- Gulf Cup of Nations
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Gulf Cup of Nations 
Founded 1968, officially in 1970 Region Arabia/Middle East
(AFC)Number of teams 8 (Qualifiers)
4 (Finals)Current champions 
Kuwait
(10th title)Most successful team Kuwait
(10 titles out of 20 in total)Website www.gulf-cup.net
www.gulfcup.com
2010 Gulf Cup of NationsThe Gulf Cup of Nations (Arabic: كأس الخليج), also known as Khaleeji followed by the edition of the games (e.g. Khaleeji 17, Khaleeji 18, Khaleeji 19, etc), is a football (soccer) tournament currently held every two years rotating the host city every edition. Previously the competition was usually held on a biannual basis, but the history of the competition has also seen it held every 3, or even 4 years, due to political, or organizational problems.
The Gulf Cup of Nations was founded at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico by Persian Gulf nations, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. The First Gulf Cup tournament took place in Bahrain in 1970, and was won by the Kuwaiti team.
For the first time, the 17th edition of the tournament, held in Doha, Qatar in 2004, featured sports such as handball, basketball, and volleyball. The 2007 and 2009 tournaments included these sports as well.
The 2009 Gulf Cup, the 19th edition, took place in Muscat, Oman, from 4 January to 17 January 2009 and was won by Oman, for the first time in their history by beating regional leaders, Saudi Arabia in a penalty shootout.
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An increasing popularity
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The Gulf Cup has dramatically featured increased attendance in the stadia, as well as increased public, and worldwide attention. This has been in particular due to Qatar's role in expanding and improving the competition. Due to Qatar spending big on sports, and hosting competitions such as the 2006 Asian Games, as well as various international tennis events, the Qatari Ministry of Sports, and the State of Qatar was more than happy to improve the local competition.
During the 2004 Gulf Cup of Nations, which was held in Qatar, the stadiums were generally full, due to Qatar's advertising and impressive planning and handling of the competition. Also during the 2004 competition, a new trophy was constructed in Italy to further push the Gulf Cup of Nations to become a competition on the worldwide level. Another impressive difference between this competition, and previous ones was the fact that more than football was competed for, but this time volleyball, handball, and basketball were also included in the competition.
Another major point that helped Qatar improve the competition was the fact that Al Jazeera Sports, the leading sports channel in West Asia, and North Africa is based in Doha. Al Jazeera Sports won broadcasting rights to the 2004, and exclusively in the 2009 Gulf Cup[1] after a deal ending in $23.5 million,[2] and dramatically reformed the Gulf Cup of Arabian Nations by hosting numerous talk shows and documentaries, on top of filming in HD and perfecting camerawork of matches.[3]
The Gulf Cup of Nations tournament is a tournament not officially recognized by FIFA, but recent steps have been taken to make the competition official, such as the attending of matching from powerful people in football, such as FIFA president, Sepp Blatter,[4] and UEFA president, Michel Platini.[5][6]
Future hosts and past winners of the Gulf Cup of Nations
Year Host Champion Runner Up 2015 
Iraq2013 
Bahrain2010 
Yemen Kuwait
Saudi Arabia2009 
Oman Oman Saudi Arabia2007 
United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates Oman2004 
Qatar Qatar Oman2003 Kuwait Saudi Arabia Bahrain2002 Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia Qatar2000 Cancelled none awarded none awarded 1998 Bahrain Kuwait Saudi Arabia1996 Oman Kuwait Qatar1994 United Arab Emirates Saudi Arabia United Arab Emirates1992 Qatar Qatar Bahrain1990 Kuwait Kuwait Qatar1988 Saudi Arabia
Iraq United Arab Emirates1986 Bahrain Kuwait United Arab Emirates1984 Oman Iraq Qatar1982 United Arab Emirates Kuwait Bahrain1979 Iraq Iraq Kuwait1976 Qatar Kuwait Iraq1974 Kuwait Kuwait Saudi Arabia1972 Saudi Arabia Kuwait Saudi Arabia1970 Bahrain Kuwait BahrainMost Gulf Cup of Nations champions
Champion(s)[7] Nation Year(s) Runner-Up Third Place Fourth Place 10 times Kuwait1970, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1996, 1998, 2010 1979 2002, 2004 3 times Saudi Arabia1994, 2002, 2003 1972, 1974, 1992, 1998, 2009, 2010 1970, 1979, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1996 1982 3 times Iraq1979, 1984, 1988 1976 2 times Qatar1992, 2004 1984, 1990, 1996, 2002 1974, 2003 1970, 1972, 1986, 1994 1 time United Arab Emirates2007 1986, 1988, 1994 1972, 1976, 1982, 1998 1974, 1984, 1992, 1996 1 time Oman2009 2004, 2007 1990, 1998, 2003 0 times Bahrain1970, 1982, 1992, 2003 1990, 1994, 2002, 2004 1976, 1979, 1988 0 times Yemen- Iraq was banned from the competition from 1991 to 2003.
