Saudi Arabia at the AFC Asian Cup
# Saudi Arabia at the AFC Asian Cup

Saudi Arabia is one of the most successful teams in Asia, having won three AFC Asian Cup titles and is one of the stronger teams in the continent. With influential experiences, the Saudi team has been a major force in the Asian Cup.

The Saudis first qualified to the Asian Cup was in 1984, and it was also the first time Saudi Arabia claimed the title. They repeated the feat in 1988 and 1996, before reaching two other finals, both ended in defeats. Having said, Saudi Arabia also has disappointing performances, notably 2004, 2011 and 2015, when Saudi Arabia crashed out from the group stage. Saudi Arabia will play in 2023 edition, looking on their quest to win the Asian Cup in the new millennia. Saudi Arabia will host the 2027 edition which will mark the first time that the country has ever hosted the Asian Cup.

## 1984 AFC Asian Cup

### Group A

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Saudi Arabia | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 6 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 | Kuwait | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 5 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 3 | Qatar | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 4 | |
| 4 | Syria | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | −2 | 3 | |
| 5 | South Korea | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | −2 | 2 | |

## 1988 AFC Asian Cup

### Group B

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Saudi Arabia | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | +3 | 6 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 | China | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 3 | +3 | 5 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 3 | Syria | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | −3 | 4 | |
| 4 | Kuwait | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 3 | |
| 5 | Bahrain | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | −2 | 2 | |

## 1992 AFC Asian Cup

### Group B

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Saudi Arabia | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 2 | +4 | 4 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 | China | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 4 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 3 | Qatar | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | −1 | 2 | |
| 4 | Thailand | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | −4 | 2 | |

## 1996 AFC Asian Cup

### Group B

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Iran | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 3 | +4 | 6 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 | Saudi Arabia | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 3 | +4 | 6 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 3 | Iraq | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 3 | +3 | 6 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 4 | Thailand | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 13 | −11 | 0 | |

## 2000 AFC Asian Cup

### Group C

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Japan | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 3 | +10 | 7 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 | Saudi Arabia | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 4 | +2 | 4 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 3 | Qatar | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 4 | Uzbekistan | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 14 | −12 | 1 | |

## 2004 AFC Asian Cup

### Group C

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Uzbekistan | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | +3 | 9 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 | Iraq | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 | +1 | 6 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 3 | Turkmenistan | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 6 | −2 | 1 | |
| 4 | Saudi Arabia | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | −2 | 1 | |

## 2007 AFC Asian Cup

### Group D

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Saudi Arabia | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 2 | +5 | 7 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 | South Korea | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 4 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 3 | Indonesia (H) | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 4 | −1 | 3 | |
| 4 | Bahrain | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 7 | −4 | 3 | |

## 2011 AFC Asian Cup

### Group B

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Japan | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 2 | +6 | 7 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 | Jordan | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 7 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 3 | Syria | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 5 | −1 | 3 | |
| 4 | Saudi Arabia | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 8 | −7 | 0 | |
| 9 January 2011 |
| Saudi Arabia | 1–2 | Syria |
| 13 January 2011 |
| Jordan | 1–0 | Saudi Arabia |
| 17 January 2011 |
| Saudi Arabia | 0–5 | Japan |

## 2015 AFC Asian Cup

### Group B

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | China | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | +3 | 9 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 | Uzbekistan | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 6 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 3 | Saudi Arabia | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 3 | |
| 4 | North Korea | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 7 | −5 | 0 | |
| 10 January 2015 |
| Saudi Arabia | 0–1 | China | Brisbane Stadium, Brisbane |
| 14 January 2015 |
| North Korea | 1–4 | Saudi Arabia | AAMI Park, Melbourne |
| 18 January 2015 |
| Uzbekistan | 3–1 | Saudi Arabia | AAMI Park, Melbourne |

## 2019 AFC Asian Cup

### Group E

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Qatar | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | +10 | 9 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 | Saudi Arabia | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 2 | +4 | 6 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 3 | Lebanon | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 5 | −1 | 3 | |
| 4 | North Korea | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 14 | −13 | 0 | |

## Record

| AFC Asian Cup record | AFC Asian Cup record | AFC Asian Cup record | AFC Asian Cup record | AFC Asian Cup record | AFC Asian Cup record | AFC Asian Cup record | AFC Asian Cup record | AFC Asian Cup record | AFC Asian Cup qualification record | AFC Asian Cup qualification record | AFC Asian Cup qualification record | AFC Asian Cup qualification record | AFC Asian Cup qualification record | AFC Asian Cup qualification record |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Year | Result | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA |
| 1956 | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member |
| 1960 | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member |
| 1964 | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member |
| 1968 | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member |
| 1972 | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member | Not an AFC member |
| 1976 | Withdrew | Withdrew | Withdrew | Withdrew | Withdrew | Withdrew | Withdrew | Withdrew | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 5 |
| 1980 | Withdrew | Withdrew | Withdrew | Withdrew | Withdrew | Withdrew | Withdrew | Withdrew | Withdrew | Withdrew | Withdrew | Withdrew | Withdrew | Withdrew |
| 1984 | Champions | 1st | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 0 |
| 1988 | Champions | 1st | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 1 | Automatic qualification as champions | Automatic qualification as champions | Automatic qualification as champions | Automatic qualification as champions | Automatic qualification as champions | Automatic qualification as champions |
| 1992 | Runners-up | 2nd | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 3 | Automatic qualification as champions | Automatic qualification as champions | Automatic qualification as champions | Automatic qualification as champions | Automatic qualification as champions | Automatic qualification as champions |
| 1996 | Champions | 1st | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| 2000 | Runners-up | 2nd | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 8 | Automatic qualification as champions | Automatic qualification as champions | Automatic qualification as champions | Automatic qualification as champions | Automatic qualification as champions | Automatic qualification as champions |
| 2004 | Group stage | 13th | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 1 |
| 2007 | Runners-up | 2nd | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 21 | 4 |
| 2011 | Group stage | 15th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 8 | Automatic qualification as runners-up | Automatic qualification as runners-up | Automatic qualification as runners-up | Automatic qualification as runners-up | Automatic qualification as runners-up | Automatic qualification as runners-up |
| 2015 | Group stage | 10th | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 3 |
| 2019 | Round of 16 | 12th | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 28 | 4 |
| 2023 | Qualified | Qualified | Qualified | Qualified | Qualified | Qualified | Qualified | Qualified | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 22 | 4 |
| 2027 | Qualified as host | Qualified as host | Qualified as host | Qualified as host | Qualified as host | Qualified as host | Qualified as host | Qualified as host | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined |
| Total | 3 Titles | 12/19 | 48 | 21 | 13 | 14 | 69 | 48 | 48 | 39 | 6 | 3 | 152 | 21 |
