Iraqi football league system

Leagues for men's football clubs in Iraq

Iraqi football league systemCountry| Iraq

|

Sport| Association football
Promotion and relegation| Yes
National system
Federation| Iraq Football Association
Iraqi Pro League Association
Confederation| AFC
Top division| Iraq Stars League
Second division| Iraqi Premier Division League
Cup competition|

*     * Iraq FA Cup
* Iraqi Super Cup

Association football in Iraq

The Iraqi football league system, also known as the football pyramid, is a series of interconnected leagues for men's association football clubs in Iraq. The system has a hierarchical format with promotion and relegation across leagues at different levels, allowing even the smallest club the theoretical possibility of ultimately rising to the very top of the system. There are 5 individual levels; the top flight is governed by the Iraqi Pro League Association, while the other divisions are run by the Iraq Football Association (IFA).

## History

[edit]

Main article: Iraqi National First Division

Up until 1973, leagues in Iraq were played at a regional level. The Central FA League, the Basra League and the Kirkuk League were all founded in 1948,[1] while the Mosul League was founded in 1950.[2] The first nationwide league to be held in the country was in the 1973–74 season when the National First Division League was formed, with Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya being crowned champions.[3] The IFA then decided to replace the competition with a new National Clubs First Division League (later known as Iraqi Premier League) which would only be open to clubs and not institute-representative teams.[4]

In the 2023–24 season, the Iraqi Premier League was transformed into a professional league under the name Iraq Stars League.[5][6]

## About the system

[edit]

The system consists of a pyramid of leagues, bound together by the principle of promotion and relegation. A certain number of the most successful clubs in each league can rise to a higher league, whilst those that finish the season at the bottom of their league can find themselves sinking down a level. In addition to sporting performance, promotion is usually contingent on meeting criteria set by the higher league, especially concerning appropriate facilities and finances.[7]

In theory, it is possible for a lowly local amateur club to achieve annual promotions and within a few years rise to the pinnacle of the Iraqi game and become champions of the Stars League (previously known as the Premier League). While this may be unlikely in practice (at the very least, in the short run), there certainly is significant movement within the pyramid.[8]

## Structure

[edit]

At the top is the single division of the Stars League (level 1, which is often referred to as the "top-flight") which contains 20 clubs, then the Premier Division League (level 2) which consists of 20 clubs, the First Division League (level 3) which consists of 20 clubs, the Second Division League (level 4) which consists of 20 clubs, and the Third Division League (level 5) which is separated into regional groups.

## Promotion and relegation rules for All the levels

[edit]

1. Stars League (level 1, 20 teams): 2 teams are relegated directly, and 1 team enters a relegation play-off.
2. Premier Division League (level 2, 20 teams): 2 teams are promoted directly, and 2 teams enter promotion play-offs. 2 teams are relegated directly, and 1 team enters a relegation play-off.
3. First Division League (level 3, 20 teams): 2 teams are promoted directly, and 1 team enters a promotion play-off. 2 teams are relegated directly, and 1 team enters a relegation play-off.
4. Second Division League (level 4, 20 teams): 2 teams are promoted directly, and 1 team enters a promotion play-off. 2 teams are relegated directly, and 1 team enters a relegation play-off.
5. Third Division League (level 5): 2 teams are promoted directly, and 1 team enters a promotion play-off.

## The system

[edit]

Level one in the pyramid, the top division of Iraqi football, is the Stars League, the winners of which are regarded as the champions of Iraq and the contenders have access to the Asian premier football competition, the AFC Champions League Elite.

