Iraq Stars League

Origins

Up until 1973, leagues in Iraq were organised on a regional basis, reflecting the country's administrative and geographic divisions.^[1] The Central FA League (for teams in Baghdad and its neighbouring cities), 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 was introduced in the 1973–74 season under the name of Iraqi National First Division League,^[4] in which Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya were crowned champions.^[5] This competition represented the first attempt to establish a unified national league championship. However, it included both clubs and institute-representative teams (such as military or ministry sides).

Foundation and early years (1974–1983)

On 18 August 1974, the Iraq Football Association (IFA) decided to restructure the domestic football pyramid by introducing a new National Clubs First Division League which was restricted to club sides only, thereby marking the transition to a fully club-based national league structure.^[6] 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]

Al-Zawraa established themselves as the league's first dominant force, winning the 1975–76 title and securing the first domestic double in Iraqi football history.^[10] The following season, 1976–77, was cut short due to scheduling difficulties, with the IFA declaring Al-Zawraa champions based on the standings at the halfway point.

A key development came in 1977–78 when Al-Minaa won the league unbeaten, becoming the first club from outside Baghdad to claim the national title,^[11] demonstrating the potential for clubs from other provinces to compete at the highest level. However, by the end of the 1970s and the beginning of the 1980s, "Baghdad's Big Four" clubs (Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya, Al-Shorta, Al-Talaba and Al-Zawraa) had begun to establish dominance over the competition. The 1980s were heavily influenced by the Iran–Iraq War, which disrupted sporting schedules. The 1980–81 season, for example, was reduced to a single round-robin format due to logistical constraints.

Politicisation of league football (1983–1990)

The 1980s saw increased politicisation of football in Iraq, with state-backed institutions playing a greater role in club organisation. This coincided with the rise of Al-Rasheed, a club founded in 1983 by Uday Hussein, the son of the Iraqi president Saddam Hussein, who would later become president of the Iraq Football Association. Al-Rasheed quickly emerged as a dominant force in Iraqi football,^[12] with the club assembling many of the country's leading players, including several members of the Iraq national football team and its coach Ammo Baba.^[13]

The 1984–85 season was cancelled due to conflicts with national team commitments, with Al-Rasheed leading the table at the time of cancellation. Between 1986–87 and 1988–89, Al-Rasheed won three consecutive league titles, becoming the first club in the league's history to achieve this feat. During this period, the club also secured two Iraq FA Cup titles and enjoyed success in regional competitions, including three consecutive Arab Club Champions Cup titles from 1985 to 1987.^[14]

Al-Rasheed's dominance over the league temporarily disrupted the traditional rivalry among Baghdad's Big Four, however the club was dissolved in 1990,^[15] and its players were redistributed among other leading sides, contributing to the re-establishment of the competitive landscape and leading to a resurgence among the traditional top clubs.

"Baghdad's Big Four" dominance (1990–2003)

The league entered a period of relative structural stability and stronger competition during the 1990s. "Baghdad's Big Four" clubs — Al-Zawraa, Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya, Al-Talaba and Al-Shorta who together contest the Baghdad derbies — dominated the competition almost entirely during this period.^[16] Between the 1989–90 and 2005–06 seasons, every league title was won by one of these four clubs.^[6] Their sustained dominance was underpinned by structural advantages, including greater institutional support, superior access to financial and sporting resources, and the continued concentration of elite players in Baghdad.

The 1990s were particularly successful for Al-Zawraa, who emerged as the most decorated club of the era. The club won the league and cup double in three consecutive seasons from 1993–94 to 1995–96. During this period, the competition was rebranded several times, as the Iraq Football Association experimented with a number of different competition structures and rules, including the awarding of bonus points in the 1994–95 season and the introduction of regional qualifying rounds in the 2000–01 season. Despite these administrative changes, the competitive hierarchy remained largely unchanged. Clubs from outside Baghdad occasionally mounted challenges, but were generally unable to sustain title bids over an entire season. As a result, Baghdad's Big Four maintained near-total control of domestic honours.

