Iran–Iraq football rivalry
The Iran and Iraq national football teams are sporting rivals who have played each other since 1962.
According to The Malay Mail, "Emotions are always high when Iran and Iraq meet on the football pitch".
The most recent matches between the two teams were the group stage match of the 2019 AFC Asian Cup where Iraq and Iran drew 0–0 and a World Cup qualifier in November 2019 hosted in Jordan, where Iraq won the game by 2–1.
Origins
The rivalry is not such a football-inspired ill-feeling between the two, but more of geography, religion and history.Iran and Iraq are neighbouring countries, sharing a long history. In contemporary era, especially during the reign of Saddam Hussein, the two countries had bad relations and fought the Iran–Iraq War for 8 years.
In 2001, for the first time in decades, an Iran-Iraq match was not held at a neutral venue.
Major tournament matches
1972 AFC Asian Cup----
1976 AFC Asian Cup
----
1994 FIFA World Cup qualification
----
1996 AFC Asian Cup
----
2000 AFC Asian Cup
----
2002 FIFA World Cup qualification
----
2002 FIFA World Cup qualification
----
2011 AFC Asian Cup
----
2015 AFC Asian Cup
----
2019 AFC Asian Cup
----
2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
----
2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
Matches
| # | Date | Competition | Home team | Score | Away team | Goals | Goals | Venue |
| 1 | 1 June 1962 | Friendly | 1–1 | Kouzehkanani | Abbas |  Amjadieh Stadium, Tehran | ||
| 2 | 3 June 1962 | Friendly | 1–2 | ' | Kouzehkanani | Ismail ; Hameed | Amjadieh Stadium, Tehran | |
| 3 | 2 January 1964 | 1964 Olympic qualification | ' | 4–0 | Shirzadegan ; Arab ; | Amjadieh Stadium, Tehran | ||
| 4 | 22 March 1964 | 1964 Olympic qualification | 0–0 |  Sahat Al Kashafa Stadium, Baghdad | ||||
| 5 | 7 March 1969 | 1969 Friendship Cup | ' | 2–1 | Ghelichkhani ; Eftekhari | Dhiab |  Amjadieh Stadium, Tehran | |
| 6 | 9 May 1972 | 1972 Asian Cup | ' | 3–0 | Kalani |  National Stadium, Bangkok | ||
| 7 | 13 September 1974 | 1974 Asian Games | ' | 1–0 | Roshan | Aryamehr Stadium, Tehran | ||
| 8 | 24 August 1975 | 1976 Olympic qualification | 1–0 | Khorshidi | Aryamehr Stadium, Tehran | |||
| 9 | 4 June 1976 | 1976 Asian Cup | ' | 2–0 | Nouraei ; Roshan | Aryamehr Stadium, Tehran | ||
| 10 | 5 November 1989 | 1989 Peace and Friendship Cup | 0–0 |  Al-Sadaqua Walsalam Stadium, Kuwait City | ||||
| 11 | 22 October 1993 | 1994 World Cup qualification | 1–2 | ' | Daei | Radhi ; Kadhim |  Khalifa Stadium, Doha | |
| 12 | 5 December 1996 | 1996 Asian Cup | 1–2 | ' | Daei | Fawzi ; Sabbar |  Al-Maktoum Stadium, Dubai | |
| 13 | 18 October 2000 | 2000 Asian Cup | ' | 1–0 | Daei |  Saida Stadium, Sidon | ||
| 14 | 7 September 2001 | 2002 World Cup qualification | 1–2 | ' | Emad Reza | Karimi ; Daei |  Al-Shaab Stadium, Baghdad | |
| 15 | 12 October 2001 | 2002 World Cup qualification | ' | 2–1 | Mahdavikia ; Karimi | Chathir |  Azadi Stadium, Tehran | |
| 16 | 5 September 2002 | 2002 WAFF Championship | ' | 0–0 |  Abbasiyyin Stadium, Damascus | |||
| 17 | 13 August 2003 | 2003 LG Cup | 0–1 | ' | Swadi | Azadi Stadium, Tehran | ||
| 18 | 23 June 2004 | 2004 WAFF Championship | ' | 2–1 | Nekounam ; Borhani | Mnajed | Azadi Stadium, Tehran | |
| 19 | 4 October 2006 | 2006 LG Cup | ' | 2–0 | Rezaei ; Rajabzadeh |  International Stadium, Amman | ||
| 20 | 16 June 2007 | 2007 WAFF Championship | 0–0 | International Stadium, Amman | ||||
| 21 | 24 June 2007 | 2007 WAFF Championship | ' | 2–1 | Badamaki ; Beikzadeh | Sadir | International Stadium, Amman | |
| 22 | 1 October 2010 | 2010 WAFF Championship | ' | 2–1 | Hosseini ; Gholami | Karim | King Abdullah Stadium, Amman | |
| 23 | 11 January 2011 | 2011 Asian Cup | 1–2 | ' | Mahmoud | Rezaei ; Mobali | Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium, Doha | |
| 24 | 4 January 2015 | Friendly | 0–1 | ' | Azmoun |  Wollongong Showground, New South Wales | ||
| 25 | 23 January 2015 | 2015 Asian Cup | 3–3 | ' | Azmoun ; Pouraliganji ; Ghoochannejhad | Yasin ; Mahmoud ; Ismail | Canberra Stadium, Canberra | |
| 26 | 18 March 2017 | Friendly | 0–1 | ' | Abdul-Amir | Azadi Stadium, Tehran | ||
| 27 | 16 January 2019 | 2019 Asian Cup | 0–0 | Al Maktoum Stadium, Dubai | ||||
| 28 | 14 November 2019 | 2022 World Cup qualification | ' | 2–1 | M. Ali ; Abbas | Nourollahi | Amman International Stadium, Amman | |
| 29 | 17 November 2020 | 2022 World Cup qualification | Azadi Stadium, Tehran |
Statistics
Overall
 Iran | 15 wins |
 Iraq | 6 wins |