Iran at the AFC Asian Cup

The Iran men's national football team has participated in 14 editions of the AFC Asian Cup, first appearing in the 1968 Asian Cup after automatically qualifying as hosts. Overall, Iran is one of the most successful teams in Asia, having won three titles from 1968 to 1976. However, after the 1976 Asian Cup, Iran's best performance is just third place.

Overall results
AFC Asian Cup record Qualification record
Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA Squad Pld W D L GF GA
Hong Kong 1956Withdrew Withdrew
South Korea 1960Did not qualify 63121210
Israel 1964Withdrew Withdrew
Iran 1968Champions1st4400112SquadQualified as host
Thailand 1972Champions1st5500124SquadQualified as champion
Iran 1976Champions 1st4400130SquadQualified as host
Kuwait 1980Third place3rd6321166SquadQualified as champion
Singapore 1984Fourth place4th624083Squad6600222
Qatar 1988Third place3rd622234Squad422061
Japan 1992Group stage5th311121Squad2200100
United Arab Emirates 1996Third place3rd6321146Squad6600271
Lebanon 2000Quarter-finals5th421173Squad6411162
China 2004Third place3rd6330148Squad6501165
IndonesiaMalaysiaThailandVietnam 2007 Quarter-finals 5th 4 2 2 0 6 3 Squad6420122
Qatar 2011 Quarter-finals 5th 4 3 0 1 6 2 Squad6411112
Australia 2015 Quarter-finals 6th 4 3 1 0 7 3 Squad6510185
United Arab Emirates 2019Semi-finals 3rd6411123Squad8620263
Qatar 2023Qualified8602344
Saudi Arabia 2027To be determined To be determined
Total3 titles15/18684119813148—705310721037

1968 Asian Cup

It was Iran's first ever Asian Cup debut, as they were awarded as host. Iran lifted the trophy for the first time.[1]

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1  Iran (H, C) 4 4 0 0 11 2 +9 8
2  Burma 4 2 1 1 5 4 +1 5
3  Israel 4 2 0 2 11 5 +6 4
4  Republic of China 4 0 2 2 3 10 −7 2
5  Hong Kong 4 0 1 3 2 11 −9 1
Source: RSSSF
(C) Champions; (H) Hosts
Iran 2–0 Hong Kong
Behzadi 70'
Jabbari 88'
Attendance: 28,000
Referee: Norman Boswell (Malaysia)
Iran 4–0 Republic of China
Behzadi 31'
Kalani 34'
Eftekhari 51'
Farzami 56'
Attendance: 30,000
Referee: Alex Joseph Vaz (India)
Burma 1–3 Iran
Aung Khi 50' Kalani 2'
Eftekhari 60'
Behzadi 71'
Attendance: 30,000
Referee: Natrajan (India)
Iran 2–1 Israel
Behzadi 75'
Ghelichkhani 86'		 Spiegel 56'
Attendance: 30,000
Referee: Alex Joseph Vaz (India)

1972 Asian Cup

Group allocation match
Iran 2–0 Khmer Republic
Kalani 45'
Iranpak 51'
Attendance: 2,000
Referee: Kim Jo-Wong (South Korea)

Group A

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Iran 2 2 0 0 6 2 +4 4 Advance to Knockout stage
2  Thailand (H) 2 0 1 1 3 4 −1 1
3  Iraq 2 0 1 1 1 4 −3 1
Source: RSSSF
(H) Hosts
Iran 3–0 Iraq
Kalani 34', 70', 78'
Attendance: 5,000
Referee: Sivapalan Kathiravale (Malaysia)
Thailand 2–3 Iran
Tantariyanond 69', 70' Jabbari 80', 86', 88'
Attendance: 25,000
Referee: Matolzi (Malaysia)

Semi-finals
Iran 2–1 Khmer Republic
Iranpak 13'
Ghelichkhani 47'		 Doeur Sokhom 18'
Attendance: 2,000
Referee: Matolozi (Malaysia)

Final
Iran 2–1 (a.e.t.) South Korea
Jabbari 48'
Kalani 108'		 Park Lee-Chun 65'
Attendance: 15,000
Referee: Sivapalan Kathiravale (Malaysia)

