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 recordQualification recordYearRoundPositionSquadManager(s) 1956WithdrewWithdrew 1960Did not qualify63121210 1964WithdrewWithdrew 1968Champions1st4400112SquadBayatiQualified as hosts 1972Champions1st5500124SquadRanjbarQualified as champions 1976Champions 1st4400130SquadMohajeraniQualified as hosts 1980Third place3rd6321166SquadHabibiQualified as champions 1984Fourth place4th624083SquadEbrahimi6600222 1988Third place3rd622234SquadDehdari422061 1992Group stage5th311121SquadParvin2200100 1996Third place3rd6321146SquadMayelikohan6600271 2000Quarter-finals6th421173SquadTalebi6411162 2004Third place3rd6330148SquadIvanković6501165 2007Quarter-finals6th422063SquadGhalenoei6420122 20117th430162SquadGhotbi6411112 20156th431073SquadQueiroz6510185 2019Semi-finals3rd6411123SquadQueiroz8620263 20233rd6411127SquadGhalenoei8602344 2027Qualified6420164Total3 titles16/19744520914355——765712722641
Head-to-head record OpponentWin % Total (28)
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.
1972 Asian Cup
Group allocation match
Group A
Semi-finals
Final
1976 Asian Cup
Group B
Semi-finals
Final
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
Semi-finals
Third place match
1984 Asian Cup
Group B
Semi-finals
Third place match
1988 Asian Cup
Group A
Semi-finals
Third place match
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. Many Iranian supporters have continued to hold the match as the biggest robbery in their football history.
Group A
1996 Asian Cup
Group B
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
Third place match
2000 Asian Cup
Group A
Quarter-finals
2004 Asian Cup
Group D
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
Third place match
2007 Asian Cup
Group C
Quarter-finals
2011 Asian Cup
Group D
11 January 20111–215 January 20111–019 January 20110–3
Quarter-finals
2015 Asian Cup
Group C
11 January 2015 2–0 AAMI Park, Melbourne15 January 2015 0–1 Stadium Australia, Sydney19 January 2015 1–0 Brisbane Stadium, Brisbane
Quarter-finals
With a third straight defeat 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.
Group D
Round of 16
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
2023 Asian Cup
Group C
Knockout stage
Round of 16
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
2027 Asian Cup
Group C
See also Iran at the FIFA World Cup Iranian football clubs in the AFC Champions League AFC Champions League clubs performance comparison
References