Union of Arab Football Associations

Union of Arab Football Associations
الإتحاد العربي لكرة القدم
	AFC members CAF members
Formation	27 January 1974; 50 years ago
Type	Sports organization
Headquarters	Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Region served	Arab world
Membership	22 members Algeria ; Bahrain ; Comoros ; Djibouti ; Egypt ; Iraq ; Jordan ; Kuwait ; Lebanon ; Libya ; Mauritania ; Morocco ; Oman ; Palestine ; Qatar ; Saudi Arabia ; Somalia ; Sudan ; Syria ; Tunisia ; United Arab Emirates ; Yemen ;
Official language	Arabic and English
President	Abdulaziz bin Turki
Website	uafa-ac.com

The Union of Arab Football Associations (UAFA; Arabic: الاتحاد العربي لكرة القدم; French: Union des associations de football arabe) is the governing body of football in the Arab League.^[1]^[2]^[3] Established in 1974, UAFA is an independent body comprising 22 member associations: twelve from Asia and ten from Africa.^[4]^[5]^[6]^[7]

UAFA organises a number of competitions, most notably the Arab Cup for national teams (which has been organised by FIFA since 2021) and the Arab Club Champions Cup for club teams.^[8]^[9]^[10]^[11]

History

The Union of Arab Football Associations (UAFA) was established on 27 January 1974 in Tripoli, Libya.^[12] In 1976, a general assembly was held in Damascus, Syria, and the football association headquarters were transferred to their present seat in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.^[13]

Presidents

Period	Name
1974–1976	Abdul Latif Booker
1976–1999	Faisal bin Fahd
1999–2011	Sultan bin Fahd
2011–2014	Nawaf bin Faisal
2014–2017	Turki bin Khalid
2017–2019	Turki Al-Sheikh
2019–present	Abdulaziz bin Turki

Member associations

All UAFA members from the Asian Football Confederation are also members of the West Asian Football Federation (WAFF). All WAFF and Union of North African Football (UNAF) members are UAFA members.

Country	Confederation	Sub-confederation	Year
Algeria	CAF	UNAF	1974
Bahrain	AFC	WAFF	1976
Comoros	CAF	COSAFA	2003
Djibouti	CAF	CECAFA	1998
Egypt	CAF	UNAF	1974
Iraq	AFC	WAFF	1974
Jordan	AFC	WAFF	1974
Kuwait	AFC	WAFF	1976
Lebanon	AFC	WAFF	1978
Libya	CAF	UNAF	1974
Mauritania	CAF	WAFU	1989
Morocco	CAF	UNAF	1976
Oman	AFC	WAFF	1978
Palestine	AFC	WAFF	1974
Qatar	AFC	WAFF	1976
Saudi Arabia	AFC	WAFF	1974
Somalia	CAF	CECAFA	1974
Sudan	CAF	CECAFA	1978
Syria	AFC	WAFF	1974
Tunisia	CAF	UNAF	1976
United Arab Emirates	AFC	WAFF	1974
Yemen	AFC	WAFF	1978

Competitions

Men's senior

Men's youth

Women's senior and youth

Clubs

Current title holders

National teams
Competition	Edition	Champions	Title	Runners-up	Next edition	Dates
Arab Cup	2021 (final)	Algeria	1st	Tunisia	2025	TBD
Arab Cup U-20	2022	Saudi Arabia	2nd	Egypt	TBD	TBD
Arab Cup U-17	2022	Algeria	1st	Morocco	TBD	TBD
Football at the Arab Games	2023	Saudi Arabia	1st	Syria	TBD	TBD
Arab Futsal Cup	2023	Morocco	3rd	Kuwait	TBD	TBD
Arab Beach Soccer Championship	2023	Egypt	2nd	Oman	TBD	TBD
National teams (women)
Arab Women's Cup	2021	Jordan	1st	Tunisia	TBD	TBD
Arab U-20 Women's Cup					TBD	TBD
Arab U-17 Women's Cup	2015	Lebanon	1st	Djibouti	TBD	TBD
Club teams
Arab Club Champions Cup	2023 (final)	Al Nassr	1st	Al Hilal	TBD	TBD

FIFA World Rankings

Men's national teams

Rankings are calculated by FIFA.^[14]