Aftermath of invasion and war (2003–2012)

The 2003 invasion of Iraq and subsequent Iraq War marked a major turning point in the history of the league, and caused sustained disruption to Iraqi domestic football. The 2002–03 season was cancelled following the outbreak of conflict, while the 2003–04 campaign was also cancelled due to ongoing security concerns and organisational difficulties. From the 2003–04 season until the 2010–11 season, clubs were separated into regional groups rather than competing in the traditional round-robin format to facilitate easier travel and reduce the number of games for teams.

The instability in Baghdad caused by the war significantly altered the competitive landscape of the league. Many players left the capital in search of greater security and financial stability, joining clubs in the comparatively safer northern regions, particularly in the Kurdistan area. This migration of talent weakened the traditional Baghdad-based powerhouses and contributed to a temporary shift in competitive strength.^[17] Erbil became the dominant club of the late 2000s, winning three consecutive league titles from 2006–07 to 2008–09, while Duhok secured the 2009–10 championship.^[18] These successes represented the first sustained challenge to the dominance of the top Baghdad sides since the league's formative years.

The 2008–09 season was particularly notable as the only campaign in which none of Baghdad's Big Four finished in the top four positions. Instead, the leading places were occupied by Erbil, Al-Najaf, Duhok and Al-Amana, underlining the extent of the temporary shift in competitive balance.^[19]

Influx of foreign professionals (2012–2023)

The league returned to its traditional home and away round-robin format in the 2011–12 season and began to attract foreign players and coaches, particularly from Africa, South America and the Middle East. In 2012, Syrian coach Nizar Mahrous became the first foreign manager to win the league title and Cameroonian striker Jean Michel N'Lend became the first foreign player to score a hat-trick. The 2012–13 season saw Al-Shorta dethrone Erbil at the top of the table, as the traditional Baghdad-based clubs began to reassert their dominance, driven by improved security conditions, greater financial stability, and the renewed concentration of elite players in the capital.^[20]

Since the 2015–16 season, every league title has been won by either Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya, Al-Shorta or Al-Zawraa, marking a return to the league's long-standing competitive structure.^[21] The 2010s also saw a series of incremental administrative reforms aimed at modernising Iraqi domestic football, as efforts were made to improve league organisation, infrastructure, and governance standards. In the 2013–14 season, matches began being broadcast in 16:9 aspect ratio and high-definition for the first time by Waar TV, and Qatari network Al-Kass Sports Channels purchased the rights to broadcast a select number of high-profile matches from the league to a wider audience in the region. Stadium licensing rules were gradually tightened, with modern stadiums such as Basra International Stadium, Karbala International Stadium, Zakho International Stadium and Al-Najaf International Stadium becoming regular venues for league matches. Prior to the start of the 2020–21 season, the Iraq Football Association unveiled the league's first ever logo and announced a partnership with Umbro to manufacture an official match ball for the first time in the league's history.^[22][23]

"Stars League" era (2023–present)

A major structural transformation occurred in 2023 when the Iraq Football Association (IFA) signed a three-year partnership agreement with Spain's Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional (LaLiga) to professionalise the Iraqi top flight.^[24] As part of this reform, the competition was rebranded as the Iraq Stars League and designed to meet the club licensing requirements set by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).^[25][26]

A new governing body, the Iraqi Pro League Association, was established to operate the competition and oversee its associated youth systems.^[27] Chaired by Javier Jiménez Sacristán and Matteo Mantovani, the organisation was tasked with implementing professional standards in league management, commercial operations and infrastructure development.^[28] LaLiga also began training an Iraqi administrative team to assume full operational control of the league following the conclusion of the partnership.^[29]

The inaugural Iraq Stars League season began on 26 October 2023, marking the first fully professional campaign in the history of Iraqi domestic football.^[30] Al-Shorta won the first edition in 2023–24, securing their third consecutive league title and completing a domestic double. The club extended its dominance in 2024–25, becoming the first team in the competition's history to win four consecutive league championships.^[31]