Level

League(s)/division(s)

|

Stars League
20 clubs

↓ 2 relegation spots + 1 relegation play-off spot

Premier Division League
20 clubs

↑ 2 promotion spots + 2 promotion play-off spots

↓ 2 relegation spots + 1 relegation play-off spot

3  |

First Division League
20 clubs divided into 2 groups in the first stage
8 clubs divided into 2 groups in the second stage

↑ 2 promotion spots + 1 promotion play-off spot

↓ 2 relegation spots + 1 relegation play-off spot

4  |

Second Division League
20 clubs divided into 2 groups in the first stage
8 clubs divided into 2 groups in the second stage

↑ 2 promotion spots + 1 promotion play-off spot

↓ 2 relegation spots + 1 relegation play-off spot

5  |

Third Division League
Clubs divided into 18 governorates in the first stage
42 clubs divided into 5 regions in the second stage
15 clubs divided into 3 groups in the third stage
4 clubs in the golden stage

↑ 2 promotion spots + 1 promotion play-off spot

## See also

[edit]

* League system
* Football in Iraq
* Iraq Football Association
* Iraqi Pro League Association
* Iraq Stars League
* Iraqi Premier Division League
* Iraqi First Division League
* Iraqi Second Division League
* Iraqi Third Division League

* v
* t
* e

Football in Iraq

* Iraq Football Association
* Iraqi Pro League Association

National teams|

| Men|

* National team
* Olympic (U-23)
* U20
* U17
* Futsal
* Beach

|

Women|

* National team
* U17
* Futsal

League competitions|

| Level 1|

* Iraq Stars League

|

Levels 2–5|

* Iraqi Premier Division League
* Iraqi First Division League
* Iraqi Second Division League
* Iraqi Third Division League

Women|

Iraqi Women's Football League

Defunct (men)|

* Iraqi National First Division
* Iraq Central FA Premier League
* Iraq FA Basra Premier League
* Iraq FA Kirkuk Premier League

Cup competitions|

| FA cups|

* Iraq FA Cup
* Iraqi Super Cup

|

Defunct (men)|

* Baghdad Championship
* Iraq FA Baghdad Cup
* Independent Baghdad Tournament
* Iraq Central FA Perseverance Cup

Lists|

* Champions
* Clubs
* Honours won
* Clubs in Asian competitions
* Stadiums by capacity

* Men's clubs
* Men's players
* Expatriate players
* Managers
* Referees
* Venues
* Asian Cup record
* World Cup record
* Records and statistics
* Results

* v
* t
* e

Top-level football leagues of Asia (AFC)

Current|

* Afghanistan
* Australia
* Bahrain
* Bangladesh
* Bhutan
* Brunei
* Cambodia
* China
* East Timor
* Guam
* Hong Kong
* India
* Indonesia
* Iran
* Iraq
* Japan
* Jordan
* Kuwait
* Kyrgyzstan
* Laos
* Lebanon
* Macau
* Malaysia
* Maldives
* Mongolia
* Myanmar
* Nepal
* Super League
* A-Division League
* North Korea
* Northern Mariana Islands†
* Oman
* Pakistan
* Palestine
* Gaza Strip
* West Bank
* Philippines
* Qatar
* Saudi Arabia
* Singapore
* South Korea
* Sri Lanka
* Syria
* Taiwan
* Tajikistan
* Thailand
* Turkmenistan
* United Arab Emirates
* Uzbekistan
* Vietnam
* Yemen

Defunct|

* North Vietnam
* South Vietnam
* South Yemen

* † Associated members

* v
* t
* e

League systems in sport

* League system
* Sports league
* Professional sports league organization
* Division (sport)
* Promotion and relegation
* Closed league
* Semi-closed league

American football|

* Germany

Association
football|

| AFC|

* Afghanistan
* Australia
* Bahrain
* Bangladesh
* China
* East Timor
* Guam
* Hong Kong
* India
* Indonesia
* Iran
* Iraq
* Japan
* Jordan
* South Korea
* Kuwait
* Lebanon
* Macau
* Malaysia
* Mongolia
* Myanmar
* Nepal
* Northern Mariana Islands
* Pakistan
* Qatar
* Saudi Arabia
* Singapore
* Taiwan
* Tajikistan
* Thailand
* Turkmenistan
* United Arab Emirates
* Vietnam

|

CAF|

* Algeria
* Burkina Faso
* Burundi
* Cameroon
* Cape Verde
* Central African Republic
* Comoros
* Djibouti
* Egypt
* Equatorial Guinea
* Ghana
* Guinea-Bissau
* Ivory Coast
* Kenya
* Madagascar
* Mauritius
* Morocco
* Mozambique
* Nigeria
* Réunion
* São Tomé and Príncipe
* Seychelles
* Somalia
* South Africa
* Tunisia

