Qatari Second Division

Football league

Qatari Second Division

Founded| 1979; 46 years ago (1979)
Country| Qatar
Confederation| AFC
Number of clubs| 8
Level on pyramid| 2
Promotion to| Qatar Stars League
Domestic cup(s)| Sheikh Jassem Cup
Qatari Second Division Cup
Current champions| Al-Sailiya SC (5th title)
(2024–25)
Most championships| Al-Markhiya
(6 titles)
Current: 2024–25 Qatari Second Division

The Qatari Second Division (Arabic: دوري الدرجة الثانية القطري), QSD or Second Division League, also was known as Qatargas League due to sponsorship reasons, is the second tier of the two-tier football league competition in Qatar. Contested by 8 teams, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the Qatar Stars League (QSL), the top-tier football league in the country. The QSD seasons, like those of the QSL, run from September to April.

The league's first season was played in 1979 which was won by Al-Ittihad. The club with the most QSD wins is Al-Markhiya which has won 6 QSD titles. According to the league's development strategy, starting with the 2022–23 season, the first-placed club of this league will play a relegation match against the tenth-placed club of the first league to decide which club will participate in the first league next season.[1] There is no relegation from the second division.[2]

## History

[edit]

In 1990, the Qatar Football Association dissolved three second division clubs: Al Nasr, Al Tadamon, and Al Nahda. The clubs' players and staff were distributed to first division clubs. As a result, the Qatari Second Division was unofficially dissolved on a temporary basis.[3] The competition resumed operations in the 1996–97 season.[4] The first promotion play-off took place in the 1999–00 season, between Second Division champions Muaither SC and the bottom-ranked team of the Qatar Stars League, Al Shamal. Muaither lost the match.[5]

It was announced on 15 April 2009 that no clubs would be relegated from the top flight in the 2008–09 season, due to expansion reasons, however the announcement was made with only one game remaining.[6] This meant that the Qatari Second Division would remain with the same number of teams despite the recent formation of Lekhwiya SC and El Jaish SC, while the top flight would expand to 12 teams.

On 6 October 2013 it was announced Qatari Second Division had a sponsorship with Qatargas.[7]

An annual competition known as the Qatari Second Division Cup is played by all second division clubs.[8]

## Clubs

[edit]

### Champions

[edit]

Source:[9]

Club  | Champions  | Winning years

|
|

Al-Markhiya | 6  | 1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1998–99, 2016–17, 2021–22
Al-Sailiya | 4  | 2002–03, 2004–05, 2006–07, 2011–12
Al-Gharafa | 1979–80, 1981–82, 1983–84, 1986–87
Al-Shamal | 1985–86, 2002–03, 2014–15, 2020–21
El-Jaish | 3  | 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–11
Umm-Salal | 1997–98, 1999–2000, 2005–06
Al-Kharaitiyat | 2  | 2003–04, 2019–20
Al-Khor | 1982–83, 2023–24
Al-Wakrah | 1984–85, 2018–19
Al-Rayyan | 1988–89, 2014–15
Muaither | 2015–16, 2022–23
Al-Shahania | 1  | 2017–18
Al-Mesaimeer | 2000–01
Al-Ahli | 2012–13
Al-Duhail | 2009–10
Al-Nahda  | 1980–81

### 2022–23 season

[edit]

Qatari Second Division

Club  | Location  | Stadium  | Year Formed
Al Bidda SC | Doha |  | 2015
Al Kharaitiyat | Al Kharaitiyat | Al Khor SC Stadium | 1996
Al-Khor | Al Khor | Al-Khor SC Stadium | 1961
Al-Mesaimeer | Al-Rayyan,  | Al-Sailiya SC Stadium | 1996
Al-Shahania | Al-Rayyan,  | Grand Hamad Stadium | 1998
Al-Waab | Al Waab, Doha |  | 2019
Lusail | Lusail, Al Daayen |  | 2014
Muaither SC | Muaither, Al-Rayyan | Thani bin Jassim Stadium | 1996

## Championship history

[edit]

### Total titles won by town or city

[edit]

Town or city  | Number of titles  | Clubs

|
|

Al Rayyan |

| Al-Sailiya SC (4), Al-Gharafa SC (4), Al-Rayyan SC (2), Muaither SC (2), Mesaimeer (1), Al-Shahania (1)
Doha |

| Al-Markhiya (6), Al-Jaish (3), Lekhwiya SC (1), Al Ahli (1), Al-Nahda (1)
Umm Salal |

| Umm Salal SC (3), Al Kharaitiyat (2)
Al Shamal |

| Al-Shamal (4)
Al Wakrah |

| Al-Wakrah SC (2)
Al Khor |

| Al-Taawun (Al Khor) (1)

## Top scorers

[edit]

Year |  | Best scorers | Team | Goals

|
|
|
|

1998–99 |  | Osama Adam | ? | 13[10]
2007–08 |  | Gonzalo Gutiérrez | Al Markhiya | 15
2008–09 |  | Gonzalo Gutiérrez | Muaither | 14
2010–11 |  | Abdulqadir Ilyas | El Jaish | 12
2011–12 |  | Michaël N'dri | Al Sailiya | 16
2012–13 |  | Jean-Paul Eale Lutula | Muaither | 12
2013–14 |  | Ali Ferydoon | Al Shamal | 19
2014–15 |  | Rodrigo Tabata | Al Rayyan | 20
2015–16 |  | Mahmoud Za'tara | Muaither | 20
2016–17 |  | Selemani Ndikumana | Mesaimeer | 19
2017–18 |  | Luciano Vázquez | Al Shahaniya | 15
2018–19 |

| Mamadou Diawara
Omar Ali
Nana Poku | Muaither
Al Wakrah
Al Wakrah | 10
2019–20 |  | Rachid Tiberkanine | Al Kharaitiyat | 18
2020–21 |
| Baha' Faisal
Birahim Gaye | Al Shamal
Al Shahaniya | 17
2021–22 |  | Rachid Tiberkanine | Al Kharaitiyat | 8
2022–23 |  | Alaeddine Ajaraie | Muaither | 11
2023–24 |
| Idrissa Thiam
Tiago Reis | Mesaimeer | 10

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Second Division League". Retrieved 2023-01-31.
2. ^ "Second Division League". Qatar Football Association. Retrieved 2019-06-01.
3. ^ دوري نجوم قطر. mail.asiancup2011.qa (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 30 July 2015.
4. ^ "Diliberto wants more teams in Second Division League". Qatar Tribune. 17 April 2018. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
5. ^ نادي معيذر يدخل معسكر مغلق استعدادا لام صلال في الفاصله (in Arabic). Muaither SC. 28 July 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
6. ^ Q-League expands to 12 Archived May 2, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
7. ^ "Qatargas and QFA Sign 3 Year Sponsorship Agreement". QFA. 6 October 2013. Archived from the original on 8 October 2013. Retrieved 6 October 2013.
8. ^ "Qatar Cup 2nd Division". Goalzz. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
9. ^ List of Champions – 2nd Division – QFA Archived May 18, 2012, at the Wayback Machine (in Arabic)
10. ^ "حصاد الموسم الكروي القطري 98 – 99 : رقم قياسي جديد في تسجيل الاهداف والوكرة الاكثر حصولاً على الألقاب". daharchives.alhayat.com (in Arabic). 7 January 1999. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016.

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[edit]

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