Competition

The Stars League season typically runs from September to June, although scheduling may vary slightly from year to year depending on climatic conditions and international commitments.^[32] 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, Baghdad derbies are sometimes played at the neutral venue of Al-Shaab Stadium to accommodate larger crowds).^[33]

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 number of wins.^[33] 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.^[33]

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 eight foreign players in their squad, and can register one additional foreign player of Yemeni nationality provided that the player has represented the Yemen national team in each of the past three years. Only six foreign players including Yemeni 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.^[34]

The winners of the league qualify for the Iraqi Super Cup, a match played against the winners of the Iraq FA Cup (if the league winners also win the Iraq FA Cup, they play the league runners-up instead).^[35]

Promotion and relegation

The bottom two teams in the Stars League are relegated to the Iraqi Premier Division League, while the top two teams from the Premier Division League are promoted to the Stars League. The team finishing 18th in the Stars League enters a play-off against the winner of the play-out round between the 3rd and 4th-placed teams from the Premier Division League for a spot in the next season’s Stars League.^[36]

Video assistant referee

The video assistant referee (VAR) system was introduced in the Iraq Stars League at the start of the 2023–24 season as part of a broader effort to modernise officiating standards and align the competition with international best practices.^[37] Its implementation followed coordination between the Iraq Football Association (IFA) and FIFA, including the completion of technical, regulatory and training requirements necessary for its approval and operation.^[38]

VAR is used to assist the on-field referee in reviewing key match incidents, specifically in four situations: goals, penalty decisions, direct red card offences and cases of mistaken identity. The system relies on a team of video officials located in a centralised control environment, who analyse footage from multiple camera angles and communicate with the referee via a headset. Despite this assistance, the final decision in all cases remains with the on-field referee.^[39]

2025–26 season

Twenty clubs are competing in the 2025–26 Iraq Stars League, including three promoted from the Premier Division League:

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

Map

Baghdad

Al-Minaa

Al-Gharraf

Al-Karma

Al-Mosul

Al-Najaf

Al-Qasim

Diyala

Erbil

Newroz

Naft Maysan

Zakho

Duhok

Baghdad teams
Al-Kahrabaa
Al-Karkh
Al-Naft
Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya
Al-Shorta
Al-Talaba
Al-Zawraa
Amanat Baghdad

Location of clubs in Iraq for the 2025–26 Iraq Stars League season

Seasons

Since its first season in 1974–75 up until the 2025–26 season (not counting the qualifying rounds of the 2000–01 season), 81 teams have participated in at least one round of a top division season. Teams in bold are competing in the Iraq Stars League in the 2025–26 season. Teams in italics represent defunct teams. The year in parentheses represents the most recent year of participation at this level. Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya and Al-Shorta are the only teams to have competed in every season.

Performance by club

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 eight seasons.^[40]

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.^[41] 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.^[41] Al-Talaba reached the final of the 1995–96 Asian Cup Winners' Cup but they lost it 2–1 to Bellmare Hiratsuka,^[42] while Al-Zawraa lost the final of the same competition 1–0 to Shimizu S-Pulse in 2000.^[43] 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.^[17] 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.^[44]

Qualification for Arab competitions

Iraqi clubs also participate in the Arab Club Champions Cup, which is organised by the Union of Arab Football Associations, and the AGCFF Gulf Club Champions League, which is organised by the Arab Gulf Cup Football Federation.

Al-Shorta won the inaugural edition of the Arab Club Champions Cup in 1982 by defeating Al-Nejmeh 4–2 on aggregate in the final,^[45] 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.^[46] Meanwhile, Duhok won the AGCFF Gulf Club Champions League in the 2024–25 season by defeating Al-Qadsia 2–1 on aggregate in the final.^[47]

Top scorers

As of 27 April 2026.^[6]

More information Rank, Player ...