UAFA	FIFA	Country	Points	+/−	Confederation
1	14	Morocco	1669.44	2	CAF
2	34	Qatar	1504.06	1	AFC
3	36	Egypt	1502.34	0	CAF
4	41	Tunisia	1494.06	0	CAF
5	46	Algeria	1474.13	2	CAF
6	55	Iraq	1433.07	0	AFC
7	56	Saudi Arabia	1431.3	0	AFC
8	68	Jordan	1374.13	0	AFC
9	69	United Arab Emirates	1368.84	0	AFC
10	76	Oman	1326.18	0	AFC
11	80	Bahrain	1302.86	1	AFC
12	93	Syria	1246.68	0	AFC
13	96	Palestine	1231.25	1	AFC
14	112	Mauritania	1177.5	0	CAF
15	116	Lebanon	1167.64	1	AFC
16	117	Libya	1165.73	1	CAF
17	119	Comoros	1158.71	0	CAF
18	121	Sudan	1152.29	0	CAF
19	136	Kuwait	1098.42	1	AFC
20	156	Yemen	1021.24	1	AFC
21	193	Djibouti	875.13	0	CAF
22	202	Somalia	829.81	0	CAF

Last updated 18 July 2024

Women's national teams

Rankings are calculated by FIFA.^[15]

UAFA	FIFA	Country	Points	+/−	Confederation
1	59	Morocco	1426.09	1	CAF
2	74	Jordan	1331.17	0	AFC
3	78	Tunisia	1280.87	0	CAF
4	84	Algeria	1264.25	0	CAF
5	91	Bahrain	1226.16	5	AFC
6	94	Egypt	1217.29	0	CAF
7	114	United Arab Emirates	1158.26	0	AFC
8	131	Palestine	1100.42	5	AFC
9	134	Lebanon	1090.59	2	AFC
10	162	Syria	931.42	0	AFC
11	172	Iraq	862.8	0	AFC
12	175	Saudi Arabia	848.57	0	AFC
13	187	Comoros	717.41	0	CAF
-	-	Kuwait			AFC
-	-	Qatar			AFC
-	-	Libya			CAF
-	-	Sudan			CAF
-	-	Djibouti			CAF
-	-	Mauritania			CAF

Last updated June 14, 2024

International competitions participation

Legend

— CAF teams
— AFC teams

1st — Champions
2nd — Runners-up
3rd — Third place
4th — Fourth place
SF – Semi-final (no third place match)
QF — Quarterfinals (1934–1938, 1954–1970, and 1986–present: knockout round of 8)
R2 — Round 2 (1974–1978, second group stage, top 8; 1982: second group stage, top 12; 1986–2022: knockout round of 16)
R1 — Round 1 (1930, 1950–1970 and 1986-present: group stage; 1934–1938: knockout round of 16; 1974–1982: first group stage)

Q — Qualified for upcoming tournament
•• — Qualified but withdrew
• — Did not qualify
× — Did not enter / Withdrew / Banned / Entry not accepted by FIFA
— Hosts
— Not affiliated to FIFA

FIFA World Cup

Total	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	2	3	2	2	3	2	2	1	1	4	4				29
Team	1930 (13)	1934 (16)	1938 (15)	1950 (13)	1954 (16)	1958 (16)	1962 (16)	1966 (16)	1970 (16)	1974 (16)	1978 (16)	1982 (24)	1986 (24)	1990 (24)	1994 (24)	1998 (32)	2002 (32)	2006 (32)	2010 (32)	2014 (32)	2018 (32)	2022 (32)	2026 (48)	2030 (48)	2034 (48)	Total	inclusive WC Qual.
Algeria	Part of France^[16]							×	•	•	•	R1 13th	R1 22nd	•	•	•	•	•	R1 28th	R2 14th	•	•				4	14
Egypt	×	R1 13th	×	×	•	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	•	R1 20th	•	•	•	•	•	•	R1 31st	•				3	15
Iraq				×	×	×	×	×	×	•	×	•	R1 23rd	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•				1	12
Kuwait				×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	R1 21st	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•				1	13
Morocco	Part of France						•	×	R1 14th	•	•	•	R2 11th	•	R1 23rd	R1 18th	•	•	•	•	R1 27th	4th		Q		6	15
Qatar										x	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	R1 32nd				1	12
Saudi Arabia						×	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	•	R2 12th	R1 28th	R1 32nd	R1 T-28th	•	•	R1 26th	R1 25th			Q	6	12
Tunisia	Part of France						•	×	•	•	R1 9th	•	•	•	•	R1 26th	R1 29th	R1 24th	•	•	R1 24th	R1 21st				6	15
United Arab Emirates											×	×	•	R1 24th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•				1	10

FIFA Women's World Cup

FIFA Women's World Cup record
Team	1991 (12)	1995 (12)	1999 (16)	2003 (16)	2007 (16)	2011 (16)	2015 (24)	2019 (24)	2023 (32)	2027 (32)	Apps.
Morocco	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	R2 12th		1/9
Total (1 team)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1		1

