Qatar Stars League

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Template:Short description Template:Short descriptionScript error: No such module "Infobox".Template:Template otherScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".

The Qatar Stars League (Template:Langx; abbreviated as QSL), known as Ooredoo Stars League for sponsorship reasons, is the top level football league in Qatar football league system. Contested by 12 teams, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the Qatari Second Division (QSD), with the lowest ranked club at the end of the QSL season being demoted to make room for the promotion of the highest ranked QSD club of the season. The QSL season usually runs from September to April. The league's first season was played in 1963, although the first official season occurred in 1972.

The Qatari league system provides 5 domestic cups that various clubs can compete for: the Emir of Qatar Cup, open to all teams in both the first and second divisions; the Qatar Crown Prince Cup, a postseason tournament played by the top four first division teams; the Sheikh Jassem Cup, a prelude to the first division regular season; the Qatari Stars Cup, a round-robin tournament played midseason; and the Qatar FA Cup, where the bottom 8 teams from the QSL and the entire QSD participate. The league title has been officially won by 7 clubs since its inception. The club that has won the most championships is Al Sadd SC, with 18 titles.

League structure

There are 2 divisions in the Qatari football structure and the league has previously seen one club promoted and relegated each year except in expansion seasons. The Qatar Stars League, previously known as the Q-League currently features 12 teams, with the 2nd division featuring 8 teams. The top four clubs at the end of the regular league system participate in the Qatar Crown Prince Cup, which was formed in the 1994/95 season.[1]

The Qatar Stars League has slowly expanded since the turn of the decade, moving from 9 clubs to 10 clubs, and then latest setup of 12 clubs for the Qatari League 2009-10 campaign. It was announced that in the 2013-14 season, the number of clubs in the top division would increase to 14, whereas the second division would increase to 18 clubs which includes the reserve teams of the top division clubs.[2]

It was announced on 15 April 2009 that no clubs would be relegated from the top flight in the 2008–09 Qatar Stars League season, due to expansion reasons, however the announcement was made with only one game remaining.[3] That year, the top league expanded to 12 clubs. In May 2013, the QFA again expanded the league by two more teams, bringing the total number of clubs in the first division to 14.[4] In 2017 the number of teams moved back to 12.

There are currently 4 official amateur football leagues in Qatar. Three amateur leagues are under the jurisdiction of the Qatar Community Football League (QCFL), established by the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, and the fourth, known as the Qatar Amateur League (QAL) is recognized by the QFA. Inaugurated in November 2013,[5] the QAL has 14 teams, all of which were established through the country's government, political and social sectors.[6]

History

Early history

The first unofficial season of the Qatar Stars League was the 1963–64 season, 3 years after the formation of the QFA. Similarly, a second division was also created during this time. For many years, there was no promotion or relegation system.[7] Al-Maref, a club representing the Ministry of Education, was dissolved in 1966-67 by decision of the QFA and its players distributed to other clubs.[8]

First official season

In 1972–73, the first official season was played.[9] Al Esteqlal, now known as Qatar SC, won the first championship.[10]

The first time there was a playoff for the championship was in 1980, between Al Sadd and Al Arabi. Al Sadd won the match 1–0.[7]

Although a second division had been in place for some time, there was no relegation or promotion system. However, in 1981, such a system was put in place for the first time. Five clubs participated in the second division that year.[7]

In 1984–85, there was no relegation or promotion due to a lack of players as members of the Qatar national football team were preparing for the qualification rounds of the 1986 FIFA World Cup.[7]

In 1994, for one season, the QFA launched a new system where matches ending in draws would end in a penalty shoot-out to determine the winner. This was put in place in an effort to improve attendance.[7]

Three second division clubs were dissolved in the 1990 season: Al Nasr, Al Tadamon, and Al Nahda. Many of their players were distributed to first division clubs and became prominent players in Qatari football history, such as Fahad Al Kuwari, Ahmed Al Kuwari and Hamad Al Khalifa. After the dissolution of these clubs, there was no longer any relegation or promotion for five years. In 1995/96, the second division was brought back with five clubs, while there were ten clubs participating in the first division.[7]

The 2003 money influx from QFA

A successful method the QFA used to develop the league was allocating each Q-League club with a sum of $10,000,000 to buy big-name foreign players in order to increase popularity, in the summer of 2003. The attempt brought in players such as Ronald and Frank de Boer, Romário, Pep Guardiola, Fernando Hierro, Marcel Desailly, Stefan Effenberg, Claudio Caniggia, and Gabriel Batistuta who soon appeared and shone in the league.[11][12]