Rank	Player	Goals	First app	Last app	Club(s) (goals)
1	Amjad Radhi	180[b]	2007	2024	Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya (97), Erbil (75), Al-Najaf (8)
2	Sahib Abbas	177	1988	2012	Salahaddin (42), Al-Zawraa (62), Al-Talaba (18), Karbala (50), Al-Sinaa (5)
3	Alaa Abdul-Zahra	172	2004	present	Al-Zawraa (54), Duhok (26), Al-Shorta (78), Al-Minaa (11), Al-Talaba (3)
4	Karim Saddam	171	1979	1996	Al-Sinaa (23), Al-Jaish (11), Al-Rasheed (4), Al-Zawraa (127), Al-Shorta (6)
5	Ali Hashim	170	1987	2004	Al-Najaf (149), Al-Karkh (21)
6	Hussein Abdullah	167	1991	2010	Al-Sinaa (32), Al-Naft (16), Diyala (40), Duhok (58), Erbil (14), Kirkuk (2), Pires (5)
7	Hammadi Ahmed	162[c]	2005	2023	Samarra (19), Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya (143)
8	Younis Abid Ali	157	1983	2000	Al-Shorta (135), Al-Rasheed (15), Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya (3), Al-Difaa Al-Jawi (4)
9	Ahmed Radhi	146	1981	1999	Al-Zawraa (103), Al-Rasheed (43)
10	Alaa Kadhim	145	1988	2007	Al-Sinaa (8), Al-Talaba (137)

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Bold denotes players still playing in the Iraq Stars League.

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. It features a predominantly silver structure with curved, textured forms rising upward in a spiral shape. The trophy is topped by a stylised football composed of interlocking silver panels with gold accents. Its base is rectangular and bears an engraved plaque displaying the words "Iraq Stars League" in both English and Arabic, alongside the competition’s logo and the season.^[53][54]

Individual awards

After each round of matches, fans vote for the 'Player of the Round' from a five-man shortlist posted on the Iraq Stars League's social media channels, while 'Player of the Month' and 'Manager of the Month' awards are handed out at the end of each month, selected by a panel of experts.^[55] At the end of each season, the 'Golden Boot' is awarded to the top scorer, while the 'Player of the Season' is selected by an expert panel and the 'Goal of the Season' is voted for by fans.^[56][57]

League records

Titles

• Most titles: 14, Al-Zawraa^[58]
• Most consecutive title wins: 4, Al-Shorta (2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24, 2024–25)^[58]
• Biggest title-winning margin: 21 points, 2021–22; Al-Shorta (91 points) over Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya (70 points)^[59]
• Smallest title-winning margin: 0 points, 0 goal difference and 2 wins – 1980–81; Al-Talaba (8 wins) over Al-Shorta (6 wins)^[60]
• Earliest title win with the most games remaining: 7 games, Al-Shorta (2021–22)^[59]

Wins

• Most consecutive wins: 11 – joint record:
  • Al-Shorta (13 March – 22 May 1998)^[61]
  • Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya (22 January – 26 March 2026)^[62]
• Most consecutive wins from the start of a season: 9 – joint record:^[63]
  • Erbil (2008–09)
  • Al-Zawraa (2017–18)
• Most consecutive wins to the end of a season: 11, Al-Shorta (1997–98)^[61]
• Defeated all league opponents at least once in a season: joint record:^[64]
  • Al-Tayaran (1974–75, 9 opponents)
  • Al-Zawraa (2000–01, 15 opponents)
  • Al-Shorta (2021–22, 19 opponents)

Losses

• Fewest losses in a season: 0 – joint record:^[6]
  • Al-Zawraa four times (1976–77, 11 rounds, 1978–79, 12 rounds, 2005–06, 19 rounds, 2015–16, 24 rounds)
  • Al-Jamiea (1976–77, 11 rounds)
  • Al-Minaa (1977–78, 13 rounds)
  • Al-Shorta (1980–81, 11 rounds)
  • Salahaddin (1982–83, 22 rounds)
  • Al-Jaish (1983–84, 24 rounds)
• Longest unbeaten run: 39 games – joint record:^[65]
  • Al-Zawraa (25 November 1993 – 3 October 1994)
  • Al-Shorta (21 May 2018 – 23 May 2019)