Olympic Games

Nation	00	04	08	12	20	24	28	36	48	52	56	60	64	68	72	76	80	84	88	92	96	00	04	08	12	16	20	24	Years
Algeria	Part of France												–	–	–		8	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	14	–	–	2
Egypt^[17]				–	8	8	4	=9	=11	=9	w/o	12	4	–	–	–	w/o	8	–	12	–	–	–	–	8	–	8	4	13
Iraq									–			–	–	–			5	14	9	–	–	–	4	–	–	12	–	10	6
Kuwait														–	–	–	6	–	–	16	–	12	–	–	–	IOA	–	–	3
Morocco				Part of France								–	13	w/o	8	–		12	–	15	–	16	=10	–	11	–	–	3	8
Qatar																		15	–	8	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	2
Saudi Arabia															–	–	w/o	16	–	–	15	–	–	–	–	–	15	–	3
Sudan	Part of the United Kingdom											–		–	15			–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	1
Syria									–			UAR		–	–		14	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	1
Tunisia	Part of France											15	–	–	–	–		–	13	–	14	–	12	–	–	–	–	–	4
United Arab Emirates																		–	–	–	–	–	–	–	15	–	–	–	1
Total nations	0	0	0	0	1	1	1	1	1	1	0	2	2	0	2	0	4	5	2	4	2	2	3	0	3	2	2	3	44

FIFA Arab Cup

Team	1963 (5)	1964 (5)	1966 (10)	1985 (6)	1988 (10)	1992 (6)	1998 (12)	2002 (10)	2012 (11)	2021 (16)	2025 (...)	Total
Algeria	×	×	×	×	GS	×	GS	×	×	1st		3
Bahrain	×	×	GS	2nd	GS	×	×	2nd	GS	GS		6
Egypt	×	×	×	×	3rd	1st	GS	×	GS	4th		5
Iraq	×	1st	1st	1st	1st	×	×	×	3rd	GS		6
Jordan	GS	GS	GS	GS	4th	GS	GS	SF	×	QF		9
Kuwait	4th	3rd	GS	×	GS	3rd	3rd	GS	GS	•		8
Lebanon	3rd	4th	4th	×	GS	×	GS	GS	GS	GS		8
Libya	×	2nd	3rd	×	×	×	GS	×	2nd	•		4
Mauritania	×	×	×	GS	•	×	×	×	×	GS		2
Morocco	×	×	×	×	×	×	GS	SF	1st	QF		4
Oman	×	×	GS	×	×	×	×	×	×	QF		2
Palestine	×	×	GS	×	×	GS	•	GS	GS	GS		5
Qatar	×	×	×	4th	×	×	2nd	×	×	3rd	Q	4
Saudi Arabia	×	×	×	3rd	GS	2nd	1st	1st	4th	GS		7
Sudan	×	×	×	•	×	×	GS	GS	GS	GS		4
Syria	2nd	×	2nd	×	2nd	4th	GS	GS	×	GS		7
Tunisia	1st	×	×	×	GS	×	×	×	×	2nd		3
United Arab Emirates	×	×	×	×	×	×	4th	×	×	QF		2
Yemen	×	×	GS	×	×	×	×	GS	GS	•		3

Arab Games

Team	1953	1957	1961	1965	1976	1985	1992	1997	1999	2007	2011	2023	2027	Years
Algeria						3rd						4th		2
Bahrain									GS		1st			2
Egypt	1st		2nd	1st			1st			1st				5
Iraq		GS		GS		1st			2nd		GS			5
Jordan	4th	GS			GS		GS	1st	1st		2nd			7
Kuwait			GS				3rd	4th			3rd			4
Lebanon	GS	3rd	4th	GS				3rd	GS			GS		7
Libya	3rd	GS	3rd	3rd		GS		GS	3rd	2nd	GS			9
Mauritania					GS	GS		GS				GS		4
Morocco		4th	1st		1st	2nd								4
Oman				GS				GS	GS		GS	GS		5
Palestine	GS			4th	GS		GS		3rd		4th	GS		7
Qatar									GS		GS			2
Saudi Arabia		GS	GS		2nd	4th	2nd		GS	3rd	GS	1st	Q	9
Somalia						GS								1
Sudan				2nd						GS	GS	3rd		4
Syria	2nd	1st		GS	3rd	GS	4th	2nd	GS			2nd		9
Tunisia		2nd				GS								2
United Arab Emirates						GS		GS	GS	4th				4
Yemen				GS	4th	GS								3
Total	6	8	6	9	7	11	6	8	11	5	10	8

