Iran vs Syria

Back at King Fahd for the last round

Iran finish their group stage where the tournament began, at the 72 000-seat King Fahd Sports City in Riyadh, against a Syria side that has spent forty-seven years trying to become a regular at this stage. Both Group C matches kick off together.

Iran arrive at every Asian Cup and have done since 1968, which is sixteen in a row without a miss. The three titles all came inside the first nine years of that run, and no Iranian side has reached a final in the fifty-one years since. It is a strange record for a team that never fails to qualify.

This is an eighth tournament for Syria, who have won a knockout place at one of the previous seven. They know what the equation is by this point in the group, and against a team of Iran's standing on the final matchday they are unlikely to be able to control it.

The two records

This is a sixteenth Asian Cup for Iran, whose best finish is winners (1968, 1972, 1976), against a eighth for Syria, best round of 16 (2023).