Iraq Stars League

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The Iraq Stars League (Template:Langx) is the highest level of the Iraqi football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the Iraqi Premier Division League. It is governed by the Iraqi Pro League Association.

The league was formed by the Iraq Football Association in 1974 as the Iraqi National Clubs First Division League, the first nationwide league of clubs in Iraq, and later became known as the Iraqi Premier League. In 2023, the competition was rebranded as the Iraq Stars League and transitioned into a fully professional competition. The current format sees 20 teams playing 38 matches each (playing each team in the league twice, home and away), totalling 380 matches in the season.

Of the 80 teams to have competed since the inception of the league in 1974, eleven have won the title. Al-Zawraa are the most successful club with 14 titles, followed by Al-Shorta (8), Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya (7) and Al-Talaba (5); these four clubs together contest the Baghdad derbies. The current league champions are Al-Shorta, who won their fourth consecutive title in the 2024–25 season.

History

Origins

Script error: No such module "Labelled list hatnote". Up until 1973, leagues in Iraq were contested at a regional level.[1] The Central FA League, the Basra League and the Kirkuk League were all founded in 1948,[2] while the Mosul League was founded in 1950.[3] The first nationwide league to be held in the country was in the 1973–74 season when the Iraqi National First Division League was formed,[4] with Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya being crowned champions.[5] The IFA then decided to replace the competition with a new National Clubs First Division League which would only be open to clubs and not institute-representative teams.[6]

Foundation

The league held its first season in 1974–75 and was originally composed of ten clubs.[7] The league's first ever goal was scored by Falah Hassan of Al-Tayaran (now known as Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya) in a 1–1 draw with Al-Sinaa.[8] Al-Tayaran were crowned champions of the inaugural season which featured the following teams:[9]

"Stars League" formation

On 4 June 2023, Iraq Football Association (IFA) signed a three-year partnership agreement with Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional (LaLiga) to transform the Iraqi Premier League into a professional league from the 2023–24 season. The competition is named the Iraq Stars League and is designed to meet the licensing criteria set down by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). A new association named the Iraqi Pro League Association, chaired by Javier Jiménez Sacristán and Matteo Mantovani, was formed to operate the competition and supervise the associated youth leagues.[10] In addition, LaLiga began training an Iraqi management team to assume full operational control of the league once the partnership concludes.[11] A start date of 26 October 2023 was set for the first Stars League season.[12]

"Baghdad's Big Four" dominance

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Results of the 'Big Four' from 1990 to 2002
Season QWJ SHR TLB ZWR
1989–90 1 3 6 4
1990–91 6 3 2 1
1991–92 1 5 4 2
1992–93 3 4 1 2
1993–94 2 5 3 1
1994–95 2 6 4 1
1995–96 8 3 6 1
1996–97 1 5 3 2
1997–98 2 1 5 3
1998–99 3 5 2 1
1999–2000 2 3 4 1
2000–01 2 3 4 1
2001–02 2 3 1 4
Top four 11 8 10 13
out of 13
<templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" />  League champions

Since the league's inception, it has been dominated by the four biggest clubs in Baghdad: Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya, Al-Shorta, Al-Talaba and Al-Zawraa, who together contest the Baghdad derbies.[13] From the 1989–90 season until the 2005–06 season, the league was won by one of the four Baghdad teams every time.[6]

After the 2003 US invasion of Iraq, players started to leave the Baghdad-based clubs and join clubs in northern Iraq such as Erbil and Duhok due to the economic instability and security issues in the capital city.[14] This migration of talent led to a shift in the dominance of the "Big Four" as Erbil won three consecutive league titles from 2007 to 2009 with Duhok winning the league in 2010.[15] In the 2008–09 season, none of Baghdad's Big Four clubs finished in the top four and this is the only time that this has happened in the history of the league; the top four spots were occupied by Erbil, Al-Najaf, Duhok and Al-Amana.[16] However, Baghdad's Big Four have since returned to dominating the league, having won all titles since 2015–16.

