The 5th Arabian Gulf Cup was the fifth edition of the Arabian Gulf Cup. The tournament was held at the Al-Shaab Stadium in Baghdad, Iraq and took place from 23 March to 9 April 1979. Hosts Iraq won their first ever title after defeating Saudi Arabia 2–0, becoming the second team to win the competition after Kuwait.

The Kuwait national football team is the national team of Kuwait and is controlled by the Kuwait Football Association. Kuwait made one World Cup finals appearance, in 1982, managing one point in the group stages. In the Asian Cup, Kuwait reached the final in 1976 and won the tournament in 1980.