1985 Arab Cup

Last updated
1985 Arab Cup
Tournament details
Host countrySaudi Arabia
Dates3–12 July
Teams6 (from 2 confederations)
Venue1 (in 1 host city)
Final positions
ChampionsFlag of Iraq (1963-1991); Flag of Syria (1963-1972).svg  Iraq (3rd title)
Runners-upFlag of Bahrain.svg  Bahrain
Third placeFlag of Saudi Arabia.svg  Saudi Arabia
Fourth placeFlag of Qatar.svg  Qatar
Tournament statistics
Matches played10
Goals scored21 (2.1 per match)
Top scorer(s) Flag of Iraq (1963-1991); Flag of Syria (1963-1972).svg Anad Abid
(5 goals)
Best player Flag of Saudi Arabia.svg Mohamed Abd Al-Jawad [1]
Best goalkeeper Flag of Bahrain (1972-2002).svg Mohammed Saleh
Fair play awardFlag of Jordan.svg  Jordan
← 1966
1988 →

The 1985 Arab Cup was the fourth edition of the Arab Cup hosted by Ta'if, Saudi Arabia. The competition returned after nineteen years of absence and was the first one under the auspices of the Union of Arab Football Associations (UAFA). The defending champion Iraq won the title for the third consecutive time.

Contents

Qualification

Zone 1 (Gulf Area)

Bahrain and Qatar qualified.

Zone 2 (Red Sea)

The tournament was held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. [2] [3]

TeamPldWDLGFGAGDPts
Flag of Saudi Arabia.svg  Saudi Arabia 330050+56
Flag of Sudan.svg  Sudan 3201???4
Flag of Somalia.svg  Somalia 3012???1
Flag of South Yemen.svg  South Yemen 301213–21
Saudi Arabia  Flag of Saudi Arabia.svg1–0Flag of Somalia.svg  Somalia
Abdullah Soccerball shade.svg72' (pen.)
Al-Malaz Stadium, Riyadh
Sudan  Flag of Sudan.svg1–0Flag of South Yemen.svg  South Yemen
Al-Nager Soccerball shade.svg
Al-Malaz Stadium, Riyadh
Sudan  Flag of Sudan.svgW–LFlag of Somalia.svg  Somalia
Al-Malaz Stadium, Riyadh
Saudi Arabia  Flag of Saudi Arabia.svg3–0Flag of Sudan.svg  Sudan
Al-Nafisah Soccerball shade.svg24'
Abdullah Soccerball shade.svg43', 69'
Al-Malaz Stadium, Riyadh

Saudi Arabia qualified.

Zone 3 (North Africa)

Mauritania qualified automatically as the other North African teams (Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia) withdrew due to their participation in the 1986 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. [5]

Mauritania qualified.

Zone 4 (East Region)

The tournament was held in Amman, Jordan. [6]

TeamPldWDLGFGAGDPts
Flag of Jordan.svg  Jordan 110032+12
Flag of Iraq (1963-1991); Flag of Syria (1963-1972).svg  Iraq 100123–10
Jordan  Flag of Jordan.svg3–2 (a.e.t.)Flag of Iraq (1963-1991); Flag of Syria (1963-1972).svg  Iraq
Abu-Ahed Soccerball shade.svg51'
Ibrahim Soccerball shade.svg68'
Awad Soccerball shade.svg93'		 Saeed Soccerball shade.svg43', 75'
Amman International Stadium, Amman

Jordan and Iraq qualified due to the withdrawal of the other teams in the group.

Qualified teams

Iraq participated with its B team in the final tournament. The 6 qualified teams were:

Participants
ZoneTeam
Zone 1 (Gulf Area)Flag of Bahrain (1972-2002).svg  Bahrain
Flag of Qatar.svg  Qatar
Zone 2 (Red Sea)Flag of Saudi Arabia.svg  Saudi Arabia (hosts)
Zone 3 (North Africa)Flag of Mauritania (1959-2017).svg  Mauritania
Zone 4 (East Region)Flag of Iraq (1963-1991); Flag of Syria (1963-1972).svg  Iraq B
Flag of Jordan.svg  Jordan

Venues

Ta’if
King Fahd Stadium
Capacity: 17,000
King Fahd Stadium THAILAND U-17 VS SAUDI ARABIA U-17.jpg

Squads

Group stage

Group A

TeamPldWDLGFGAGDPts
Flag of Saudi Arabia.svg  Saudi Arabia 220050+54
Flag of Qatar.svg  Qatar 210121+12
Flag of Jordan.svg  Jordan 200206−60
Saudi Arabia  Flag of Saudi Arabia.svg4–0Flag of Jordan.svg  Jordan
Nu'eimeh Soccerball shade.svg45'
Azmi Soccerball shade.svg49' (o.g.)
Al-Musaibeah Soccerball shade.svg58'
Al-Bishi Soccerball shade.svg89'		 Report
King Fahd Stadium, Taif
Referee: Nizar Watti (Syria)
Qatar  Flag of Qatar.svg2–0Flag of Jordan.svg  Jordan
Khalfan Soccerball shade.svg32'
Muftah Soccerball shade.svg66'
King Fahd Stadium, Taif
Referee: Belaïd Lacarne (Algeria)