In addition, in 2004, the Aspire Academy was formed, which provides training facilities to young people in order to improve the footballing standard not only in Qatar, but internationally. Many notable players have graduated from the academy, including Abdelkarim Hassan, Saad Al Sheeb, and Ibrahim Majid.[13]

2009: Changing name to Qatar Stars League

In 2009, no clubs were relegated from the top division. Due to the recent formation of Lekhwiya and El Jaish, this meant that the second division would lose two clubs while two more clubs would enter the first division, bringing the total number of clubs in the first division to 12, and the second division to 6.[3] As part of the expansion campaign, the "Q-League" changed its name to what it is currently known as, "Qatar Stars League",[14] and inaugurated a new domestic cup, the "Qatari Stars Cup".[15]

Clubs

Champions

File:Al Sadd AFC Champions League.jpg
Al Sadd are the most successful team in the league
Club Wins Winning years[16]
Al Sadd 18 1973–74, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1980–81, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1999–00, 2003–04, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2012–13, 2018–19, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2023–24, 2024–25
Al-Duhail 8 2010–11, 2011–12, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2019–20, 2022–23
Al-Rayyan 8 1975–76, 1977–78, 1981–82, 1983–84, 1985–86, 1989–90, 1994–95, 2015–16
Qatar SC 8 1966-67, 1967-68, 1968-69, 1969-70, 1970-71, 1972-73, 1976–77, 2002–03
Al-Arabi 7 1982–83, 1984–85, 1990–91, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1995–96, 1996–97
Al-Gharafa 7 1991–92, 1997–98, 2001–02, 2004–05, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10
Al-Wakrah 2 1998–99, 2000–01

Total titles won by region

Region Number of titles Clubs
Doha
39
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		Al-Sadd SC (17), Qatar SC (8), Al-Duhail SC (8), Al-Arabi SC (7)
Al Rayyan
15
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		Al-Rayyan SC (8), Al-Gharafa SC (7)
Al Wakrah
2
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		Al-Wakrah SC (2)

Media coverage

Qatar

In 2012, Alkass Sports Channels signed a deal for the rights to broadcast Stars League in English.[17] beIN Sports also bought rights to broadcast Stars League.

Seasons Channel
2012–present Alkass Sports
beIN Sports

International

Seasons Countries Channel
2023–present Script error: No such module "flag". SPOTV
Script error: No such module "flag".

Post-season awards

An award system was developed in 2006 in which the best player and coach of the footballing season are selected by a panel of journalists. Each award winner receives $100,000.[18][19] There are also awards for youth players and club staff.

Year Best Player Club Best Player U23 Club Best Coach Club
2006[18] Template:Flagicon Sebastián Soria Al Gharafa Not held Template:Flagicon Jorge Fossati Al Sadd
2007[18] Template:Flagicon Emerson Sheik Al Sadd Not held Template:Flagicon Jorge Fossati Al Sadd
2008[18] Template:Flagicon Aziz Ben Askar Umm Salal Template:Flagicon Hassan Al Haydos Al Sadd Template:Flagicon Marcos Paquetá Al Gharafa
2009[18] Template:Flagicon Leonardo Pisculichi Al Arabi Not held Template:Flagicon Sebastião Lazaroni Qatar SC
2010[18] Template:Flagicon Juninho Pernambucano Al Gharafa Not held Template:Flagicon Caio Júnior Al Gharafa
2011[18] Template:Flagicon Bakari Koné Lekhwiya Not held Template:Flagicon Abdullah Mubarak Al Ahli
2012[20] Template:Flagicon Rodrigo Tabata Al-Rayyan Not held Template:Flagicon Diego Aguirre Al-Rayyan
2013[21] Template:Flagicon Khalfan Ibrahim Al Sadd Not held Template:Flagicon Hussein Amotta Al Sadd
2014 Template:Flagicon Nadir Belhadj Al Sadd Not held Template:Flagicon Sami Trabelsi Al-Sailiya SC
2015 Template:Flagicon Hassan Al-Haydos Al Sadd Template:Flagicon Abdurahman Al-Harazi Al-Sailiya SC Template:Flagicon Michael Laudrup Lekhwiya SC
2016 Template:Flagicon Rodrigo Tabata Al-Rayyan Template:Flagicon Abdelkarim Hassan Al Sadd Template:Flagicon Jorge Fossati Al-Rayyan
2017 Template:Flagicon Nam Tae-hee Lekhwiya Template:Flagicon Almoez Ali Lekhwiya SC Template:Flagicon Jesualdo Ferreira Al Sadd
2018 Template:Flagicon Youssef Msakni Al-Duhail SC Template:Flagicon Almoez Ali Lekhwiya SC Template:Flagicon Djamel Belmadi Al-Duhail SC
2019 Template:Flagicon Akram Afif Al Sadd Template:Flagicon Bassam Al-Rawi Al-Duhail SC Template:Flagicon Jesualdo Ferreira Al Sadd
2020 Template:Flagicon Akram Afif Al Sadd Template:FlagiconTarek Salman Al Sadd Template:Flagicon Diego Aguirre Al-Rayyan
2021 Template:Flagicon Santi Cazorla Al Sadd Template:Flagicon Homam Ahmed Lekhwiya SC Template:Flagicon Xavi Al-Sadd
2022 Template:Flagicon Akram Afif Al Sadd Template:Flagicon Homam Ahmed Al Gharafa Template:Flagicon Tintín Márquez Al-Wakrah
2023 Template:Flagicon Youssef Msakni Al Arabi Template:Flagicon Osama Al Tairy Al-Rayyan Template:Flagicon Younes Ali Al Arabi
2024 Template:Flagicon Akram Afif Al Sadd Template:Flagicon Jassem Gaber Al Arabi Template:Flagicon Pedro Martins Al-Gharafa