1976 Asian Cup

Group B

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Iran (H) 2 2 0 0 10 0 +10 4 Advance to knockout stage
2  Iraq 2 1 0 1 1 2 −1 2
3  South Yemen 2 0 0 2 0 9 −9 0
Source: RSSSF
(H) Hosts
Iran 2–0 Iraq
Nouraei 45'
Roshan 58'
Attendance: 50,000
Referee: Marijan Raus (Yugoslavia)
Iran 8–0 South Yemen
Azizi 17', 73'
Nouraei 40', 42'
Khorshidi 45'
Mazloumi 63', 74', 80'
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Akram Ul Haq (India)

Semi-finals
Iran 2–0 (a.e.t.) China
Khorshidi 100'
Roshan 119'
Attendance: 60,000
Referee: Asami (Japan)

Final
Iran 1–0 Kuwait
Parvin 71'
Attendance: 100,000
Referee: Jean Dubach (Switzerland)

It would have been the last time Iran has ever won the title, as for 2019. However, Iran holds record as the most consecutive champion, having won three strait titles comparing to Japan, Saudi Arabia and South Korea, bot have two strait titles.

1980 Asian Cup

Group A

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Iran 4 2 2 0 12 4 +8 6 Advance to knockout stage
2  North Korea 4 3 0 1 9 7 +2 6
3  Syria 4 2 1 1 3 2 +1 5
4  China 4 1 1 2 9 5 +4 3
5  Bangladesh 4 0 0 4 2 17 −15 0
Source: RSSSF
Iran 0–0 Syria
Attendance: 15,000
China 2–2 Iran
Chen Jingang 74'
Xu Yonglai 89'		 Alidousti 35'
Fariba 70'
Attendance: 10,000
Bangladesh 0–7 Iran
Fariba 11', 34', 80', 82'
Roshan 21'
Barzegari 27', 87'
Attendance: 2,000
Iran 3–2 North Korea
Alidousti 27'
Danaeifard 57'
Fariba 60'		 Hwang Sang-hoi 68'
Pak Jong-hun 90'
Attendance: 4,000
Referee: Enrique Mendoza (Mexico)

Semi-finals
Iran 1–2 Kuwait
Faraki 90' Yaqoub 63'
Al-Dakhil 85'
Attendance: 20,000
Referee: Kok Lee (Singapore)

Third place match
Iran 3–0 North Korea
Fariba 49'
Faraki 66', 76'
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Enrique Mendoza (Mexico)

1984 Asian Cup

Group B

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  China 4 3 0 1 10 2 +8 6 Advance to knockout stage
2  Iran 4 2 2 0 6 1 +5 6
3  United Arab Emirates 4 2 0 2 3 8 −5 4
4  Singapore (H) 4 1 1 2 3 4 −1 3
5  India 4 0 1 3 0 7 −7 1
Source: RSSSF
(H) Hosts
Iran 3 – 0 United Arab Emirates
Alidousti 27'
Shahrokh Bayani 85' (pen.)
Mohammadkhani 87'
Attendance: 8,000
Iran 2 – 0 China
Mohammadkhani 57'
Arabshahi 69'
Attendance: 19,000
Iran 0 – 0 India
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Koh Guan Kiat (Malaysia)
Singapore 1 – 1 Iran
Saad 61' Shahrokh Bayani 55' (pen.)
Attendance: 2,000
Referee: Abu Wahid Shanbe (Oman)

Semi-finals
Saudi Arabia 1 – 1 (a.e.t.) Iran
Shahin Bayani 88' (o.g.) Shahrokh Bayani 43'
Penalties
Abdullah soccer ball with check mark
Abduljawad soccer ball with check mark
Nu'eimeh soccer ball with check mark
Al-Jam'an soccer ball with check mark
Al-Musaibeah soccer ball with check mark		 5 – 4 soccer ball with check mark Hajiloo
soccer ball with check mark Mokhtarifar
soccer ball with check mark Derakhshan
soccer ball with red X Panjali
soccer ball with check mark Shahrokh Bayani
Attendance: 20,000

Third place match
Iran 1 – 1 Kuwait
Mohammadkhani 80' Al-Haddad 26'
Penalties
Hajiloo soccer ball with check mark
Derakhshan soccer ball with check mark
Ahadi soccer ball with check mark
Mokhtarifar soccer ball with red X		 3 – 5 soccer ball with check mark Al-Dakhil
soccer ball with check mark Al-Suwayed
soccer ball with check mark Juma'a
soccer ball with check mark Al-Jasem
soccer ball with check mark Al-Qabendi
Attendance: 26,000

