The development of new energy sources is an important approach to solve the global energy problems. Zinc-air battery is expected to be widely used in the field of energy conversion and storage, but the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) of air electrode severely limits its large-scale application due to sluggish reaction kinetics. Therefore, efficient and stable catalysts are urgently needed to solve this problem. Iron element has become an important alternative for the research of ORR catalysts due to its advantages such as low price, abundant reserves, and simple acquisition methods. In recent years, catalysts with active sites related to iron have been extensively studied and are considered to be the most potential substitutes for precious metal catalysts. In this article, the current research status of iron-based carbon material catalyst (IBCMC) used for ORR are briefly introduced. Based on the clarification of active sites, their effects on the catalytic performance of IBCMC are extensively elaborated. Moreover, the factors affecting the stability of the catalyst are discussed. At last, the future development direction of IBCMC in the field of ORR catalysis is prospected.