The Bahrain national football team, controlled by the Bahrain Football Association (BFA), represents Bahrain in international association football. While not a regular World Cup participant, Bahrain has been one of the most improved teams in Asian football over the past two decades, consistently competing in AFC Asian Cup tournaments and World Cup qualifying campaigns. The team plays its home matches at the Bahrain National Stadium in Riffa.
Location and Contact Information
- Governing Body: Bahrain Football Association (BFA)
- Home Stadium: Bahrain National Stadium, Riffa
- Capacity: 24,000
- Confederation: AFC (Asia)
History
Bahrain has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup but has come close on multiple occasions. The team reached the inter-confederation playoffs for the 2006 World Cup, losing to Trinidad and Tobago. They have qualified for multiple AFC Asian Cup tournaments, with their best result being a fourth-place finish in 2004. Bahrain has also won the Gulf Cup of Nations.
Key Achievements
- AFC Asian Cup: Fourth place (2004); multiple tournament appearances
- Gulf Cup of Nations: Champions (2019, 2023)
- WAFF Championship: Champions (2019)
- Arab Games: Gold medal (2011)
Current Squad (2026)
Goalkeepers
- Sayed Mohamed Jaafar — Goalkeeper, 40 years old
- Ashraf Waheed — Goalkeeper, 34 years old
Defenders
- Saleh Abdul Hamid — Defender, 43 years old
- Waleed Al Hayam — Defender, 35 years old
- Rashed Al Hooti — Defender, 36 years old
- Abdulla Al Hazaa — Defender, 35 years old
- Ahmad Abdalnabi — Defender, 40 years old
- Sayed Dhiya — Defender, 33 years old
- Ahmed Merza Moosa — Defender, 35 years old
Midfielders
- Hamad Al Doseri — Midfielder
- Abdulla Abdo Omar Yasser — Midfielder, 38 years old
- Faouzi Mubarak Aaish — Midfielder, 41 years old
- Abdulwahab Al-Malood — Midfielder, 36 years old
- Abdulla Janahi — Midfielder
- Abdulla Omar — Midfielder, 39 years old
- Abdulwahab Ali — Midfielder, 42 years old
- Hassan Isa — Midfielder
Forwards
- Faisal Abudahoom — Forward, 37 years old
- Saad Al Amer — Forward, 35 years old
- Jaycee Okwunwanne — Forward, 40 years old
- Sami Al Husaini — Forward, 36 years old
- Sayed Ahmed Jaafar — Forward, 40 years old
Notable Players
- Sayed Mohamed Jaafar: Veteran goalkeeper; most-capped player in Bahrain history
- Faouzi Mubarak Aaish: Midfield veteran; 41 years old; long-serving national team member
- Jaycee Okwunwanne: Forward with international experience; naturalized player
- Abdulwahab Al-Malood: Creative midfielder; key playmaker in Gulf Cup campaigns
Gulf Cup Success
Bahrain’s greatest regional achievement came in the Gulf Cup of Nations, which they won in 2019 and 2023. These victories established Bahrain as one of the top footballing nations in the Arabian Gulf, alongside traditional powerhouses like Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Qatar.
World Cup Qualifying Campaign
Bahrain competes in the AFC qualifying rounds for each FIFA World Cup. While they have yet to reach the tournament proper, their performances have improved significantly over the years. The team has been competitive in group stages and has pushed higher-ranked Asian sides to their limits.
Bahrain’s AFC Asian Cup History in Detail
Bahrain’s single fourth-place finish at the 2004 AFC Asian Cup in China remains the apex of the nation’s senior football history — and was won under coach Luka Bonačić. The squad included prominent forward Ala’a Hubail, who held the all-time scoring record for the senior team across the 2000s. Bahrain’s first senior tournament appearance was at the 1988 AFC Asian Cup in Qatar, while their first Gulf Cup win dates back to 2019. The Bahrain Premier League, established in 2002 under the Bahrain Football Association’s reorganization, fields 10 clubs including Al-Muharraq SC (who have won the league title 33 times as of 2026) and Riffa SC. Bahrain’s most-capped player Abdulla Yusuf Helal played for the senior team from 2000 to 2016, earning 134 caps and scoring 47 goals.
CONTACT US
For more information or to visit us, here are our branch addresses:
- Branch 1: Naungayan Building, Aala Road, Barangay Mankilam, Tagum City, Davao Del Norte
- Branch 2: Sobrecary Street (In front of Velox Gas Station), Tagum City, Davao Del Norte
- Email: gracezelguerra22@gmail.com
- Phone: 09460480491
- Business Hours: Monday – Friday: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM (PH Time)
- Facebook Page: Visit our Facebook Page