1988 Asian Cup

Group A

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  South Korea 4 4 0 0 9 2 +7 8 Advance to knockout stage
2  Iran 4 2 1 1 3 3 0 5
3  Qatar (H) 4 2 0 2 7 6 +1 4
4  United Arab Emirates 4 1 0 3 2 4 −2 2
5  Japan 4 0 1 3 0 6 −6 1
Source: RSSSF
(H) Hosts
Iran 2–0 Qatar
Bavi 6'
Pious 89'		 Report
Attendance: 20,000
Japan 0–0 Iran
Report
Attendance: 4,000
Iran 1–0 United Arab Emirates
Pious 27' Report
Attendance: 4,000
Referee: Steven Ovinis (Malaysia)
South Korea 3–0 Iran
Byun Byung-Joo 26', 57'
Hwang Sun-Hong 42'		 Report
Attendance: 5,000
Referee: Neji Jouini (Tunisia)

Semi-finals
Saudi Arabia 1–0 Iran
Abdullah 16' Report
Attendance: 17,000

Third place match
China 0–0 Iran
Report
Penalties
Duan Ju soccer ball with red X
Wang Baoshan soccer ball with red X
Wu Wenbing soccer ball with red X		 0–3 soccer ball with check mark Moharrami
soccer ball with check mark Ansarifard
soccer ball with check mark Ghayeghran
Attendance: 2,000
Referee: Ahmad Bash (Jordan)

1992 Asian Cup

The 1992 tournament was considered as the most disappointing tournament for Iran, after ended up in group stage and got eliminated for the first time in the history. It remains as the only time Iran failed to qualify from the group stage.

The last match between Japan and Iran has been a significant subject on the criticism. Iran came to the match with four points, an advantage comparing to its Japanese rival which was forced to gain a win after two draws. However, the match was marred with three red cards for the Iranian team, the first red card in early second half for Jamshid Shahmohammadi in 54' caused drain for the Iranian side when they played only with ten men. In 86', Kazuyoshi Miura scored the decisive goal for Japan that Iranian side had protested to be offside, but instead Nader Mohammadkhani and Farshad Pious were issued red card as well, thus Iran had to play entire of the last minutes with eight players, and eventually, lost 0–1 and eliminated from the competition; Japan went on to win its first Asian title, and marked the rise of Japan as an Asian football power.[2] Many Iranian supporters have continued to hold the match as the biggest robbery in their football history.[3]

Group A

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Japan (H) 3 1 2 0 2 1 +1 4 Advance to knockout stage
2  United Arab Emirates 3 1 2 0 2 1 +1 4
3  Iran 3 1 1 1 2 1 +1 3
4  North Korea 3 0 1 2 2 5 −3 1
Source: WorldFootball.net
(H) Hosts
North Korea 0–2 Iran
Report Pious 30'
Ghayeghran 80'
Attendance: 8,000
Iran 0–0 United Arab Emirates
Report
Attendance: 25,000
Japan 1–0 Iran
Miura 87' Report
Attendance: 37,000[4]

1996 Asian Cup

Group B

Pos Team 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
3  Iraq 3 2 0 1 6 3 +3 6
4  Thailand 3 0 0 3 2 13 −11 0
Source: RSSSF


Iran 1–2 Iraq
Daei 90' (pen.) Report Fawzi 37'
Sabbar 69'
Attendance: 15,000
Thailand 1–3 Iran
Senamuang 80' Report Saadavi 38'
Minavand 54'
Daei 70'
Attendance: 12,000
Referee: Lu Jun (China)
Saudi Arabia 0–3 Iran
Report Daei 12'
Bagheri 37'
Azizi 47'
Attendance: 12,000

Quarter-finals
South Korea 2–6 Iran
Kim Do-Hoon 11'
Shin Tae-Yong 35'		 Report Bagheri 31'
Azizi 52'
Daei 66', 76', 83', 89' (pen.)
Attendance: 19,000

Semi-finals
Iran 0–0 (a.e.t.) Saudi Arabia
Report
Penalties
Daei soccer ball with red X
Peyrovani soccer ball with check mark
Yazdani soccer ball with red X
Estili soccer ball with check mark
Bagheri soccer ball with check mark
Khakpour soccer ball with red X		 3–4 soccer ball with red X Al-Temawi
soccer ball with check mark Sulaimani
soccer ball with check mark Zubromawi
soccer ball with red X Al-Muwallid
soccer ball with check mark Al-Harbi
soccer ball with check mark Madani
Attendance: 35,000

