Shafaq News- Baghdad

Matches at the upcoming 27th Arabian Gulf Cup will count as official international fixtures, with their results affecting the participating teams' FIFA world ranking points, FIFA said on Saturday.

The tournament traditionally brings together the eight national teams of Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Oman and Yemen.

The 27th Gulf Cup will be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, from Sept. 23 to Oct. 6, 2026, coinciding with a FIFA international window and allowing participating teams to call up their professional players and rely on their main squads.

Iraq have a strong history in the Arabian Gulf Cup, having won the tournament four times. Their first title came on home soil in 1979, followed by victories in 1984 and 1988. Iraq ended a 35-year wait for their fourth championship in 2023, when they lifted the trophy in Basra.