Goals

• Most consecutive matches scored in: 43, Al-Shorta (4 April 1997 – 13 November 1998)^[66]
• Most consecutive matches without conceding a goal: 14, Erbil (16 July 2009 – 20 March 2010)^[67]
• Scored in every match during a season: joint record:^[6]
  • Al-Shorta twice (1980–81, 11 rounds, and 1997–98, 30 rounds)
  • Al-Zawraa (1976–77, 11 rounds)
  • Al-Minaa (1977–78, 13 rounds)
  • Karbala (2005–06, 16 rounds up to elimination)

Match records

Scorelines

• Highest scoring match: 11 goals – joint record:^[68]
  • Al-Naqil 11–0 Al-Shorta (12 October 1974)
  • Al-Ramadi 11–0 Kirkuk (15 May 1995)
  • Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya 9–2 Al-Diwaniya (11 May 2023)

Attendances

• Highest attendance, single game: 68,000, Al-Shorta v. Al-Zawraa (at Al-Shaab Stadium, 13 December 1991)^[69]

Player records

Appearances

• Youngest player: Mohanad Ali, 13 years and 279 days (for Al-Shorta v. Al-Talaba, 26 March 2014)^[70]

Titles

• Most titles: 7 – joint record:^[71]
  • Salam Hashim (three with Al-Rasheed in 1986–87, 1987–88 and 1988–89 and four with Al-Zawraa in 1990–91, 1993–94, 1994–95 and 1995–96)
  • Mudhahar Khalaf (three with Al-Rasheed in 1986–87, 1987–88 and 1988–89, three with Al-Zawraa in 1993–94, 1994–95 and 1995–96 and one with Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya in 1996–97)
  • Mohamed Jassim Mahdi (seven with Al-Zawraa in 1990–91, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01)
• Most titles as captain: 3 – joint record:^[72]
  • Hazem Jassam (three with Al-Zawraa in 1975–76, 1976–77 and 1978–79)
  • Ahmed Radhi (one with Al-Rasheed in 1988–89 and two with Al-Zawraa in 1990–91 and 1998–99)
  • Rafid Badr Al-Deen (three with Erbil in 2006–07, 2007–08 and 2008–09)
  • Alaa Abdul-Zahra (three with Al-Shorta in 2021–22, 2022–23 and 2023–24)

Goals

• Most goals: 180, Amjad Radhi^[6]
• Most goals for one club: 149, Ali Hashim (for Al-Najaf)^[6]
• Most top scorer awards: 4, Karim Saddam (1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1992–93)^[58]
• Most consecutive top scorer awards: 3 – joint record:^[58]
  • Rahim Hameed (1985–86, 1986–87, 1987–88)
  • Karim Saddam (1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91)
• Most goals in a season: 36, Younis Abid Ali (1993–94, 50 rounds)^[58]
• Most goals in a single game: 6 – joint record:^[73]
  • Shakir Mohammed Sabbar (for Al-Ramadi v. Kirkuk, 15 May 1995)
  • Sahib Abbas (for Al-Zawraa v. Al-Karkh, 18 October 1996)
  • Alaa Kadhim (for Al-Talaba v. Al-Mosul, 9 January 1998)
• Fastest goal: 9.504 seconds, Alaa Abdul-Zahra (for Al-Shorta v. Naft Al-Junoob, 21 October 2018)^[74]
• Most hat-tricks: 10 – joint record:^[6]
  • Qahtan Chathir
  • Sahib Abbas
• Most hat-tricks in a season: 4, Qahtan Chathir (Al-Karkh, 1999–2000)^[6]

Managerial records

Titles

The following managers have won multiple titles:^[75]

More information Manager, Club(s) ...

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

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