Group B

TeamPldWDLGFGAGDPts
Flag of Bahrain (1972-2002).svg  Bahrain 211031+23
Flag of Iraq (1963-1991); Flag of Syria (1963-1972).svg  Iraq B 211031+23
Flag of Mauritania (1959-2017).svg  Mauritania 200204−40
Iraq B  Flag of Iraq (1963-1991); Flag of Syria (1963-1972).svg1–1Flag of Bahrain (1972-2002).svg  Bahrain
Abid Soccerball shade.svg42' Report Eid Soccerball shade.svg78'
King Fahd Stadium, Taif
Referee: Mohamed Larache (Morocco)
Bahrain  Flag of Bahrain (1972-2002).svg2–0Flag of Mauritania (1959-2017).svg  Mauritania
Shwetar Soccerball shade.svg15', 74'
King Fahd Stadium, Taif
Referee: Tahar Zaghlout (Libya)
Iraq B  Flag of Iraq (1963-1991); Flag of Syria (1963-1972).svg2–0Flag of Mauritania (1959-2017).svg  Mauritania
Mahmoud Soccerball shade.svg42'
Abid Soccerball shade.svg60'
King Fahd Stadium, Taif
Referee: Mohammed Senhoub (Yemen)

Knock-out stage

 
Semi-finalsFinal
 
      
 
10 July 1985 – Taif
 
 
Flag of Iraq (1963-1991); Flag of Syria (1963-1972).svg  Iraq B 3
 
12 July 1985 – Taif
 
Flag of Saudi Arabia.svg  Saudi Arabia 2
 
Flag of Iraq (1963-1991); Flag of Syria (1963-1972).svg  Iraq B 1
 
10 July 1985 – Taif
 
Flag of Bahrain (1972-2002).svg  Bahrain 0
 
Flag of Bahrain (1972-2002).svg  Bahrain (p)1 (3)
 
 
Flag of Qatar.svg  Qatar 1 (1)
 
Third place
 
 
12 July 1985 – Taif
 
 
Flag of Saudi Arabia.svg  Saudi Arabia (p)0 (3)
 
 
Flag of Qatar.svg  Qatar 0 (1)

Semi-finals

Iraq B  Flag of Iraq (1963-1991); Flag of Syria (1963-1972).svg3–2Flag of Saudi Arabia.svg  Saudi Arabia
Abid Soccerball shade.svg13', 18'
Rashid Soccerball shade.svg28'		 Report Nu'eimeh Soccerball shade.svg47' (pen.)
Abd Al-Jawad Soccerball shade.svg88'
King Fahd Stadium, Taif
Referee: Belaïd Lacarne (Algeria)
Bahrain  Flag of Bahrain (1972-2002).svg1–1 (a.e.t.)Flag of Qatar.svg  Qatar
Al-Harban Soccerball shade.svg55' Muftah Soccerball shade.svg40'
Penalties
Hassan Soccerball shade cross.svg
Shwetar Soccerball shad check.svg
Saif Soccerball shad check.svg
Al-Harban Soccerball shad check.svg		3–1Soccerball shad check.svg Al-Adsani
Soccerball shade cross.svg Al Ammari
Soccerball shade cross.svg Sabela
Soccerball shade cross.svg Muftah
King Fahd Stadium, Taif
Referee: Abdul Aziz Al-Salmi (Kuwait)

Third place play-off

Final

Iraq B  Flag of Iraq (1963-1991); Flag of Syria (1963-1972).svg1–0Flag of Bahrain (1972-2002).svg  Bahrain
Abid Soccerball shade.svg21' Report
King Fahd Stadium, Taif
Referee: Abdul Aziz Al-Salmi (Kuwait)

Goalscorers

There were 21 goals scored in 10 matches, for an average of 2.1 goals per match.

5 goals

2 goals

1 goal

1 own goal

References

  1. ↑ "عبدالجواد افضل لاعب".
  2. ↑ "المباراة التاريخية لمنتخب اليمن الديمقراطي أمام المنتخب السعودي" (in Arabic). Adngad. 21 September 2025.
  3. ↑ "Majed Abdullah Mohammed - Century of International Appearances". RSSSF. 2 July 2020.
  4. ↑ "السودان في كأس العرب.. 3 مشاركات ووداع مبكر" (in Arabic). Kooora. 25 April 2021.
  5. ↑ "كأس العرب 1963 - 2021 (p 26)". kooora.com (in Arabic). Abd El Baset Najar (Author: Mahmoud Qarqura). 15 October 2021.
  6. ↑ "تفاصيل مباراة الأردن و العراق" (in Arabic). JFA.com. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  7. ↑ "تصفيات كاس العرب" (in Arabic). NIIIIS.com. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
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