Kuwait is one of the most successful teams in the AFC Asian Cup, having won the title once, during the 1980 edition which they were awarded as host, becoming the first Arab team to win the Asian Cup.
During 1970s to 2000s, Kuwait had risen from a normal, unknown to become one of Asia's most prestigious teams and Kuwait was regarded for having a group of golden generation that would facilitate and develop football among the Arab Persian Gulf states. Kuwait had also qualified for the FIFA World Cup once, in 1982, thanked for the success in Asian Cup. Kuwait remained a powerful team until 2004, when they were surprisingly knocked out from the group stage. Since then, Kuwait's strength has started to diminish slowly, and although had qualified for 2011 and 2015, Kuwait didn't win any matches. Kuwait was even excluded for 2019 edition, due to FIFA's sanctions over Government's interference.[1]
Kuwait's Asian Cup record
editAFC Asian Cup record | Qualification record | ||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Result | Position | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | |
1956 | Did not enter | Did not enter | |||||||||||||
1960 | |||||||||||||||
1964 | |||||||||||||||
1968 | Withdrew | Withdrew | |||||||||||||
1972 | Group stage | 5th | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | |
1976 | Runners-up | 2nd | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 3 | Qualified by default | ||||||
1980 | Champions | 1st | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 6 | Qualified as hosts | ||||||
1984 | Third place | 3rd | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 4 | Qualified as defending champions | ||||||
1988 | Group stage | 7th | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 0 | |
1992 | Did not qualify | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | ||||||||
1996 | Fourth place | 4th | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 5 | |
2000 | Quarter-finals | 6th | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 1 | |
2004 | Group stage | 10th | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 5 | |
2007 | Did not qualify | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | ||||||||
2011 | Group stage | 14th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 5 | |
2015 | Group stage | 15th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 7 | |
2019 | Disqualified | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 12 | 10 | ||||||||
2023 | Did not qualify | 11 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 24 | 13 | ||||||||
2027 | Qualified | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 6 | ||||||||
Total | Best: Champions | 11/19 | 42 | 15 | 10 | 17 | 47 | 51 | 66 | 32 | 17 | 17 | 139 | 63 |
Head-to-head record
editOpponent | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win % |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Australia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | −3 | 0.00 |
Bahrain | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +0 | 0.00 |
China | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 5 | −2 | 20.00 |
Indonesia | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | +0 | 0.00 |
Iran | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 4 | +0 | 25.00 |
Iraq | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 100.00 |
Japan | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | +2 | 100.00 |
Jordan | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | −2 | 0.00 |
Khmer Republic | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | −4 | 0.00 |
Malaysia | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | +4 | 100.00 |
Oman | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | −1 | 0.00 |
Qatar | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 66.67 |
Saudi Arabia | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | −2 | 0.00 |
South Korea | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 9 | −1 | 50.00 |
Syria | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 50.00 |
Thailand | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | +2 | 100.00 |
United Arab Emirates | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 6 | +0 | 25.00 |
Uzbekistan | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | −1 | 0.00 |
Total | 42 | 15 | 10 | 17 | 47 | 51 | −4 | 35.71 |
1972 edition in Thailand
editGroup allocation match
editGroup B
editTeam | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
South Korea | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 2 |
Khmer Republic | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 | +1 | 2 |
Kuwait | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | −3 | 2 |
South Korea | 1–2 | Kuwait |
---|---|---|
Park Lee-Chun 2' (pen.) | Sultan 25' Duraiham 73' |
Khmer Republic | 4–0 | Kuwait |
---|---|---|
Doeur Sokhom 23' Sok Sun Hean 56' Tes Sean 59' Sea Cheng Eang 80' |
1976 edition in Iran
editGroup A
editTeam | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kuwait | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | +3 | 4 |
China | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | −1 | 1 |
Malaysia | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | −2 | 1 |
Semi-finals
editFinal
edit1980 edition in Kuwait
editGroup B
editTeam | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
