010 Kuwait was the runner-up of their group. Kuwait was qualified for the semi-finals, Kuwait defeated Oman 5–4 on penalties. But lost to UAE. In the 2011 and 2012 GCC U-23 Championship, Kuwait was unfortunately eliminated in the first round with 0 points losing all three games.

Participation in Tournaments

Summer Olympics

More information Summer Olympics record, Year ...
Summer Olympics record
Year Result Position GP W D L GF GA Squad
19001988See Kuwait national football team
Spain 1992Group stage16th300316Squad
United States 1996did not qualify
Australia 2000Group stage12th310268Squad
Greece 2004did not qualify
China 2008
United Kingdom 2012
Brazil 2016
Japan 2020
France 2024
United States 2028to be determined
Australia 2032
TotalGroup stage2/116105714
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Asian Games

From 2002 Asian Games, at the first tournament to be played in an under-23 format.
More information Year, Round ...
Year Round GP W D* L GS GA
South Korea 2002-430191
Qatar 2006-320151
China 2010-420244
South Korea 2014-310267
Total4/4148061913
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AFC U-23 Asian Cup

More information Year, Round ...
Year Round GP W D* L GS GA
Oman 2013Group stage301214
Qatar 2016Did not qualify
China 2018
Thailand 2020
Uzbekistan 2022Group stage300316
Qatar 2024Group stage310239
Saudi Arabia 2026Did not qualify
Total3/79117519
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Kuwait's fixtures and results

2024

17 April 2024 AFC U-23 Asian Cup Vietnam  3–1  Kuwait Al Wakrah, Qatar
18:30
Report
Stadium: Al Janoub Stadium
Referee: Abdulla Al-Marri (Qatar)
20 April 2024 AFC U-23 Asian Cup Kuwait  0–5  Uzbekistan Al Wakrah, Qatar
18:30 Report
Stadium: Al Janoub Stadium
Referee: Hanna Hattab (Syria)
23 April 2024 AFC U-23 Asian Cup Kuwait  2–1  Malaysia Al Wakrah, Qatar
18:30 Stadium: Al Janoub Stadium
Referee: Alex King (Australia)

2025

21 August Friendly Kuwait  1–0  Malaysia Thailand
--:--  Al-Enezi 41' Report
28 August Friendly Kuwait  1–0  Malaysia Thailand
--:--  Al-Enezi 16' Report
3 September 2026 AFC U-23 Asian Cup qualification Kuwait  0-0  Myanmar Yangon, Myanmar
16:00 UTC+6:30 Report Stadium: Thuwunna Stadium
Attendance: 1,800
Referee: Nasrullo Kabirov (Tajikistan)
6 September 2026 AFC U-23 Asian Cup qualification Afghanistan  0-1  Kuwait Yangon, Myanmar
19:00 UTC+6:30 Report
  • M. Al-Enezi 47'
Stadium: Thuwunna Stadium
Attendance: 37
Referee: Ahmed Eisa Darwish (United Arab Emirates)
9 September 2026 AFC U-23 Asian Cup qualification Japan  6-1  Kuwait Yangon, Myanmar
19:00 UTC+6:30
  • Kawai 19', 40', 56'
  • Nwadike 32' (pen.)
  • Yada 42'
  • Goto 90+4'
Report
  • Boodai 10'
Stadium: Thuwunna Stadium
Attendance: 85
Referee: Tuan Yaasin (Malaysia)

Players

Current squad

More information No., Pos. ...
No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Club
1GK Abdulrahman Al-Harbi (2003-10-03) 3 October 2003 (age 22) Kuwait Football Association Al-Tadamon
1GK Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli (2001-03-23) 23 March 2001 (age 25) Kuwait Football Association Al-Salmiya
1GK Abdulrahman Kameel (2001-03-08) 8 March 2001 (age 25) Kuwait Football Association Al-Kuwait

2DF Abdulrahman Al-Daihani (2001-01-21) 21 January 2001 (age 25) Kuwait Football Association Al-Qadsia
2DF Khaled Al-Fadhli (2002-02-23) 23 February 2002 (age 24) Kuwait Football Association Al-Qadsia
2DF Saleh Faisal (2003-09-18) 18 September 2003 (age 22) Kuwait Football Association Kazma
2DF Sultan Al-Faraj (2001-06-16) 16 June 2001 (age 24) Kuwait Football Association Al-Kuwait
2DF Mohsen Ghareeb (2004-11-11) 11 November 2004 (age 21) Kuwait Football Association Al-Kuwait
2DF Youssef Al-Haqqan (2002-02-05) 5 February 2002 (age 24) Kuwait Football Association Al-Qadsia
2DF Abdulrahman Karam (2001-03-15) 15 March 2001 (age 25) Kuwait Football Association Al-Arabi
2DF Faisal Al-Shatti (2002-05-19) 19 May 2002 (age 23) Kuwait Football Association Al-Qadsia

3MF Hussain Ashkanani (2002-01-26) 26 January 2002 (age 24) Kuwait Football Association Al-Arabi
3MF Abdullah Al-Awadi (2001-09-17) 17 September 2001 (age 24) Kuwait Football Association Al-Qadsia
3MF Mahdi Dashti (2001-10-26) 26 October 2001 (age 24) Kuwait Football Association Al-Salmiya
3MF Fahad Al-Fadhli (2001-02-04) 4 February 2001 (age 25) Kuwait Football Association Kazma
3MF Bader Al-Mutairi (2003-09-26) 26 September 2003 (age 22) Kuwait Football Association Al-Arabi
3MF Montaser Suleiman (2005-05-17) 17 May 2005 (age 20) Kuwait Football Association Kazma

4FW Abdulaziz Asaad (2002-01-28) 28 January 2002 (age 24) Kuwait Football Association Al-Jahra
4FW Salman Al-Awadi (2001-05-21) 21 May 2001 (age 24) Kuwait Football Association Al-Arabi
4FW Muath Al-Enezi (2001-10-26) 26 October 2001 (age 24) Kuwait Football Association Al-Salmiya
4FW Jarah Al-Hilali (2004-02-29) 29 February 2004 (age 22) Kuwait Football Association Kazma
4FW Ibrahim Kameel (2002-06-10) 10 June 2002 (age 23) Kuwait Football Association Al-Kuwait
4FW Talal Al-Qaissi (2002-06-21) 21 June 2002 (age 23) Kuwait Football Association Kazma
4FW Abdulrahman Al-Rashidi (2004-01-12) 12 January 2004 (age 22) Kuwait Football Association Al-Nasr
4FW Hamad Al-Taweel (2001-07-26) 26 July 2001 (age 24) Kuwait Football Association Khaitan
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Coaching staff

More information Name, Role ...
Name Role
Head coach Portugal Emílio Peixe
Assistant coach Portugal Francisco Gouvela
Portugal Paulo Vieira
Portugal Vasco Pereira
Goalkeeper coach Portugal Tiago Manta
Fitness coach Portugal Jose Vasconcelos
Match analyst Kuwait Hamed Al-Mutairi
Team doctor Portugal Joao Pedro Pinho
Physiotherapist Portugal Ricardo Couto
Masseur Kuwait Alfan Al Beshar
Team manager Kuwait Ahmed Saad
Technical director Portugal Diogo Rebelo
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See also

References

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