- Yemen and Bahrain have not yet won the championship.
- Bahrain and Saudi Arabia had a joint second place in 1992.
- There was no third place for the Gulf Cup in 2007 and 2009.
All-time goal records[8]
Nation Goals Scored Tournaments Games Played Goals per Game Kuwait181 20 99 1.83 Saudi Arabia144 19 94 1.61 Qatar110 20 97 1.16 Bahrain103 19 91 1.14 United Arab Emirates94 19 93 1.02 Iraq88 9 45 2.13 Oman69 18 91 0.73 Yemen9 5 18 0.50 - Saudi Arabia reached 100 goals on 19-10-1996 vs Qatar
Does not include goals from annulled or abandoned games (1972 - Bahrain games, 1982 & 1990 Iraq games)
Includes 1974 Preliminary Round games
Does not include penalty shoot-out goals
Other records
- Biggest Win - 8 Goals
- Most Goals in a game - 8 Goals
- Most Individual Goals in a Single Game - 5 Goals
- Majed Abdullah Saudi Arabia (03-04-1979 vs. Qatar)
- Jassem Al Houwaidi Kuwait 1998 vs. Qatar
- Most Individual Goals in a Single Tournament - 10 Goals
- Hussein Saeed Iraq (1979)
FIFA
The Gulf Cup of Nations tournament is a tournament not officially recognized by FIFA, but recent steps have been taken to make the competition official, such as the attending of matching from powerful people in football, such as FIFA president, Sepp Blatter,[9] and UEFA president, Michel Platini.[10][11]
See also
- Under 23 Gulf Cup of Nations
- Under 17 Gulf Cup of Nations
- AFC
- AFC Asian Cup
- Arab Nations Cup
- East Asian Cup
- South Asian Football Federation Cup
- ASEAN Football Championship
- West Asian Football Federation Championship
References
- ^ http://gulfnews.com/sport/football/uae-fans-could-be-deprived-of-gulf-cup-action-1.43346 - Al Jazeera win rights from Abu Dhabi & Dubai Sports, in a competition that was brodcasted freely just a decade ago
- ^ http://m.sportbusiness.com/news/168199/al-jazeera-acquires-gulf-cup-rights - Al Jazeera Sports receive full broadcasting rights for 23.5 million dollars
- ^ http://www.wtvision.com/290/wtvision-broadcasts-real-time-statistics-at-2009-gulf-cup-in-oman.htm - Al Jazeera Sports offer the Gulf Cup in HD for the first time, and offer further enhanced visual graphics
- ^ http://www.gulf-cup.net/index.asp?IDNews=125&id=100001 - Sepp Blatter on the 19th Gulf Cup
- ^ http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/84173262/AFP - Michel Platini attending the 19th Gulf Cup
- ^ http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/84167684/AFP - Michel Platini attending the 19th Gulf Cup
- ^ http://goalzz.com/main.aspx?g=51&winners=true - Winners list from Goalzz (Kooora)
- ^ http://gulfcup19.com/english/Gulfcup-History.aspx#statistics - Gulf Cup statistics by team
- ^ http://www.gulf-cup.net/index.asp?IDNews=125&id=100001 - Sepp Blatter on the 19th Gulf Cup
- ^ http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/84173262/AFP - Michel Platini attending the 19th Gulf Cup
- ^ http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/84167684/AFP - Michel Platini attending the 19th Gulf Cup
External links
- RSSSF
- Kooora (Goalzz)
- Official Gulf Cup website
- Qatari-run Gulf Cup website
- Official site of the 19th Gulf Cup
UAFA Football International Competitions Club Competitions Youth Competitions Arab U-18 Championship · Arab U-15 Championship · Palestine Cup of Nations for Youth (defunct)Women's Competitions Arab Women's ChampionshipSub-competitions GulfRelated Competitions U-23 Tournament · U-20 Tournament · U-17 Tournament · Women's Tournament
UNAF Nessma Cup · Women's Club TournamentWAGF / WAFFISSFIslamic Solidarity GamesIMGCMediterranean GamesNational Teams Categories:- Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf
- Gulf Cup of Nations
- Recurring sporting events established in 1970
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