Iraqi football league system
| Country | 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 | |
| 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 4 individual levels, containing 8 leagues. 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]
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 was formed, with Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya being crowned champions.[3] The IFA then decided to replace the competition with a new National Clubs League (later known as Iraqi Premier League) which would only be open to clubs and not institute-representative teams.[4]
Since 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, Premier Division League (level 2) which consists of 22 clubs, First Division League (level 3) which consists of 26 clubs, and Second Division League (level 4).
Promotion and relegation rules for All the levels[edit]
- Stars League (level 1, 20 teams): 2 teams are relegated (the bottom team and a play-off loser).
- Premier Division League (level 2, 22 teams): 2 teams are promoted (the top two in the final stage). 4 teams are relegated (the bottom two from each group in the group stage).
- First Division League (level 3, 26 teams): 2 teams are promoted (the two group winners in the second round). 10 teams are relegated (the bottom three from each group in the first round and one play-off loser).
- Second Division League (level 4, TBD teams)
The system[edit]
Level one in the pyramid, the top division of Iraq 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, AFC Champions League Elite. Level 1 to 4 are operated by the Iraq Football Association.
|
Level |
League(s)/division(s) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Stars League ↓ 1 relegation spot + 2 relegation play-off spots | ||||||
|
2 |
Premier Division League ↑ 2 promotion spots ↓ 4 relegation spots | ||||||
|
3 |
First Division League ↑ 2 promotion spots ↓ 9 relegation spots + 2 relegation play-off spots | ||||||
| 4 | Second Division League | ||||||
|
Northern Group |
Baghdad Group |
Middle Euphrates Group |
Western Group |
Southern Group | |||
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
| National teams |
| ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| League competitions |
| ||||||||
| Cup competitions |
| ||||||||
| Lists | |||||||||
References[edit]
- ^ "Football leagues set up in Iraq's main centres". The Iraq Times. 16 October 1948.
- ^ "Mosul forms new football group". The Iraq Times. 11 December 1950.
- ^ Al-Sabti, Ali (2018). Iraqi League History 1956-1974. Iraq.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ Al-Sabti, Ali (2014). Iraqi League History 1974-2011. Iraq.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ "Dirjal reveals undisclosed details about the Iraqi Pro League" (in Arabic). Winwin. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
- ^ "Iraq signs 2 contracts with Spanish La Liga to develop Iraqi football". Xinhua. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "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.