Competition format

Competition

There are currently 20 clubs in the Iraq Stars League. Over the course of a season, each club plays the others twice (in a double round-robin system), once at home and once away, for a total of 38 games (however, matches between Baghdad's Big Four clubs are usually played at the neutral venue of Al-Shaab Stadium to accommodate larger crowds).[17]

Teams receive three points for a win and one point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss. Teams are ranked by total points, followed by head-to-head points, head-to-head goal difference, total goal difference, goals scored and finally number of wins.[17] If teams remain level after all these criteria, teams are deemed to occupy the same position. If there is a tie for the championship, for relegation, or for qualification to other competitions, a play-off match at a neutral venue decides rank.[17]

The two teams at the bottom of the league table are relegated to the Iraqi Premier Division League, while the top two teams in the Premier Division League are promoted to the Stars League. The 18th-placed team in the Stars League competes in a play-off with the 3rd-placed team from the Premier Division League for a place in the following season's Stars League. Each club must register a 25-man squad for the season, but are not required to register players who have been registered for their reserve or youth teams. Each club is allowed a maximum of six foreign outfield players in their squad, however this restriction does not apply to Yemeni players and to a maximum of one Syrian player. Only six foreign players including Yemeni and Syrian players can play at any given time, and no more than two players from countries ranked below 90th in the FIFA Men's World Ranking can play at any given time. A maximum of five substitutions are available per match for each team.[18]

The top four teams in the league qualify for the Iraqi Super Cup, along with the winners and runners-up of the Iraq FA Cup. If one of the FA Cup finalists finish in the league's top four, the fifth-placed team in the league enters the Super Cup, while if both FA Cup finalists finish in the league's top four, the fifth and sixth-placed teams in the league enter the Super Cup.[19]

Clubs

2024–25 season

Twenty clubs are competing in the 2024–25 Iraq Stars League, including two promoted from the Premier Division League:

2024–25
Club 		2023–24
Position 		First season in
the league 		Seasons
in the
league 		First season of
current spell in
the league 		Titles Most
recent title
Al-Hudood Template:Ntsh9th 2008–09 13 2022–23 0 –
Al-Kahrabaa Template:Ntsh13th 2004–05 20 2014–15 0 –
Al-Karkh Template:Ntsh15th 1990–91 29 2018–19 0 –
Al-Karmab Template:Ntsh2nd (PDL) 2024–25 1 2024–25 0 –
Al-Minaa Template:Ntsh12th 1975–76 47 2023–24 1 1977–78
Al-Naftb Template:Ntsh11th 1985–86 40 1985–86 0 –
Al-Najafb Template:Ntsh4th 1987–88 38 1987–88 0 –
Al-Qasimb Template:Ntsh17th 2019–20 6 2019–20 0 –
Al-Quwa Al-Jawiyaa, b Template:Ntsh2nd 1974–75 51 1974–75 7 2020–21
Al-Shortaa, b Template:Ntsh1st 1974–75 51 1974–75 8 2024–25
Al-Talabab Template:Ntsh8th 1975–76 50 1975–76 5 2001–02
Al-Zawraab Template:Ntsh3rd 1975–76 50 1975–76 14 2017–18
Diyala Template:Ntsh1st (PDL) 1975–76 15 2024–25 0 –
Duhok Template:Ntsh6th 1988–89 22 2022–23 1 2009–10
Erbil Template:Ntsh14th 1987–88 33 2018–19 4 2011–12
Karbala Template:Ntsh16th 1992–93 23 2022–23 0 –
Naft Al-Basra Template:Ntsh18th 2004–05 20 2012–13 0 –
Naft Maysan Template:Ntsh10th 2009–10 14 2013–14 0 –
Newrozb Template:Ntsh7th 2021–22 4 2021–22 0 –
Zakho Template:Ntsh5th 2002–03 20 2019–20 0 –

a: Founding member of the league
b: Never been relegated from the league

Map

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Seasons

Since its first season in 1974–75 up until the 2024–25 season (not counting the qualifying rounds of the 2000–01 season), 80 teams have participated in at least one season of the top division. Teams in bold are competing in the Iraq Stars League in the 2024–25 season. Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya and Al-Shorta are the only teams to have competed in all 51 seasons.