Third place match
Iran 1–1 Kuwait
Daei 40' Report Al-Huwaidi 15'
Penalties
Moharrami soccer ball with red X
Estili soccer ball with check mark
Peyrovani soccer ball with check mark
Bagheri soccer ball with check mark		 3–2 soccer ball with check mark Badr Haji
soccer ball with check mark Bashar Abdullah
soccer ball with red X Al-Lenqawi
soccer ball with red X Abdulrahman
soccer ball with red X Al-Huwaidi
Attendance: 60,000

2000 Asian Cup

Group A

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Iran 3 2 1 0 6 1 +5 7 Advance to knockout stage
2  Iraq 3 1 1 1 4 3 +1 4
3  Thailand 3 0 2 1 2 4 −2 2
4  Lebanon (H) 3 0 2 1 3 7 −4 2
Source: RSSSF
(H) Hosts
Lebanon 0–4 Iran
Report Bagheri 19'
Estili 75', 87'
Daei 90+1'
Attendance: 52,418
Referee: Lu Jun (China)
Iran 1–1 Thailand
Daei 73' Report Pituratana 12'
Attendance: 10,000
Iran 1–0 Iraq
Daei 77' Report
Attendance: 8,582

Quarter-finals
Iran 1–2 (a.e.t.) South Korea
Bagheri 71' Report Kim Sang-Sik 90'
Lee Dong-Gook gold-colored soccer ball 99'
Attendance: 5,000
Referee: Ali Bujsaim (UAE)

2004 Asian Cup

Group D

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Japan 3 2 1 0 5 1 +4 7 Advance to knockout stage
2  Iran 3 1 2 0 5 2 +3 5
3  Oman 3 1 1 1 4 3 +1 4
4  Thailand 3 0 0 3 1 9 −8 0
Source: RSSSF
Iran 3–0 Thailand
Enayati 71'
Nekounam 80'
Daei 86' (pen.)		 Report
Attendance: 37,000
Referee: Mohammad Kousa (Syria)
Oman 2–2 Iran
Al-Hosni 31', 40' Report Karimi 61'
Nosrati 90+4'
Attendance: 35,000
Referee: Abdul Rahman Al-Delawar (Bahrain)
Japan 0–0 Iran
Report
Attendance: 52,000

Quarter-finals
South Korea 3–4 Iran
Seol Ki-Hyeon 16'
Lee Dong-Gook 25'
Kim Nam-Il 68'		 Report Karimi 10', 20', 77'
Park Jin-Seop 51' (o.g.)
Attendance: 20,000

Semi-finals
China 1–1 (a.e.t.) Iran
Shao Jiayi 18' Report Alavi 38'
Penalties
Zheng Zhi soccer ball with check mark
Zhao Junzhe soccer ball with red X
Li Xiaopeng soccer ball with check mark
Sun Xiang soccer ball with check mark
Shao Jiayi soccer ball with check mark		 4–3 soccer ball with check mark Daei
soccer ball with check mark Mahdavikia
soccer ball with check mark Nekounam
soccer ball with red X Mobali
soccer ball with red X Golmohammadi
Attendance: 55,000
Referee: Talaat Najm (Lebanon)

Third place match
Iran 4–2 Bahrain
Nekounam 9'
Karimi 52'
Daei 80' (pen.), 90'		 Report Yousef 48'
Farhan 57'
Attendance: 10,000

2007 Asian Cup

Group C
Main article: 2007 AFC Asian Cup Group C
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Iran 3 2 1 0 6 3 +3 7 Advance to knockout stage
2  Uzbekistan 3 2 0 1 9 2 +7 6
3  China 3 1 1 1 7 6 +1 4
4  Malaysia (H) 3 0 0 3 1 12 −11 0
Source: Asian Cup 2007
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Iran 2–1 Uzbekistan
Hosseini 55'
Kazemian 78'		 Report Rezaei 16' (o.g.)
Attendance: 1,863
China 2–2 Iran
Shao Jiayi 7'
Mao Jianqing 33'		 Report Zandi 45+1'
Nekounam 74'
Attendance: 5,938
Malaysia 0–2 Iran
Report Nekounam 29' (pen.)
Teymourian 77'
Attendance: 4,520
Referee: Muhsen Basma (Syria)

