Iraq beat Kuwait 1-0 on Saturday to secure a place in the semi-finals of the 2026 Gulf Cup for veteran players, which is being staged in Doha from October 30 to November 5.

Samal Saeed scored the only goal of the Group One match at Saud bin Abdulrahman Stadium, meeting a cross from Karrar Jassim and finishing neatly to keep the defending champions' perfect start intact.

The victory lifts Iraq to six points from two matches and guarantees their progress to the last four with a group game still to play. They face Saudi Arabia in their final group fixture on November 2, with the semi-finals scheduled for November 3.

Iraq had opened their title defence with a 5-0 rout of Oman in the first round. Kuwait, who began their campaign with a draw against Saudi Arabia, went into the match looking to build on that result but were unable to find a way back.

Group One comprises Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Oman, with the top two sides advancing to the semi-finals.

Matches at the tournament are played over two 20-minute halves, and teams are allowed unlimited substitutions. Knockout-stage games that end level go straight to a penalty shootout.