Notes

Template:Notelist

Champions

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Club Titles Winning seasons
Al-Zawraa 14 1975–76, 1976–77, 1978–79, 1990–91, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2005–06, 2010–11, 2015–16, 2017–18
Al-Shorta 8 1979–80, 1997–98, 2012–13, 2018–19, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24, 2024–25
Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya 7 1974–75, 1989–90, 1991–92, 1996–97, 2004–05, 2016–17, 2020–21
Al-Talaba 5 1980–81, 1981–82, 1985–86, 1992–93, 2001–02
Erbil 4 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2011–12
Al-Rasheed 3 1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89
Al-Minaa 1 1977–78
Salahaddin 1 1982–83
Al-Jaish 1 1983–84
Duhok 1 2009–10
Naft Al-Wasat 1 2014–15

International competitions

Qualification for Asian competitions

The champions of the Iraq Stars League qualify for the subsequent season's AFC Champions League Elite league stage, while the winners of the Iraq FA Cup qualify for the AFC Champions League Two group stage. If the same team wins both the Stars League and the FA Cup, the Stars League runners-up qualify for the AFC Champions League Two group stage. The number of places allocated to Iraqi clubs in AFC competitions depends on the country's position in the AFC Club Competitions Ranking, which is calculated based on the performance of clubs in AFC competitions over the previous four years.[20]

Collectively, Iraqi teams have reached nine finals of Asian club competitions. Before the foundation of the national league, Aliyat Al-Shorta were the first Iraqi team to participate in the Asian Champion Club Tournament in 1971 and they reached the final, but they refused to play Israeli side Maccabi Tel Aviv and took the runner-up spot.[21] Al-Rasheed reached the final of the Asian Club Championship in 1989 but they lost a two-legged final on away goals to Al-Saad of Qatar.[21] Al-Talaba reached the final of the 1995 Asian Cup Winners' Cup but they lost it 2–1 to Bellmare Hiratsuka,[22] and five years later, Al-Zawraa lost the final of the same competition 1–0 to Shimizu S-Pulse in 2000.[23] Erbil reached the final of Asia's secondary tournament, the AFC Cup, twice in 2012 and 2014 but lost both times to Al-Kuwait and Al-Qadsia respectively.[14] Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya managed to win the AFC Cup when they beat Indian club Bengaluru FC 1–0 in the 2016 final, and they won the competition for the second consecutive season in 2017 by beating FC Istiklol by the same scoreline. They earned a joint-record third AFC Cup title with a 2–0 defeat of Altyn Asyr in 2018.[24]

Qualification for Arab competitions

Iraqi clubs also participate in the Arab Club Champions Cup (organised by the Union of Arab Football Associations) and the AGCFF Gulf Club Champions League (organised by the Arab Gulf Cup Football Federation). Al-Shorta won the inaugural Arab Club Champions Cup in 1982 by defeating Al-Nejmeh 4–2 on aggregate in the final,[25] and Al-Rasheed won the Arab Club Champions Cup three times in a row in 1985, 1986 and 1987 making them the competition's joint-most successful side.[26] Meanwhile, Duhok won the 2024–25 AGCFF Gulf Club Champions League by defeating Al-Qadsia 2–1 on aggregate in the final.[27]

Sponsorship

The league was founded as the National Clubs First Division League and has been renamed several times, with the current name of Stars League remaining in place since 2023. The competition has had title sponsorship rights sold to three companies: Zain Iraq in the 2009–10 season,[28] Asiacell in the 2010–11 and 2011–12 seasons[29] and Fuchs in the 2015–16 season.[30]

Period Sponsor Name
1974–1988 No sponsor National Clubs First Division League
1988–1989 Pan-National Clubs First Division League
1989–1995 National Clubs First Division League
1995–1996 Advanced League
1996–1999 Premier League
1999–2000 First Division League
2000–2002 Elite League
2002–2003 First Division League
2003–2009 Premier League
2009–2010 Zain Iraq Zain Iraq League
2010–2012 Asiacell Asiacell Elite League
2012–2013 No sponsor Elite League
2013–2015 Premier League
2015–2016 Fuchs Fuchs Premier League
2016–2023 No sponsor Premier League
2023–present Stars League

Managers

Managers in the Iraq Stars League are involved in the day-to-day running of the team, including the training, team selection and player acquisition. Their influence varies from club-to-club. Managers are required to have an AFC Pro-Diploma which is the highest level of coaching accreditation issued by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).[31]