Top goalscorers

Source:[22][23]

Year Best scorers Team Goals
1972–73 Template:Flagicon Awodh Hassan Al-Esteqlal 10
1973–74 Template:Flagicon Mansoor Muftah Al-Rayyan 15
1974–75 Not held
1975–76 Template:Flagicon Jamal Al Khatib Al-Esteqlal 13
1976–77 Template:Flagicon Mansoor Muftah Al-Rayyan 13
1977–78 Template:Flagicon Mansoor Muftah Al-Rayyan 11
1978–79 Template:Flagicon Hassan Mattar Al-Sadd 11
1979–80 Template:Flagicon
Template:Flagicon
Template:Flagicon
Template:Flagicon		 Hamdan Hamed
Badr Bilal
Sharif Abdul-Hamed
Mansoor Muftah		 Al-Ahli
Al-Sadd
Qatar SC
Al-Rayyan		 5
1980–81 Template:Flagicon Hassan Mattar Al-Sadd 9
1981–82 Template:Flagicon Mansoor Muftah Al-Rayyan 18
1982–83 Template:Flagicon Mansoor Muftah Al-Rayyan 10
1983–84 Template:Flagicon Mansoor Muftah Al-Rayyan 7
1984–85 Template:Flagicon Ahmed Yaqoub Al-Arabi 7
1985–86 Template:Flagicon Mansoor Muftah Al-Rayyan 22
1986–87 Template:Flagicon Hassan Sabela Al-Ahli 9
1987–88 Template:Flagicon Hassan Jowhar Al-Sadd 11
1988–89 Template:Flagicon Farshad Pious Al-Ahli 9
1989–90 Template:Flagicon Marquinho Carioca Al-Arabi 10
1990–91 Template:Flagicon
Template:Flagicon
Template:Flagicon 		Mahmoud Soufi
Adel Khamis
Hassan Sabela 		Al-Ittihad
Al-Ittihad
Al-Ahli 		8
1991–92 Template:FlagiconTemplate:Flagicon Mubarak Mustafa
Rabah Madjer 		Al-Arabi
Qatar SC 		12
1992–93 Template:Flagicon Mubarak Mustafa Al Arabi 9
1993–94 Template:Flagicon
Template:Flagicon
Template:Flagicon		 Ahmed Daham
Mahmoud Soufi
Marquinho Carioca		 Al-Shamal
Al-Ittihad
Al-Arabi		 9
1994–95 Template:Flagicon Mohammed Salem Al-Enazi Al-Rayyan 9
1995–96 Template:Flagicon Ricky Owubokiri Al-Arabi SC 16
1996–97 Template:Flagicon
Template:Flagicon 		Mubarak Mustafa
Alboury Lah 		Al-Arabi
Al-Ahli 		11
1997–98 Template:Flagicon
Template:Flagicon
Template:Flagicon 		Hussein Ammouta
Alboury Lah
Cláudio Prates 		Al-Sadd
Al-Ahli
Al-Arabi 		10
1998–99 Template:Flagicon Akwá Al-Wakrah 11
1999–2000 Template:Flagicon Mohammed Salem Al-Enazi Al-Rayyan 14
2000–01 Template:Flagicon Mamoun Diop Al-Wakrah 14
2001–02 Template:Flagicon Rachid Amrane Al-Ittihad 16
2002–03 Template:Flagicon Rachid Rokki Al-Khor 15
2003–04 Template:Flagicon Gabriel Batistuta Al-Arabi 25
2004–05 Template:Flagicon Sonny Anderson Al-Rayyan 20
2005–06 Template:Flagicon Carlos Tenorio Al-Sadd 21
2006–07 Template:Flagicon Younis Mahmoud Al-Gharafa 24
2007–08 Template:Flagicon Clemerson Al-Gharafa 27
2008–09 Template:Flagicon Magno Alves Umm Salal 25
2009–10 Template:Flagicon
Template:Flagicon		 Caboré
Younis Mahmoud		 Al-Arabi
Al-Gharafa		 21
2010–11 Template:Flagicon Younis Mahmoud Al-Gharafa 15
2011–12 Template:Flagicon Adriano El Jaish 18
2012–13 Template:Flagicon Sebastián Soria Lekhwiya 19
2013–14 Template:Flagicon Dioko Kaluyituka Al-Ahli 22
2014–15 Template:Flagicon Dioko Kaluyituka Al-Ahli 25
2015–16 Template:Flagicon
Template:Flagicon 		Abderrazak Hamdallah
Rodrigo Tabata 		El Jaish
Al-Rayyan 		21
2016–17 Template:Flagicon Youssef El-Arabi Lekhwiya 24
2017–18 Template:Flagicon Youssef El-Arabi Al-Duhail 26
2018–19 Template:Flagicon Baghdad Bounedjah Al-Sadd 39
2019–20 Template:Flagicon
Template:Flagicon 		Yacine Brahimi
Akram Afif 		Al-Rayyan
Al-Sadd 		15
2020–21 Template:Flagicon Baghdad Bounedjah Al-Sadd 21
2021–22 Template:Flagicon Michael Olunga Al-Duhail 24
2022–23 Template:Flagicon Michael Olunga Al-Duhail 22
2023–24 Template:Flagicon Akram Afif Al-Sadd 26
2024–25 Template:Flagicon Róger Guedes Al-Rayyan 21