Quarter-finals
Iran 0–0 (a.e.t.) South Korea
Report
Penalties
Zandi soccer ball with check mark
Mahdavikia soccer ball with red X
Enayati soccer ball with check mark
Khatibi soccer ball with red X		 2–4 soccer ball with check mark Lee Chun-Soo
soccer ball with check mark Kim Sang-Sik
soccer ball with red X Kim Do-Heon
soccer ball with check mark Cho Jae-Jin
soccer ball with check mark Kim Jung-Woo
Attendance: 8,629

2011 Asian Cup

Group D
Main article: 2011 AFC Asian Cup Group D
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Iran 3 3 0 0 6 1 +5 9 Advance to knockout stage
2  Iraq 3 2 0 1 3 2 +1 6
3  North Korea 3 0 1 2 0 2 −2 1
4  United Arab Emirates 3 0 1 2 0 4 −4 1
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
11 January 2011
Iraq 1–2 Iran
15 January 2011
Iran 1–0 North Korea
19 January 2011
United Arab Emirates 0–3 Iran

Quarter-finals
Iran 0–1 (a.e.t.) South Korea
Report Yoon Bit-Garam 105'
Attendance: 7,111

2015 Asian Cup

Group C
Main article: 2015 AFC Asian Cup Group C
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Iran 3 3 0 0 4 0 +4 9 Advance to knockout stage
2  United Arab Emirates 3 2 0 1 6 3 +3 6
3  Bahrain 3 1 0 2 3 5 −2 3
4  Qatar 3 0 0 3 2 7 −5 0
Source: Asian Cup Australia 2015
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
11 January 2015
Iran 2–0 BahrainAAMI Park, Melbourne
15 January 2015
Qatar 0–1 IranStadium Australia, Sydney
19 January 2015
Iran 1–0 United Arab EmiratesBrisbane Stadium, Brisbane

Quarter-finals
Iran 3–3 (a.e.t.) Iraq
Azmoun 24'
Pouraliganji 103'
Ghoochannejhad 119'		 Report Yasin 56'
Mahmoud 93'
Ismail 116' (pen.)
Penalties
Hajsafi soccer ball with red X
Pouraliganji soccer ball with check mark
Nekounam soccer ball with check mark
Hosseini soccer ball with check mark
Ghafouri soccer ball with check mark
Jahanbakhsh soccer ball with check mark
Teymourian soccer ball with check mark
Amiri soccer ball with red X		 6–7 soccer ball with red X Abdul-Amir
soccer ball with check mark Salem
soccer ball with check mark Ismail
soccer ball with check mark Adnan
soccer ball with check mark Mahmoud
soccer ball with check mark Kasim
soccer ball with check mark Hussein
soccer ball with check mark Shaker
Attendance: 18,921[5]

With the third strait defeats in the quarter-finals, Iran had failed to pass through the quarter-finals for three consecutive Asian Cup. Adding with the last time Iran crowned as champion in 1976, Iran had not won the Asian Cup for 43 years.

2019 Asian Cup

Ali Daei, former Iran's international, stated Iran would have to be more confident to win the Asian Cup and ended their 47 years in drought of the title, citing their 2018 World Cup participation as useful to help Iran.[6]

Group D
Main article: 2019 AFC Asian Cup Group D
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Iran 3 2 1 0 7 0 +7 7 Advance to knockout stage
2  Iraq 3 2 1 0 6 2 +4 7
3  Vietnam 3 1 0 2 4 5 −1 3
4  Yemen 3 0 0 3 0 10 −10 0
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Iran 5–0 Yemen
 Report
Attendance: 5,301
Referee: Ryuji Sato (Japan)
Vietnam 0–2 Iran
Report
Attendance: 10,841
Iran 0–0 Iraq
Report
Attendance: 15,038

Round of 16
Iran 2–0 Oman
 Report
Attendance: 31,945
Referee: César Ramos (Mexico)

Quarter-finals
China 0–3 Iran
Report
Attendance: 19,578

Semi-finals
Iran 0–3 Japan
Report
Attendance: 23,262

See also

References
  1. "Asian Cup 1968 Iran - Final round".
  2. "How the 1992 Asian Cup awoke Japanese football, the continent's sleeping giant". 4 January 2019. Archived from the original on 4 May 2021. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
  3. "1992 Asian Championship Campaign".
  4. "BetExplorer soccer stats - results, tables, soccer stats & odds".
  5. "Iraq beat Iran on penalties to settle classic Asian Cup encounter". TheGuardian.com. 23 January 2015.
  6. "Daei Confident Iran Will Win AFC Asian Cup Title". 4 May 2018.
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