The teams in Group B of the 26th Gulf Cup are preparing for the tournament's kickoff, which will be hosted by Kuwait from December 21, 2024, to January 3, 2025.
The group includes Iraq (the defending champions), Saudi Arabia, which has won the title three times, Bahrain, which claimed its first title in 2019, and Yemen.
The French coach Herve Renard leads the Saudi team, seeking to change the course of the negative results that the team suffered in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Currently, Saudi Arabia is in fourth place in its group during the final stage, with six points, tied on goal difference with Indonesia and Bahrain, and one point behind Australia (the runner-up). They are also 10 points behind Japan, who leads the group.
Renard hopes to lead the Saudi national team to its fourth Gulf Cup title and secure his first victory with the team, which has eluded him since his historic win over Argentina 2-1 in the opening match of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
The French coach sees the Gulf Cup as an excellent preparation phase ahead of the critical matches in the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. Renard was given the role again after replacing Italian coach Roberto Mancini, who managed to earn five points from four matches.
Renard had previously guided Saudi Arabia to the runner-up spot in the 2019 Gulf Cup, losing to Bahrain 1-0 in the final. During that tournament, he led the team to three victories, including wins over Bahrain (2-0), Oman (3-1), and Qatar (1-0) in the semifinals.
Saudi Arabia has won the Gulf Cup three times, in 1994 (UAE), 2002 (Saudi Arabia), and 2003 (Kuwait). The team has been a runner-up seven times and has participated in 24 editions, playing 112 matches, winning 57, drawing 25, and losing 30, scoring 166 goals and conceding 106.
Meanwhile the Iraqi national team comes in second place, having won the title 4 times, the Kuwaiti national team is the only team to top the list of teams that have won the tournament the most with 10 titles.
The Iraqi team will compete in the tournament under the leadership of Spanish coach Jesus Casas, who hopes to capitalize on the team's strong form in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Iraq is currently in second place in its group with 11 points, three points behind South Korea, the group leader, and two points ahead of third-placed Jordan.
The Spanish coach aims to use the Gulf Cup to maintain the teams momentum as they dream of making their second-ever World Cup appearance in the next edition in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, after their only appearance in the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.
The Iraqi national team is counting on a prominent group of players, led by top scorer Ayman Hussein, the striker for Al-Khor along with Swiss-based Rebin Solaka, Czech-based Mirhas Doski, Dutch-based Zidan Iqbal, and Italian-based Ali Jassim.
Iraq has won the Gulf Cup four times, first in 1979 under the late coach Ammo Baba, followed by titles in 1984 and 1988, and most recently in the 2023 edition in Basra. Iraq has participated in 14 editions of the tournament, playing 73 matches, winning 37, drawing 25, and losing 11.
Gulf Cup.. Intense Competition Between Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain, With Tough Challenge for Yemen in Group B -1-
Sports / Gulf / Gulf Cup
Bahrain's national team has high ambitions of securing their second title in the tournament's history. They achieved their only title in the 24th edition of the tournament, held in Doha in 2019, under the leadership of Portuguese coach Helio Sousa. Bahrain had previously finished as runners-up in the tournament four times, in 1970, 1982, 1992, and 2003.
Over their 24 participations in the Gulf Cup, Bahrain has played 107 matches, winning 32, drawing 34, and losing 41. They have scored 113 goals and conceded 135.
Currently, Bahrain team is led by Croatian coach Dragan Talajic, who aims to use the tournament as an important preparation stage ahead of their crucial match against Japan on March 20 next year in the World Cup 2026 qualifiers.
Currently, Bahrain occupies fifth place in the third group of the World Cup qualifiers with 6 points, level on goal difference with Indonesia and Saudi Arabia in third and fourth positions, and one point behind second-placed Australia.
As for the Yemen national team, they enter the 26th Gulf Cup to improve their negative record in the tournament, being the only team among the eight participating nations that has never won the title or even a single match in their previous 10 Gulf Cup appearances.
The Yemen team has played 33 matches in the Gulf Cup, drawing 6 times and losing 27, scoring only 12 goals, while conceding 84. Since their first appearance in the 2003 edition in Kuwait, the team has never advanced past the first round.
Currently, Yemen is coached by Algerian coach Noureddine Ould Ali.
Yemen plays in Group B, which includes strong teams like Iraq, the defending champions, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain. The team is seeking to deliver an honorable performance and pursue their first-ever win in the tournament, which could alter the negative perception that has surrounded their previous appearances.