Current Iraq Stars League managers
Manager Nationality Club Appointed Time as manager
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Players

Top scorers

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As of 25 June 2025.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".[6]
Rank Player Goals First app Last app Club(s) (goals)
1 Template:Fbicon Script error: No such module "Sort". 181 2007 2024 Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya (98), Erbil (75), Al-Najaf (8)
2 Template:Fbicon Script error: No such module "Sort". 177 1988 2012 Salahaddin (42), Al-Zawraa (62), Al-Talaba (18), Karbala (50), Al-Sinaa (5)
3 Template:Fbicon Script error: No such module "Sort". 171 1979 1996 Al-Sinaa (23), Al-Jaish (11), Al-Rasheed (4), Al-Zawraa (127), Al-Shorta (6)
4 Template:Fbicon Script error: No such module "Sort". 170 1987 2004 Al-Najaf (149), Al-Karkh (21)
5 Template:Fbicon Script error: No such module "Sort". 169 2004 present Al-Zawraa (54), Duhok (26), Al-Shorta (78), Al-Minaa (11)
6 Template:Fbicon Script error: No such module "Sort". 167 1991 2010 Al-Sinaa (32), Al-Naft (16), Diyala (40), Duhok (58), Erbil (14), Kirkuk (2), Peris (5)
7 Template:Fbicon Script error: No such module "Sort". 163 2005 2023 Samarra (19), Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya (144)
8 Template:Fbicon Script error: No such module "Sort". 157 1983 2000 Al-Shorta (135), Al-Rasheed (15), Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya (3), Al-Difaa Al-Jawi (4)
9 Template:Fbicon Script error: No such module "Sort". 146 1981 1999 Al-Zawraa (103), Al-Rasheed (43)
10 Template:Fbicon Script error: No such module "Sort". 145 1988 2007 Al-Sinaa (8), Al-Talaba (137)

Bold denotes players still playing in the Iraq Stars League.

Awards

Trophy

The current Iraq Stars League trophy was unveiled on 13 July 2024 and was designed and sculpted by the Iraqi painter and sculptor Ahmed Albahrani. The trophy is predominantly silver in colour and features a silver and gold football at the top. It has a silver base engraved with the words "Iraq Stars League" in both English and Arabic, alongside the competition’s logo and the season.[32][33]

Records

League records

Titles
Wins
Losses
Goals

Match records

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Scorelines
Attendances

Player records

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Appearances
Titles
Goals

Managerial records

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Titles

The following managers have won multiple titles:[50]

Manager Club(s) Wins Winning seasons
Template:Flagicon Ayoub Odisho Al-Talaba, Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya (2), Al-Zawraa 4 1992–93, 1996–97, 2017–18, 2020–21
Template:Flagicon Jamal Salih Al-Talaba, Al-Rasheed (2) 3 1981–82, 1987–88, 1988–89
Template:Flagicon Thair Ahmed Al-Talaba, Erbil (2) 2001–02, 2007–08, 2008–09
Template:Flagicon Basim Qasim Duhok, Al-Zawraa, Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya 2009–10, 2015–16, 2016–17
Template:Flagicon Moamen Soliman Al-Shorta 2021–22, 2023–24, 2024–25
Template:Flagicon Saadi Salih Al-Zawraa 2 1975–76, 1976–77
Template:Flagicon Ammo Baba Al-Talaba, Al-Zawraa 1980–81, 1993–94
Template:Flagicon Amer Jameel Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya, Al-Zawraa 1989–90, 1998–99
Template:Flagicon Adnan Hamad Al-Zawraa 1995–96, 1999–2000
Template:Flagicon Sabah Abdul-Jalil Al-Zawraa, Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya 2000–01, 2004–05

See also

References

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  6. ↑ a b c d e f g h i Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  7. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  8. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  9. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  10. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  11. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  12. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  13. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  14. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  15. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  16. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  17. ↑ a b c Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  18. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  19. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  20. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  21. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  22. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  23. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  24. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  25. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  26. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  27. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  28. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  29. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  30. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  31. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  32. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  33. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  34. ↑ a b c d e Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  35. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  36. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  37. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  38. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  39. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  40. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  41. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  42. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  43. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  44. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  45. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  46. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  47. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  48. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  49. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  50. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".

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External links

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