CONCACAF|

* Anguilla
* Antigua and Barbuda
* Aruba
* Bahamas
* Barbados
* Belize
* Bermuda
* Bonaire
* British Virgin Islands
* Canada
* Cayman Islands
* Costa Rica
* Cuba
* Curaçao
* Dominican Republic
* El Salvador
* French Guiana
* Guadeloupe
* Guatemala
* Haiti
* Honduras
* Jamaica
* Martinique
* Mexico
* Montserrat
* Nicaragua
* Panama
* Puerto Rico
* Saint Kitts and Nevis
* Saint Martin
* Sint Maarten
* Trinidad and Tobago
* Turks and Caicos Islands
* United States
* United States Virgin Islands

CONMEBOL|

* Argentina
* Bolivia
* Brazil
* Chile
* Colombia
* Ecuador
* Paraguay
* Peru
* Uruguay
* Venezuela

OFC|

* French Polynesia
* New Caledonia
* New Zealand
* Papua New Guinea
* Tuvalu

UEFA|

* Albania
* Andorra
* Armenia
* Austria
* Azerbaijan
* Belarus
* Belgium
* Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Bulgaria
* Croatia
* Cyprus
* Czech Republic
* Denmark
* England (women's)
* Estonia
* Faroe Islands
* Finland
* France
* Georgia
* Germany (women's)
* Gibraltar
* Greece
* Hungary
* Iceland
* Ireland
* Israel
* Italy
* Kazakhstan
* Kosovo
* Latvia
* Liechtenstein
* Lithuania
* Luxembourg
* Malta
* Moldova
* Montenegro
* Netherlands
* North Macedonia
* Northern Ireland
* Norway
* Poland
* Portugal
* Romania
* Russia
* San Marino
* Scotland
* Serbia
* Slovakia
* Slovenia
* Spain
* Sweden
* Switzerland
* Turkey (women's)
* Ukraine
* Wales

Basketball|

| Continental|

* Europe
* South America

|

National|

* France
* Germany
* Greece
* Hungary
* Iceland
* Italy
* Japan
* Poland
* Russia
* Serbia
* Spain
* Turkey

Handball|

* Denmark
* Hungary

Ice hockey|

* United States

Rugby league|

* Great Britain
* France

Rugby union|

* England
* France
* Ireland
* New Zealand
* Scotland
* Wales

Shinty|

* Scotland

Sumo|

* Japan

Tennis|

* Davis Cup
* Billie Jean King Cup

Water polo|

* Hungary

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Football leagues set up in Iraq's main centres". The Iraq Times. 16 October 1948.
2. ^ "Mosul forms new football group". The Iraq Times. 11 December 1950.
3. ^ Al-Sabti, Ali (2018). Iraqi League History 1956-1974. Iraq.`{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
4. ^ Al-Sabti, Ali (2014). Iraqi League History 1974-2011. Iraq.`{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
5. ^ "Dirjal reveals undisclosed details about the Iraqi Pro League" (in Arabic). Winwin. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
6. ^ "Iraq signs 2 contracts with Spanish La Liga to develop Iraqi football". Xinhua. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
7. ^ "نظام المسابقات في الدوري العراقي موسم ۲۰۲٠ - ۲۰۲١" (PDF). Iraq Football Association. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 July 2022. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
8. ^ "Dirjal: Iraq's qualification for the 2026 World Cup begins with the establishment of a professional league". Sports Asharq (in Arabic). Retrieved 9 July 2023.

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template