| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Host country | Bahrain |
| Dates | 19 March – 4 April |
| Venue(s) | 1 (in 1 host city) |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 21 |
| Goals scored | 53 (2.52 per match) |
The 8th Gulf Cup of Nations or Arabian Gulf Cup (Arabic: كأس الخليج العربي), was held in the Manama, Bahrain in March 1986.
The tournament was won by Kuwait, claiming their 6th title.
Iraq participated with the B team.
The teams played a single round-robin style competition. The team achieving first place in the overall standings was the tournament winner.