Iraq top Group A of ‘Khaleeji 27’ after defeating Kuwait 3-2

By the Editorial Team · Sunday, September 27, 2026

Iraq defeated Kuwait 3-2 in a dramatic late comeback during the second round of the Khaleeji 27 Arabian Gulf Cup group stage in Jeddah. This win places Iraq at the top of Group A with four points, improving their chances of advancing to the semifinals.

Iraq secured a 3-2 victory over Kuwait on Saturday evening in the second round of the group stage at the 27th Arabian Gulf Cup, known as Khaleeji 27. The tightly contested match took place in Jeddah as part of the regional tournament featuring eight national teams.

Kuwait initially responded strongly with two late goals from Yousuf Nasser, who converted a penalty in the 75th minute and netted again in stoppage time. However, Iraq maintained the edge through key strikes by Zaidan Iqbal in the 52nd minute and Saif Hameed in the 83rd minute. The winning goal came from Karrar Nabeel during the ninth minute of added time, securing Iraq’s comeback victory.

Group A of the competition includes Iraq, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait, with the top two teams advancing to the semifinals. Following this result, Iraq leads the group with four points, followed by Saudi Arabia with three points, Oman with one point, and Kuwait yet to earn a point.

Khaleeji 27 began on September 23 and will continue until October 6, 2026. The tournament features eight Gulf Cooperation Council member countries—Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Oman, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Yemen—competing for the regional title in one of the most prominent football events in the Arab world.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.