By player

Rank Player Country Titles Seasons
1 Mansoor Muftah Script error: No such module "flag". 8 1973–74, 1976–77, 1977–78, 1979–80, 1981–82, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1985–86
2 Mubarak Mustafa Script error: No such module "flag". 3 1991–92, 1992–93, 1996–97
2 Younis Mahmoud Script error: No such module "flag". 3 2006–07, 2009–10, 2010–11
2 Baghdad Bounedjah Script error: No such module "flag". 2 2018–19, 2020–21
5 Hassan Mattar Script error: No such module "flag". 2 1977–78, 1980–81
5 Hassan Sabela Script error: No such module "flag". 2 1986–87, 1990–91
5 Marquinho Carioca Script error: No such module "flag". 2 1989–90, 1993–94
5 Mahmoud Soufi Script error: No such module "flag". 2 1990–91, 1993–94
5 Mohammed Salem Al-Enazi Script error: No such module "flag". 2 1994–95, 1999–2000
5 Alboury Lah Script error: No such module "flag". 2 1996–97, 1997–98
5 Dioko Kaluyituka Script error: No such module "flag". 2 2013–14, 2014–15
5 Youssef El-Arabi Script error: No such module "flag". 2 2016–17, 2017–18
5 Akram Afif Script error: No such module "flag". 2 2019–20, 2023–24
5 Michael Olunga Script error: No such module "flag". 2 2021–22, 2022–23