Defunct competitions

FIFA Confederations Cup

Team	1992 (4)	1995 (6)	1997 (8)	1999 (8)	2001 (8)	2003 (8)	2005 (8)	2009 (8)	2013 (8)	2017 (8)	Years
Egypt	•	•	•	GS	•	•	•	GS	•	•	2
Iraq	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	GS	•	•	1
Saudi Arabia	2nd	GS	GS	4th	•	•	•	•	•	•	4
Tunisia	•	•	•	•	•	•	GS	•	•	•	1
United Arab Emirates	•	•	GS	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	1
Total	1	1	2	2	0	0	1	2	0	0	10

References

^ "The participants in the #FIFAWFC2019". FIFA.com. 1 June 2019.
^ "Jordan Football Association". FIFA.com. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
^ "Djiboutian Football Federation". FIFA.com. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
^ "About Us". UAFA-ac.com. Retrieved 29 March 2024.
^ "AFC and UAFA sign Memorandum of Understanding". Asian Football Confederation. 1 May 2015.
^ "Shaikh Salman looks for more cooperation with UAFA". Asian Football Confederation. 14 May 2017.
^ "AFC and SAFF Presidents hold productive discussions on football development". Asian Football Confederation. 26 May 2018.
^ "Morocco shock favourites to lift cup". FIFA.com. 7 July 2012.
^ "FIFA Arab Cup 2021 – Teams – Lebanon". FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
^ "USM Alger 3-2 Al Arabi (UAFA Club Cup 2012/13)". FIFA.com. 11 June 2013.
^ "How Cristiano Ronaldo and Sadio Mane have bonded at Al Nassr". FIFA.com. 8 August 2023.
^ "مستندات وصور عن تاسيس الاتحاد العربي لكرة القدم". Libya Sport TV (Fb) (in Arabic). Redaction. 22 December 2019.
^ "Union of Arab Football Associations celebrates the 50th anniversary of foundation". uafa-ac.com. Redaction. 17 January 2024.
^ "FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking Procedure (Men)". Archived from the original on October 9, 2011.
^ "The FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking (Women)". FIFA. 2011-07-22. Archived from the original on June 4, 2007. Retrieved 2011-08-11.
^ Algeria gained independence in 1962, but they joined with other African nations to boycott the 1966 FIFA World Cup. Thus the 1970 FIFA World Cup qualification was their first participation.
^ Egypt team represented the United Arab Republic with Syria in 1960 finishing the 12th and alone in 1964 finishing the 4th.

External links

Official website

[1] "The participants in the #FIFAWFC2019". FIFA.com. 1 June 2019.

[2] "Jordan Football Association". FIFA.com. Retrieved 18 February 2024.

[3] "Djiboutian Football Federation". FIFA.com. Retrieved 18 February 2024.

[4] "About Us". UAFA-ac.com. Retrieved 29 March 2024.

[5] "AFC and UAFA sign Memorandum of Understanding". Asian Football Confederation. 1 May 2015.

[6] "Shaikh Salman looks for more cooperation with UAFA". Asian Football Confederation. 14 May 2017.

[7] "AFC and SAFF Presidents hold productive discussions on football development". Asian Football Confederation. 26 May 2018.

[8] "Morocco shock favourites to lift cup". FIFA.com. 7 July 2012.

[9] "FIFA Arab Cup 2021 – Teams – Lebanon". FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. Retrieved 27 April 2021.

[10] "USM Alger 3-2 Al Arabi (UAFA Club Cup 2012/13)". FIFA.com. 11 June 2013.

[11] "How Cristiano Ronaldo and Sadio Mane have bonded at Al Nassr". FIFA.com. 8 August 2023.

[12] "مستندات وصور عن تاسيس الاتحاد العربي لكرة القدم". Libya Sport TV (Fb) (in Arabic). Redaction. 22 December 2019.

[13] "Union of Arab Football Associations celebrates the 50th anniversary of foundation". uafa-ac.com. Redaction. 17 January 2024.

[14] "FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking Procedure (Men)". Archived from the original on October 9, 2011.

[15] "The FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking (Women)". FIFA. 2011-07-22. Archived from the original on June 4, 2007. Retrieved 2011-08-11.

[16] Algeria gained independence in 1962, but they joined with other African nations to boycott the 1966 FIFA World Cup. Thus the 1970 FIFA World Cup qualification was their first participation.

[17] Egypt team represented the United Arab Republic with Syria in 1960 finishing the 12th and alone in 1964 finishing the 4th.

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