South Korea | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 2 | +8 | 7 |
Kuwait | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 5 | +3 | 5 |
Malaysia | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 4 |
Qatar | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 | −5 | 3 |
United Arab Emirates | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 9 | −6 | 1 |
United Arab Emirates | 1–1 | Kuwait |
---|---|---|
Chombi 35' | Al-Houti 19' |
Kuwait | 0–3 | South Korea |
---|---|---|
Hwang Seok-keun 47' Choi Soon-ho 71', 78' |
Semi-finals
editFinal
editKuwait | 3–0 | South Korea |
---|---|---|
Al-Houti 8' Al-Dakhil 34', 69' |
1984 edition in Singapore
editGroup A
editTeam | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saudi Arabia | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 6 |
Kuwait | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 5 |
Qatar | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 4 |
Syria | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | −2 | 3 |
South Korea | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | −2 | 2 |
Kuwait | 1–0 | Qatar |
---|---|---|
Al-Rumaihi 52' (o.g.) |
South Korea | 0–0 | Kuwait |
---|---|---|
Kuwait | 3–1 | Syria |
---|---|---|
Mahrous 66' (o.g.) Al-Dakhil 77' A. Al-Buloushi 79' |
Abu Al-Sel 5' |
Kuwait | 0–1 | Saudi Arabia |
---|---|---|
Al-Jam'an 88' |
Semi-finals
editThird place play-off
edit1988 edition in Qatar
editGroup B
editTeam | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saudi Arabia | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | +3 | 6 |
China | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 3 | +3 | 5 |
Syria | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | −3 | 4 |
Kuwait | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 3 |
Bahrain | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | −2 | 2 |
Kuwait | 0–0 | Bahrain |
---|---|---|
Report |
Saudi Arabia | 0–0 | Kuwait |
---|---|---|
Report |
Kuwait | 2–2 | China |
---|---|---|
Adel Abbas 60' (pen.) Mansour Basha 62' |
Report | Ma Lin 10', 87' |
1996 edition in the UAE
editGroup A
editTeam | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
United Arab Emirates | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 3 | +3 | 7 |
Kuwait | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 5 | +1 | 4 |
South Korea | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 4 |
Indonesia | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 8 | −4 | 1 |
United Arab Emirates | 3–2 | Kuwait |
---|---|---|
Saeed 53' Al-Talyani 55' B. Saad 80' |
Report | Al-Huwaidi 9', 44' |
Kuwait | 2–0 | South Korea |
---|---|---|
Al-Huwaidi 60' B. Abdullah 87' |
Report |
Quarter-finals
editKuwait | 2–0 | Japan |
---|---|---|
Al-Huwaidi 17', 54' | Report |
Semi-finals
editUnited Arab Emirates | 1–0 | Kuwait |
---|---|---|
Saeed 69' | Report |
Third place play-off
edit2000 edition in Lebanon
editGroup B
editTeam | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
China | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 2 | +4 | 5 |
Kuwait | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 5 |
South Korea | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 4 |
Indonesia | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 7 | −7 | 1 |
South Korea | 0–1 | Kuwait |
---|---|---|
Report | Al-Huwaidi 43' |
Quarter-finals
editKuwait | 2–3 (a.e.t.) | Saudi Arabia |
---|---|---|
Bashar Abdullah 62' Al-Huwaidi 68' |
Report | Al-Temyat 45+1' 109' Al-Meshal 72' |
2004 edition in China
editGroup B
editTeam | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
South Korea | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | +6 | 7 |
Jordan | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | +2 | 5 |
Kuwait | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 7 | −4 | 3 |
United Arab Emirates | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | −4 | 1 |
Kuwait | 3–1 | United Arab Emirates |
---|---|---|
B. Abdullah 24' Al-Mutawa 39' (pen.), 45' |
Report | Rashid 47' |
South Korea | 4–0 | Kuwait |
---|---|---|
Lee Dong-Gook 25', 41' Cha Du-Ri 45+1' Ahn Jung-Hwan 75' |
Report |
2011 edition in Qatar
editGroup A
editTeam | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Uzbekistan | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 3 | +3 | 7 |
Qatar | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | +3 | 6 |
China | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
Kuwait | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 7 | −6 | 0 |
8 January 2011 | ||
Kuwait | 0–2 | China |
12 January 2011 | ||
Uzbekistan | 2–1 | Kuwait |
16 January 2011 | ||
Qatar | 3–0 | Kuwait |
2015 edition in Australia
editGroup A
editPos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | South Korea | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | +3 | 9 | Advance to knockout stage |
2 | Australia (H) | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 2 | +6 | 6 | |
3 | Oman | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5 | −4 | 3 | |
4 | Kuwait | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 6 | −5 | 0 |
9 January 2015 | |||
Australia | 4–1[2] | Kuwait | AAMI Park, Melbourne |
13 January 2015 | |||
Kuwait | 0–1 | South Korea | Canberra Stadium, Canberra |
17 January 2015 | |||
Oman | 1–0 | Kuwait | Newcastle Stadium, Newcastle |