All-time top scorers

Rank Nat Name Club Years Goals Apps Assists
1 Template:Flagicon Sebastián Soria Al-Gharafa, Qatar SC, Al-Rayyan, Al-Duhail, Al-Arabi 2004– 211 434 58
2 Template:Flagicon Mansour Muftah Al-Rayyan, Al-Wakrah 1973–1998 182+ — —
3 Template:Flagicon Baghdad Bounedjah Al-Sadd, Al-Shamal 2015– 163 171 46
4 Template:Flagicon Rodrigo Tabata Al-Rayyan, Al-Sadd 2011– 148 282 102
5 Template:Flagicon Younis Mahmoud Al-Gharafa, Al-Sadd, Al-Arabi, Al-Khor, Al-Wakrah 2004–2013 131 190 4
6 Template:Flagicon Meshal Abdullah Al-Gharafa, Qatar SC, Al-Wakrah, Al-Sailiya, Al-Ahli 1999–2010 123 354 28
7 Template:Flagicon Youssef Msakni Al-Arabi, Al-Duhail 2013– 111 186 60
8 Template:Flagicon Akram Afif Al-Sadd 2018– 107 127 69
9 Template:Flagicon Hassan Al-Haydos Al-Sadd 2007– 102 336 86
10 Template:Flagicon Nam Tae-hee Al-Sadd, Al-Duhail 2012–2023 94 231 75
11 Template:Flagicon Mubarak Mustafa Al-Arabi SC,Al-Khor,Al-Gharafa 1990–2007 91+ 179+ 42+
12 Template:Flagicon Dioko Kaluyituka Al-Duhail , Al-Gharafa, Al-Kharaitiyat, Muaither, Al-Ahli 2011–2017 84 121 12
13 Template:Flagicon Khalfan Ibrahim Al-Arabi , Al-Sadd, Al-Rayyan 2004–2020 83 241 49
14 Template:Flagicon Youssef El-Arabi Al-Duhail 2016–2019 76 59 13
15 Template:Flagicon Michael Olunga Al-Duhail 2021– 75 80 6
16 Template:Flagicon Moumouni Dagano Al-Sailiya, Qatar SC, Al-Shamal, Al-Duhail, Al-Khor 2008–2015 72 158 20
17 Template:Flagicon Akwá Qatar SC, Al-Gharafa, Al-Wakrah 1998–2006 70 123
18 Template:Flagicon Clemerson Araújo Al-Gharafa 2007–2010 68 84
19 Template:Flagicon Rachid Rokki Al-Khor, Umm Salal 2000–2008 65 118
20 Template:Flagicon Carlos Tenorio Al-Sadd 2003–2008 63 88
21 Template:Flagicon Leonardo Pisculichi Al-Arabi 2007–2012 63 112 15
22 Template:Flagicon Yahia Kébé Al-Kharaitiyat 2009–2016 58 132 21
23 Template:Flagicon Wagner Ribeiro Al-Sailiya, Al-Arabi, El Jaish,Al-Ahli 2009–2018 57 174 29
24 Template:Flagicon Cabore Umm Salal, Al-Arabi 2009–2014 57 90 15
25 Template:Flagicon Mirghani Al Zain Al-Gharafa, Al-Wakrah ,Al-Sailiya 1996–2019 57 420
26 Template:Flagicon Yacine Brahimi Al-Gharafa, Al-Rayyan 2019– 57 101 30
27 Template:Flagicon Júlio César Al-Khor, Al-Ahli 2009–2016 56 117 13
28 Template:Flagicon Almoez Ali Al-Duhail 2016– 56 161
29 Template:Flagicon Abdulgadir Ilyas Bakur Al-Sailiya, Al-Arabi, El Jaish,Umm Salal,Al-Markhiya 2008– 55 184 39
30 Template:Flagicon Amad Al-Hosni Qatar SC,Al-Rayyan 2005–2010 52 100 6
31 Template:Flagicon Mohammed Muntari 2012– 52 152
32 Template:Flagicon Yannick Sagbo Umm Salal 2015–2020 51 98 12
33 Template:Flagicon Mohamed Benyettou Al-Wakrah 2019– 51 103
34 Template:Flagicon Ali Afif Al-Sadd ,Al-Duhail 2015–2020 50 286 34
35 Template:Flagicon Boualem Khoukhi Al-Sadd ,Al-Arabi 2009– 50 268 25

See also

References

<templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" />

  1. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  2. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  3. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  4. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  5. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  6. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  7. ↑ a b c d e f 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. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  15. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  16. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  17. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  18. ↑ a b c d e f g Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  19. ↑ QFA announce $100,000 for best player Doha Press.
  20. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  21. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  22. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  23. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".

Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".

External links

Script error: No such module "navbox". Template:Qatari Sport leagues Script error: No such module "Navbox". Template:AFC Leagues

Retrieved from "http://debianws.lexgopc.com/wiki143/index.php?title=Qatar_Stars_League&oldid=3386386"