United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates have never won a FIFA World Cup or AFC Asian Cup.
Asia (AFC) · No major trophy yet
Still waiting for a first World Cup or continental title
United Arab Emirates have never won a FIFA World Cup or AFC Asian Cup.
Asia (AFC) · No major trophy yet
United Arab Emirates are one of 160 national teams who have never won a FIFA World Cup or their confederation's continental championship — the same two-tier standard tracked for every team on this site. The United Arab Emirates finished runners-up at the 1996 Asian Cup on home soil after losing to Saudi Arabia on penalties, and took third place in 2015 with a 3-2 win over Iraq. Their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign ended in November 2025: Iraq won the return play-off leg 2-1 and the tie 3-2 on aggregate. A qualifying play-off and an Asian Cup finals match are different competitions.
| Confederation | Asia (AFC) |
|---|---|
| Continental title tracked | AFC Asian Cup |
| Selected tournament milestones | The United Arab Emirates finished runners-up at the 1996 Asian Cup on home soil after losing to Saudi Arabia on penalties, and took third place in 2015 with a 3-2 win over Iraq. Their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign ended in November 2025: Iraq won the return play-off leg 2-1 and the tie 3-2 on aggregate. A qualifying play-off and an Asian Cup finals match are different competitions. |
To join the 51 nations already tracked here, United Arab Emirates would need to win either the FIFA World Cup or the AFC Asian Cup — the top continental honor in the Asia (AFC) region. Future opportunities depend on the eligibility and qualification rules for each edition. The current wait does not imply that a completed tournament can still be won.
Regional success and the continental wait are different records. The UAE remain two-time Gulf Cup winners after finishing runners-up in 2026, losing the final 2–0 to Saudi Arabia on 6 October. UAE Now covers Dalić, the completed tournament and the confirmed Asian Cup 2027 fixtures.
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The story behind the wait — and what is happening now.
No. United Arab Emirates have never won a FIFA World Cup or the AFC Asian Cup. The United Arab Emirates finished runners-up at the 1996 Asian Cup on home soil after losing to Saudi Arabia on penalties, and took third place in 2015 with a 3-2 win over Iraq. Their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign ended in November 2025: Iraq won the return play-off leg 2-1 and the tie 3-2 on aggregate. A qualifying play-off and an Asian Cup finals match are different competitions.
The United Arab Emirates finished runners-up at the 1996 Asian Cup on home soil after losing to Saudi Arabia on penalties, and took third place in 2015 with a 3-2 win over Iraq. Their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign ended in November 2025: Iraq won the return play-off leg 2-1 and the tie 3-2 on aggregate. A qualifying play-off and an Asian Cup finals match are different competitions.
The FIFA World Cup and the AFC Asian Cup are the two competitions tracked on this site — future opportunities depend on the eligibility and qualification rules for each edition.
United Arab Emirates competes in Asia (AFC). Its main continental championship is the AFC Asian Cup.
We track the FIFA World Cup and each team's top senior men's continental championship. Regional, youth and club competitions are not included in this main ranking.
The sources below document selected tournament milestones and completed campaigns. Qualifying ties, Nations League group wins and regional honours are distinct from World Cup and top continental championship titles. Tournament edition names do not always match the calendar year in which every match was played.
UAE
